REFORMERS GAIN GROUND

SEPTEMBER 2002

Pipeline Safety Reform Bill Reformers Gain Ground, Hope for Senate Approval

The U.S. House voted overwhelmingly (423 to 4) on July 23 for a bi-partisan pipeline safety act amendments that committee Democrats called "a carefully crafted compromise." They stated that H.R. 3609 "represents the agreement of wide range of . . . stakeholders, including industry, environmental groups, and labor unions." In a statement issued by Congressmen John Dingell (D-MI), ranking Democrat on the committee, Ed Markey (D-MA) and Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ). For full text of the bill section-by-section analysis, go

The House bill enhances federal enforcement powers and increased penalties, expands research programs in pipeline safety, protects pipeline company "whistleblowers," strengthens integrity management requirements, and requires a new study of land use practices and zoning ordinances that can limit population encroachment on pipeline rights of way. The House-passed bill awaits reconciliation with S. 235 by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), which is less stringent than what reformers want and by S. [tk], passed in April 2002 as part of the Senate energy bill.