Pipeline Maps

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Pipeline Maps

• Tim Sweeney
• Pipeline Safety Trust Conference
• New Orleans
• November 2, 2006

360-664-1118 tsweeney_at_wutc.wa.gov www.wutc.wa.gov/
pipeline
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Legislative mandateAdopted in 2000

• RCW 81.88.080 Pipeline mapping system
  Commission specifications and evaluations.
• (1) The commission shall require hazardous
  liquid pipeline companies, and gas pipeline
  companies with interstate pipelines, gas
  transmission pipelines, or gas pipelines
  operating over two hundred fifty pounds per
  square inch gauge, to provide accurate maps of
  their pipeline to specifications developed by the
  commission sufficient to meet the needs of first
  responders including installation depth
  information when known.     (2) The commission
  shall evaluate the sufficiency of the maps and
  consolidate the maps into a statewide geographic
  information system. The commission shall assist
  local governments in obtaining hazardous liquid
  and gas pipeline location information and maps.
  The maps shall be made available to the
  one-number locator services as provided in
  chapter 19.122 RCW. The mapping system shall be
  consistent with the United States department of
  transportation national pipeline mapping
  program.     (3) The mapping system shall be
  completed by January 1, 2006, and periodically
  updated thereafter. The commission shall develop
  a plan for funding the geographic information
  system and report its recommendations to the
  legislature by December 15, 2000.

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Key directives

• Liquid pipelines, and gas pipelines gt250 psig
• Meet needs of first responders
• Consolidate into state GIS
• Provide as needed to local governments
• Make available to one-call locator services
• Consistent with national mapping system
• Get it done by January 2006.
• No public records exemption

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GIS Program

• Federal seed money
• Data request of companies
• Field verification
• Focus groups with first responders
• Early workshop with companies
• Distributed maps in early 2005
• Public information requests start coming in

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2006 legislation

• Make available maps 124000
• Pipeline features kept off maps
• Restrict public access to GIS data
• Local government access maintained

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Bellingham Herald Editorial
OUR VIEW Legislature needs to allow basic
pipeline information It's important that any
terrorist who would plan to disrupt gasoline
service through the Olympic gas pipeline not be
able to get details that would aid in that plot.
But state officials should reject plans to cut
off the public's right to know about pipelines.
Citizens' rights to information about pipeline
locations and operations is one of the things
that helps prevent another Olympic Pipe Line Co.
tragedy from happening in our community. While
companies have a right to be concerned about
safety, so do citizens when they are looking at
maps to decide whether to buy a home or a piece
of property next to a pipeline corridor. . .
(Feb. 13, 2006)
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The Olympian Editorial
Dont seal pipeline records For the sake of
public safety, state lawmakers should reject
House Bill 2350, which would hide public records
noting the locations of underground pipelines,
meters and valves . . . The oil and gas
industries want to hide those records and are
pushing House Bill 2350. Legislators must reject
that proposal and give the Citizens Committee for
Pipeline Safety time to consider this proposal
and come up with legislation that balances the
publics right to know against threats of
vandalism or terrorism. Driven by fear Yes, this
is another piece of legislation driven by fear
fear that terrorists will use the pipelines to
kill or maim Washington residents. (Feb. 13,
2006)
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Agency concerns

• Time-consuming public request process
• No legislative direction
• Industry concerns risk cooperation
• Strong public interest in access
• Citizens committee split
• Legislative fix is not easy
• Agency in role of deciding policy question

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Awareness vs. Security
Does providing ready access to pipeline location
enhance or threaten pipeline safety?
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Public awareness study

• More likely to strongly agree pipelines essential
• More likely to strongly believe safer than trucks
  barges
• More likely to feel safer living near a pipeline
• More likely to pay attention

Phone survey, August 2003 Awares Responders who
knew they live near pipeline. Unawares Those
who said they didnt live near one.
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Information/Security

• Three out of four surveyed said they did not get
  enough information about pipelines
• Near unanimous support (96 percent) for access to
  pipeline location maps.
• Support drops to 75 percent when terrorists and
  security issues raised.

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Internet access

• Ready when people want to receive it.
• Should not supplant other methods of identifying
  pipeline location, including calling for utility
  locates.
• Available worldwide
• Viewers not traceable.

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Texas mapping system

• http//gis2.rrc.state.tx.us/public/?

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Whatcom County