This pipeline safety bill was introduced by Senators Feinstein and Boxer on January 31, 2011. Even if this bill does not pass in full, portions of this bill could to be incorporated into the pipeline safety bill proposed by Senators Lautenberg and Rockefeller.
The bill safety bill was introduced by Senators Feinstein and Boxer includes provisions that would:
- Require installation of automatic shut-off valves or remote control valves;
- Require inline inspection or the use of technology that will detect corrosion, pipe stress and otherwise provide for the safety of transmission lines in HCAs;
- Prohibit operating pipelines at a higher pressure unless the line is assessed by inline inspection or similar technologies;
- Expand high consequence areas and establishes standards for leak detection equipment and methods.
- Require operators to establish a complete record of pipeline components in order to verify the maximum allowable operating pressure based on the weakest section of the pipeline. Pipelines with incomplete records must be pressure tested or replaced, and must operate at reduced pressure until testing is completed.
- Enforce recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released in January 2011, increase penalties, expand data collection, and provide greater oversight of unregulated pipelines.