HARRISBURG – The PA House has passed two bipartisan bills aimed at addressing natural gas safety concerns in the wake of the 2023 R.M. Palmer chocolate factory explosion in Berks County. The bills were introduced after a March 2025 investigation found the explosion, which killed seven people and injured 10 others at the West Reading factory was likely caused by a degraded natural gas connection. House Bill 1525 would require all owners and operators of pipelines transporting steam located in public rights-of-way to register with the PA One Call System so that property owners and construction workers know where steam lines are located. House Bill 1526 would require the PA Public Utilities Commission to work with natural gas pipeline operators to develop guidance and management programs to address threats to degrading plastic pipelines. Both bills move to the PA Senate. A third bill, House Bill 1522, which would require buildings that use natural gas to install alarms to detect leaks, advanced out of the PA House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee in December and is expected to be brought to the House floor for consideration.
