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.
“THE PIPELINE SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2001” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Senate section on pages S541-S542 on Feb. 8, 2002.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THE PIPELINE SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2001
Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, one year ago today, the Senate passed S. 235, the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2001. This bill, overwhelmingly approved by a vote of 98-0, is the product of many months of hearings, bipartisan compromise, and cooperation that began during the last Congress. It is designed to promote both public and environmental safety by reauthorizing and strengthening our federal pipeline safety programs which expired in September, 2000.
Since the Senate began debating pipeline safety improvement legislation in 1999, the House has taken little action. Various pipeline safety improvement measures are available for consideration by the House, including a bill introduced December 20, 2001 by the Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. I encourage the House Members to act swiftly and help prevent not only needless deaths and injuries, but also environmental and economic disasters. Legislative action is necessary as demonstrated by the number of tragic accidents in recent years.
For example, on June 10, 1999, 277,000 gallons of gasoline leaked from a 16 inch underground pipeline into the Hannah Creek near Bellingham, WA. The gasoline migrated into the Whatcom Creek, where it was subsequently ignited. The ignition set off an explosion and fire, burning along both sides of the creek, for approximately 1.5 miles, killing two 10 year old boys and an 18 year old young man who was fishing in the creek. In addition to the three deaths, there were eight injuries and environmental damage to the area. Also, the fire damaged the Bellingham Water Treatment Plant and other industrial structures, as well as a private residence. Interstate 5 was closed for a period of time because of the thick smoke, and the Coast Guard closed Bellingham Bay for a one mile radius from the mouth of the Whatcom Creek.
Other tragedies have occurred. On August 19, 2000, a natural gas transmission line ruptured in Carlsbad, NM, killing 12 members of two families. On September 7, 2000, a bulldozer in Lubbock, TX, ruptured a propane pipeline. The ensuing cloud was ignited by a passing vehicle, creating a fireball which killed a police officer.
Congress was called on to act after the first accident in Washington. I introduced S. 2438, the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2000, on April 13, 2000. With the assistance of a bipartisan group of Senators, including Senators Slade Gorton and Patty Murray, the Commerce Committee reported the measure favorably later that July. The Senate took swift action upon return from the August recess, during which the accident in New Mexico had occurred. We passed S. 2438 by unanimous consent on September 7, 2000, on the same day as the rupture in Texas.
The Senate's accomplishment that year stemmed from several months of hearings and countless meetings. Unfortunately, the House failed to approve a pipeline safety measure so we were never able to go to conference or send a measure to the President. Our collective inaction was a black mark on the 106th Congress.
After the opening of the 107th Congress, I introduced nearly identical legislation, S. 235, the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2001. The Senate acted swiftly and passed S. 235 on this date last year, one of the first legislative actions of the 107th Congress. The House now has the opportunity to remove the black mark by acting on pipeline safety legislation.
Including the tragedies I mentioned earlier, a total of 71 fatalities have occurred as a result of a pipeline accident over the past three years. It should be noted, however, that despite these horrible accidents, the pipeline industry has a good safety record relative to other forms of transportation. According to the Department of Transportation, pipeline related incidents dropped nearly 80 percent between 1975 and 1998, and the loss of product due to accidental ruptures has been cut in half. From 1989 through 1998, pipeline accidents resulted in about 22 fatalities per year--far fewer than the number of fatal accidents experienced among other modes of transportation. But this record should not be used as an excuse for inaction on legislation to strengthen pipeline safety.
The Office of Pipeline Safety, OPS, within the Department of Transportation's, DOT, Research and Special Programs Administration, RSPA, oversees the transportation of about 65 percent of the petroleum and most of the natural gas transported in the United States. OPS regulates the day-to-day safety of 3,000 gas pipeline operators with more than 1.6 million miles of pipeline. It also regulates more than 200 hazardous liquid operators with 155,000 miles of pipelines. Given the immense array of pipelines that traverse our nation, reauthorization of our pipeline safety programs is critical to the safety and security of thousands of communities and millions of Americans nationwide.
Early attention by the Senate demonstrates our firm commitment to improving pipeline safety. I will continue to do all I can to advance pipeline safety legislation this year. When the Senate considers an Energy bill in the upcoming days or weeks, I intend to offer S. 235 as an amendment to it. I hope my colleagues will join with me in demonstrating their strong support for addressing identified pipeline safety lapses and will vote for this amendment.
I remain hopeful that Congress as a whole will finally act before we receive another call to action by yet another tragic accident. Action is needed. It is needed now.
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