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.
“PIPELINE SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2001” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Senate section on pages S524-S525 on Jan. 24, 2001.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
PIPELINE SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2001
Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I am pleased to have co-sponsored a bill to modernize our Nation's pipeline safety programs. The issue of our country's pipeline safety came to the forefront after tragic explosions in Bellingham, Washington, and later, in my own state of New Mexico.
Just after midnight, August 19, 2000, an El Paso Natural Gas pipeline exploded on the Pecos River near Carlsbad, New Mexico. Twelve members of an extended family were camping near the explosion, which sent a 350 foot high ball of flame into the air. Six of the campers died instantly, and the remaining six later died from their horrific injuries.
Pipelines carry nearly all of the natural gas and about 65 percent of the crude oil and refined oil products. Three primary types of pipelines form a network of nearly 2.2 million miles, 7,000 miles of which lie throughout New Mexico.
Last Congress, the Senate unanimously passed similar legislation. Our colleagues in the other Chamber voiced serious concerns regarding that bill. Many of their criticisms related to the Office of Pipeline Safety, the Office within the Department of Transportation charged with keeping our Nation's pipelines safe. Unfortunately, the Office of Pipeline Safety has had a poor history of regulation and enforcement. It is true that the Office has traditionally been slow to act.
That said, we should not allow a former executive agency's failures to dictate our failure to act in accordance with our legislative mandate. In that regard, I intend to discuss the issue with our current Secretary of Transportation nominee, Mr. Mineta. I am confident that he will address our concerns regarding the Office of Pipeline Safety's record of enforcement with the new Director of the Office when he or she is nominated by our new President.
Mr. President, this bill; significantly increases States' role in oversight, inspection, and investigation of pipelines; improves and expands the public's right to know about pipeline hazards; dramatically increases civil penalties for safety and reporting violations from
$25,000 to $500,000, and increases the maximum civil penalty for a related series of violations to $1 million; increases reporting requirements of releases of hazardous liquids from 50 barrels to five gallons; provides important whistle blower protections prohibiting discrimination by pipeline operators, contractors or subcontractors; furthermore, the legislation would provide much needed funding for research and development in pipeline safety technologies. In fact, technology currently exists that might have detected weaknesses in pipelines around Carlsbad. Unfortunately, due to insufficient funding for their products to reach the market; La Sen Corporation in my own State of New Mexico has developed technology that can detect faulty pipelines where current pipeline inspection technology is not useable. La Sen's Electronic Mapping system can be very effective even in pipelines where conventional pig devices cannot be used; pipeline inspection is costly and slow. Innovative new technologies could allow us to inspect all 2.2 million miles of pipeline each year in a cost effective manner. Today, pipeline inspection technology only covers 5-
10 miles per day at a cost of $50 per mile. Again, La Sen's technology can survey 500 miles per day at a cost of $32 per mile; ensuring the safety and integrity of our nation's pipelines is important to all of us.
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