Restoring%20Trust%20in%20Pipeline%20Safety

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Restoring Trust in Pipeline Safety

• Katie Hansen, Board of Directors
• Pipeline Safety Trust

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Washington City and County Pipeline Safety
Consortium

• Theres a pipeline here?
• Locals are the most profoundly affected by
  pipeline incidents.

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History and Structure

• Created in response to the Bellingham incident
• Formed by interlocal agreement between the
  jurisdictions
• Cities and counties along Olympics pipeline
• Pipeline Safety Coordinator position funded
  through grant from WUTC and OPS/PHMSA

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Function

• Educate local governments and by extension the
  public
• Raise awareness out of sight, out of mind
  perception
• Influence legislation
• Host pipeline safety for municipal governments
  conference
• Coordinate with other organizations including
  Citizens Committee, MRSC, Assoc. of Washington
  Cities and Washington Counties group
• Address issue of land use around pipelines.

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Effect

• Heightened awareness of pipelines among and
  within local governments
• A citys right of way group stumbled on cable
  contractor doing hole hogging across OPL lines
• Planning board hearing about setbacks from
  pipeline
• Contact with emergency preparedness, public
  works/utilities/right of way, city attorney, city
  council and mayor.

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More Effects

• Franchise agreements between local governments
  and operators
• Resource for education and information
• Consortium website
• Email communication among members

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Future

• Effectively defunct exists in form only
• Local governments strapped for resources,
• Homeland Security became a high priority
• Not willing to dedicate human capital resources
  to keep Consortium going
• Perception that if nothings rupturing, theres
  no need

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Washington State Citizens Committee on Pipeline
Safety

• Balance between citizens, industry
  representatives and government regulators

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History and Structure

• Also an outgrowth of the Bellingham incident.
• Governor appointed committee
• Industry, citizens and local government serve
  three year staggered terms
• Six to eight day-long meetings a year in various
  parts of the state
• Two to three site visits per year
• Open public meetings with public comment periods

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Function

• Educate citizens
• Influence legislation
• Present the concerns of citizens, government
  regulators and industry to each other
• Department of Transportation is required to
  respond to our correspondence

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Goals of Citizens Committee

• Improve the safety of pipelines in Washington
  State
• Comment on proposed state and federal laws and
  rules pertaining to pipelines
• Review the work of the Washington Utilities and
  Transportation Commission (WUTC) and the
  Department of Ecology in pipeline issues

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Legislative Charter of the Citizens Committee

• The Citizens Committee on Pipeline Safety (The
  Committee) is established to advise the state
  agencies and other appropriate federal and local
  government agencies and officials on matters
  relating to hazardous liquid and gas pipeline
  safety, routing, construction, operation, and
  maintenance. The Committee shall serve as an
  advisory committee for the Washington Utilities
  and Transportation Commission (Commission) on
  matters relating to the Commissions pipeline
  safety program and activities (RCW 81.88.140)

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Effect

• Washington state pipeline safety legislation was
  passed
• Washington has become an agent authorized to
  inspect pipelines for PHMSA
• Pursued education and awareness of damage
  prevention
• Pursued education and awareness in the area of
  Community Right to Know
• Pushing for wider publication of maps of pipelines

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Future

• Continue to influence legislation at the state
  and federal level
• Continue to pursue the release of pipeline map
  information taking into consideration the balance
  between too much information, inappropriate use
  of information and the need for enough
  information for citizens and local government to
  make informed decisions

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Network the heck out of this

• The connections we make between different groups
  help everyone accomplish the goal of safer
  pipelines.

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Thank you

• Katie Hansen
• 425-488-8726
• katie_at_kmh-law.com