On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced it was proposing updates to the country’s gas distribution pipelines.
The new proposed regulations would improve safety and mitigate risk through the improvement of emergency response plans, integrity management plans, operations manuals and more.
“Every day, millions of miles of gas distribution pipelines deliver energy to tens of millions of Americans, helping heat homes and power businesses,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “But as the tragic death of Leonel Rondon in 2018 reminded us, more must be done to ensure the safety of those pipelines – which is why we are announcing a new proposed rule to strengthen pipeline safety regulations and protect the public.
Officials said the proposals are in response to the Merrimack Valley incident where one person died, and dozens of people were injured. In that incident, on Sept. 13, 2018, officials determined excessive pressure in natural gas lines owned by Columbia Gas of Massachusetts caused a series of explosions and fires in as many as 40 homes. The explosions in Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover, Massachusetts were responsible for the death of Leonel Rondon, 18. More than 30,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes as a result of the explosions.
The Leonel Rondon Pipeline Safety Act was enacted as part of the Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (PIPES) Act of 2020 as a result of the explosions. The rulemaking proposal would improve construction procedures, update distribution integrity management plans to prepare for over-pressurization incidents, require new regulator stations to be designed with secondary pressure relief valves and remote gas monitoring, and strengthen emergency response plans for gas pipeline emergencies.
“This proposal incorporates lessons from the 2018 Merrimack Valley tragedy to help ensure something like that never happens again,” said PHMSA Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown. “These changes will protect communities and the environment, as well as lower energy costs for consumers.”