Submitted by United States Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana
WASHINGTON (May 20, 2024) – On Friday afternoon, Senator Cassidy awarded grants totaling over $52 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to municipalities and gas utility districts seeking to replace aging natural gas infrastructure with new pipelines.
“This money will decrease the risk of explosion and decrease the amount of wasted methane which people are paying for, thus saving folks money,” said Dr. Cassidy. “It also cleans up our environment. It’s a good investment of taxpayer dollars for the benefit of folks in Louisiana.”
Thanks to IIJA, the Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization (NGDISM) is helping communities throughout the country safeguard natural gas pipes. Nearly one billion will be awarded over five years, with $392 million being awarded just this year.
As part of today’s announcement, the cities of Donaldsonville, Port Allen, and Walker, the town of Berwick, and gas utility districts in East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana and West Feliciana Parishes received money. In total, nearly 200 miles of pipeline will be replaced with sturdier and safer pipes. Smaller grants were also awarded to replace aging meters and acquire methane leak detection equipment. Additionally, a similar announcement was made last April of over $27 million going cities and towns in south and central Louisiana, for similar purposes.
Passed and signed into law in November of 2021, over $9.1 billion dollars has been awarded to Louisiana from IIJA. Money has been awarded to repair bridges, build flood protection systems, and extend high-speed broadband into rural areas.
Among other officials present at today’s announcement was Donaldsonville Mayor Leroy Sullivan, whose city received the largest grant of $20 million to replace 27.3 miles of pre-existing natural gas infrastructure. Since his election, Mayor Sullivan has made it a priority to replace his city’s aging pipes, which is happening due to Cassidy’s infrastructure law.
“Revising the NGDISM gas line improvement grant from Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is a pivotal moment for the City of Donaldsonville,” said Mayor Sullivan. “Senator Cassidy was instrumental in helping us secure this funding and we are deeply grateful for his unwavering support. This project is an investment in the future of our city and positions our community for continued growth.”
