[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 136 (Friday, September 27, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S11561]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      THE ACCOUNTABLE PIPELINE SAFETY AND PARTNERSHIP ACT OF 1996

 Mr. BRADLEY. Mr. President, I am pleased to support S. 1505, 
the Accountable Pipeline Safety and Partnership Act of 1996. My 
interest in the pipeline safety issue dates back to the explosion and 
fire at Edison, NJ in 1994. In reaction to that tragedy, which set fire 
to eight apartment houses and cost one life, I introduced the 
Comprehensive One-Call Notification Act, S. 164, cosponsored by 
Senators Spector, Lautenberg and Exon. The purpose of that bill was to 
improve state-wide notification systems to protect natural gas and 
hazardous liquid pipelines from being damaged during excavations, the 
cause of the Edison accident.
  In S. 1505, the Commerce Committee has wisely chosen to strengthen 
State one-call programs, and has provided new authorization for grants 
to States to establish one-call notification systems consistent with 
standards which assure at least a minimally acceptable level of 
protection from accidents. These grants, which were also a feature of 
S. 164, will assist States in developing the kinds of one-call systems 
needed to prevent future Edisons from happening.
  While I would have preferred a stronger and more comprehensive set of 
requirements, the bill is an important first step toward the goal of 
implementing strong, comprehensive one-call systems nationwide.
  S. 1505 also includes new language broadening public education 
programs carried out by natural gas pipeline owners to include the use 
of one-call systems.
  Finally, I was pleased to join with Senator Lautenberg in proposing 
additional provisions which are the subject of a manager's amendment to 
S. 1505. These include a survey and risk assessment by the Department 
of Transportation of the effectiveness of remotely-controlled valves 
which shut off the flow of natural gas in the event of a pipeline 
rupture. Once the survey and assessment are completed, the Secretary of 
Transportation shall issue standards for their use if he or she finds 
them technically and economically feasible.
  The manager's amendment also includes measures to promote public 
awareness of pipeline location. Pipeline owners or operators must 
provide municipalities where pipelines are located with facility maps 
to prevent accidents and respond to pipeline emergencies. In addition, 
the Secretary of Transportation must survey existing public education 
plans to determine which components are most effective at accident 
prevention. After analyzing the results of the survey, the Secretary 
may promulgate nationwide regulations, if necessary, to ensure the 
safest feasible pipeline public education system.
  The bill and these amendments, taken together, represent a 
considerable improvement over current practices for accident 
prevention. I hope they can be enacted this year, and prevent another 
Edison accident.

                          ____________________