Sen. Katie Muth (D-Berks/Chester/Montgomery) announced Tuesday that she will introduce two bills to mandate safety and public awareness standards for pipeline construction and operation.
“While pipelines may be considered the safest way to transport volatile liquids and natural gases, Pennsylvania has garnered a lengthy history of gas-related accidents, leaks, and disasters,” Muth said. “My legislation ensures that residents are adequately informed of, and involved in, safety procedures that are necessary to make sure their communities are not being harmed or damaged by pipeline activity.”
The first bill would mandate early collaborative creation and approval of comprehensive risk assessments for every pipeline proposal. The assessments would be used to create an Integrity Management Program (IMP) and Emergency Response Plan (ERP).
The second bill would create an exception to Act 156 of 2006 that would enable agencies and a qualified Independent Third Party (ITP) to conduct the assessments required by the first bill.
Pipeline operators are currently mandated to prepare IMPs, ERPs and Public Awareness Programs before pipeline construction begins, but they do not have to submit these plans for approval before receiving a construction permit and are not required to share the information with the public.
“Pipeline companies need to operate with full accountability to the communities they are proposing to build through,” Muth said. “Mandating a collaborative process prioritizes public safety and local participation which will hold these companies accountable to the communities their projects impact.”
Muth said that the explosion of a newly constructed methane gas pipeline in Beaver County in September 2018 was a recent event that inspired the legislation.