Jay Inslee: Washington's 1st Congressional District
Issues
Pipeline Safety
Bipartisan Pipeline Safety Legislation Introduced
January 31, 2000
Washington D.C. – Rep. Jack Metcalf (R-WA) with the cooperation of Rep. Jennifer Dunn (R-WA), Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA), and Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) introduced a bill today to reform pipeline safety laws. The new bill is similar to the legislation Metcalf offered in November (H.R. 3226), adding two new sections based on proven models. The first section is modeled after California state regulations requiring hydrostatic testing. The second section is based on the Clean Water Act and Welfare Reform Act and will broaden the authority of the states to regulate interstate pipelines.
"This bill will allow more local control over pipeline safety regulations and mandates that all procedures are in place to guarantee public safety," Metcalf stated. "I am pleased that other members of the Washington delegation have joined me to help pass this vital piece of legislation."
"Nobody cares more about the safety of our communities than the people who live there," Rep. Dunn continued. "Insuring that citizens and pipeline companies work together is the best way to instill public confidence in pipeline safety."
Rep. Inslee stated, "This bill will help assure a high level of confidence in pipeline safety. These pipelines run through residential areas and school grounds; we should consider routine hydrostatic testing of pipelines to be the actions of a good neighbor."
"It’s critical that public safety be our top priority in reforming the pipeline safety laws," said Rep. Adam Smith. "This bill makes much-needed changes to the law so that the public has better information about pipelines and pipelines are required to meet high safety standards."
The legislation introduced today retains Metcalf’s language requiring federal safety certification of pipeline employees, public notification of leaks, periodic internal inspections of pipelines, a nationwide map detailing the locations of all pipelines to be placed on the Internet, and studies on external leak detection systems, double-walled pipelines, and the optimal minimum burial depth of pipelines. The section of the bill dealing with hydrostatic testing has been amended to target pipelines with a history of leaks.
"Nothing is more important than the safety of our children, and that’s what this legislation is designed to ensure," Metcalf concluded.