The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“SUPPORT OF THE SAFE PIPELINES ACT OF 2000” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E791-E792 on May 19, 2000.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SUPPORT OF THE SAFE PIPELINES ACT OF 2000
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HON. JENNIFER DUNN
of washington
in the house of representatives
Friday, May 19, 2000
Ms. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, I joined Representative Metcalf in support of H.R. 3558, the Safe Pipelines Act of 2000, to improve safety and provide states greater discretion to review and inspect interstate liquid pipelines. This vital legislation requires pipeline companies to inspect the pipelines both internally and with hydrostatic tests. To improve access to information, this legislation requires the U.S. Department of Transportation to post the location of all pipelines on the Internet and inform the public of accidents, leaks, and spills.
While the June 10th accident in Bellingham, Washington, has caught our attention, we must examine how to improve the integrity of the pipeline and instill public confidence that we are adequately protecting those who live near a pipeline. I remain supportive of hydrostatic testing as a method to ensure the integrity of the pipelines. However, we must also review the regulatory, maintenance, and day-to-day operations of the pipelines comprehensively to better serve our communities.
On May 13th, I held a public meeting to discuss efforts to improve the pipelines. With a panel of experts, we discussed the need for better communication between local elected officials and the pipeline companies servicing the Puget Sound area. We must remain vigilant in protecting our neighborhoods not only today but also in the future. Congress can help in this process by passing meaningful pipeline legislation this year.
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