[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 27, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S10306]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. STEVENS (for himself, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Lott, and Mr. 
        Lautenberg):
  S. 3961. A bill to provide for enhanced safety in pipeline 
transportation, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce the Pipeline 
Inspection, Protection, Enforcement, and Safety Act of 2006. I am 
joined by my colleagues from the Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
Committee, Senators Inouye, Lott and Lautenberg.
  Pipelines are one of the safest forms of transportation, and in most 
cases their safety record has been steadily improving. Unfortunately 
however, as recent events in my State demonstrate, there is still much 
to be done. This bill addresses the problems that have occurred in 
Alaska and other safety issues that have been brought to the 
Committee's attention.
  The bill reauthorizes the pipeline safety programs of the Pipeline 
and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for Fiscal Years 
2007 through 2010.
  Highlights of the bill include:
  Increased Department of Transportation Resources Dedicated to 
Overseeing Pipeline Safety--The bill provides an additional 45 Federal 
inspectors (a 50 percent increase) over the 4 years of the bill at a 
cost of $6 million in Fiscal Year 2010. Currently PHMSA has 90 
inspectors, but the DOT Inspector General has stated in the past that 
these relatively low staffing levels are a matter for concern. Ninety 
inspectors translate to one inspector for every 18,000 miles of 
pipeline in this country.
  Strengtened Programs to Reduce Construction Related Damage to 
Pipelines--The bill includes new civil enforcement authority against 
excavators and pipeline operators responsible for third-party damage 
incidents and provides grants to states that have damage prevention 
programs in place. Construction related damage, such as damage caused 
by excavation for a highway project, is the greatest cause of pipeline 
accidents that result in death or injury. This occurs most often on the 
distribution systems that run through the neighborhoods where people 
live and work. These incidents have increased by 49 percent since 1996.
  Applying DOT Safety Standards to the Currently Unregulated Low Stress 
Pipelines--On August 31, the DOT announced proposed rules to cover low 
stress pipelines in unusually sensitive areas. Pipeline operators will 
have to meet new safety requirements, including cleaning and continuous 
monitoring, along more than 1,200 miles of pipelines. However, low-
stress lines that aren't in such sensitive areas would continue to be 
unregulated. The bill goes further than the regulation and requires DOT 
oversight of all low-stress pipelines.
  Increased Accountability of Pipeline Company Officials--The bill 
includes a provision that would require senior officials at pipeline 
companies to certify that the information they are providing to 
regulators is accurate.
  Enhanced Pipeline Research--The bill would also boost PHMSA's 
research and technology development budget for pipeline safety issues 
such as corrosion by $10 million over the length of the bill.
  A Study of Pipelines Critical to Energy Supply--The bill includes a 
study of oil pipelines that are critical to the nation's energy supply 
in order to determine if there are sufficient safety regulations in 
place to ensure their safety.
  The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House 
Energy and Commerce Committee are also working on pipeline safety 
legislation. I hope that our three Committees can work together over 
the next month while the Congress is out of session to develop a joint 
legislative product that we can pass and have signed into law when we 
return in November. Many of the provisions in the three bills are 
similar and we should have enough common ground to achieve this goal.
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