US House of Repsresentatives passes pipeline safety bill
Date: 18-Nov-02
Country: USA
The measure, which was cleared by the Senate on Wednesday, requires more safety inspections of pipelines and boosts penalties for failing to keep pipelines in good condition.
"This legislation will enhance the reliable and safe delivery of natural gas to more than 62 million customers across America," said David N. Parker, president of the American Gas Association.
The bill would require pipelines to be inspected within the next 10 years to prevent leaks and ruptures. More problematic pipelines would be inspected within the first five years.
All pipelines would then be re-inspected every seven years following the 10-year interval.
The legislation also increases, from $25,000 to $100,000 per day, the fine against companies that violate the pipeline safety rules. The penalty cap would double to $1 million per incident.
An average of four pipeline accidents causing death, injury or major property damage occur each week, according to Congress' General Accounting Office. But environmental groups say only one in 25 pipeline violators are ever given fines.
The pipeline safety measure had been wrapped into a broader overhaul of U.S. energy policy that Congress was considering. But lawmakers on Wednesday declared that energy legislation dead for the year and began trying to salvage some of its major parts.
