Legislation to reauthorize the Office of Pipeline Safety and enhance pipeline security and safety in light of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks was introduced in the House of Representatives on Thursday by the leaderships of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Energy and Commerce Committee.

The Pipeline Infrastructure Protection To Enhance Security And Safety Act requires that new rules be drafted to address appropriate access to pipeline maps that could be used by terrorists. It also establishes criminal penalties for acts of terrorism on pipeline facilities.

The secretary of transportation is given authority to direct pipeline operators to take necessary corrective action to remedy unsafe conditions, and make recommendations regarding security risks, and they are required to establish procedures in the event of an attack on a facility.

The bill authorizes $162.2 million over four years for general pipeline safety programs, as well as $88.6 million over four years in state grants. Up to $3 million per year is authorized for pipeline integrity research, development and demonstration.

“Reauthorizing the Office of Pipeline Safety will improve pipeline safety and address the new terrorism dimension in our lives through terrorism security planning,” said Rep. Don Young (R-AK). “This bipartisan bill creates new safety and terrorism planning for pipeline operators.”

The bill was introduced in the House by Reps. Young, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman; Billy Tauzin (R-LA), Energy and Commerce Committee chairman; Tom Petri, Highways and Transit Subcommittee chairman; Joe Barton (R-TX), Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee chairman; Gene Green (D-TX); Ralph Hall (D-TX); Max Sandlin (D-TX); and Brad Carson (D-OK).

The congressmen touted the bill as the product of “historic cooperation between the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Energy and Commerce Committee” — the House committees responsible for pipeline safety legislation.

Jerald V. Halvorsen, president of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, which represents the nation’s interstate gas pipelines, said he was “encouraged by the fact that the two chief House Committees with jurisdiction over this issue have united together to introduce a pipeline safety bill.

“This is an excellent step and a positive sign that the House will pass pipeline safety legislation early in the New Year,” he said. “Passage of a pipeline safety reauthorization bill is a top priority for INGAA in 2002, along with the completion of an Office of Pipeline Safety rulemaking on natural gas pipeline integrity management. These two separate actions will go a long way in ensuring the safe operation of the nation’s interstate natural gas pipeline network.”

The bill contains an expanded “one call” program to strengthen safety before excavation near pipelines, new terrorism security planning requirements, enhanced authority for corrective action orders, increased penalties, enhanced risk management program, revised pipeline integrity planning and research, new pipeline operator training program certification requirements, new expedited safety-related environmental review process and new controlled access requirements for pipeline security-sensitive information, such as pipeline maps.

A statement by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee says the bill differs from other approaches to pipeline safety in that it is “less prescriptive, relying instead on site-specific expertise and solutions to meet the varying needs of differing pipeline systems. This approach embraces rulemakings currently being undertaken by the Department of Transportation.”

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