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HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-1954 - Regarding Pipeline Safety improvements----_._----------------------------- CITY OF MARYSVILLE Resolution No.I 9s '-I A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF MARYSVILLE REGARDING PIPELINE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS. WHEREAS, The movement of petroleum products occurs by various modes of transportation including tankers, trucks, barges, rail and pipelines everyday;and, WHEREAS,Public safety and environmental protections are crucial issues; and, WHEREAS, We want to ensure that all modes of transporting petroleum products are properly regulated for protections of both safety and the environment;and, WHEREAS, In June, 1999, Bellingham,Washington experienced a pipeline explosion and fire that tragically killed three young people,devastated a beautiful creek in a popular city park, involved emergency response by over 400 city, state and federal personnel,disrupted water service to a significant part of the City and caused emotional and physical damages which can never properly be redressed; and, WHEREAS, Large quantities of petroleum and other hazardous liquids are spilled every year around the nation; and, WHEREAS, Since 1990 there have been at least six releases from pipelines that have .caused extensive environmental damage and several that have resulted in fatalities, and, WHEREAS,Congress eliminated the prior provision in the pipeline safety law (49 U.S.C. 60104©) that allowed states to exceed the minimal federal regulatory requirements for interstate pipelines and federal regulations do not include a performance standard for pipeline leak detection nor a requirement to protect environmentally sensitive areas; and, WHEREAS,the U.S.Department of Transportation's Office of Pipeline Safety has missed Congressionally mandated deadlines for a final rule on employee safety training, and has disregarded Congressional directives to define "environmentally sensitive areas" and "high density population areas" that would develop special safety rules for pipelines in those areas; and, WHEREAS, the Office of Pipeline Safety has rejected a number of National Transportation Safety Board recommendations to develop rules for periodic testing of pipelines; and, WHEREAS,Requiring appropriate testing of pipelines such as smart pig inspections, hydrostatic testing or other methods warranted by conditions may help prevent future problems; and, ) • WHEREAS, The City of Marysville desires to protect Public Safety and the environment from the potential risk of injury from any and all modes of transporting petroleum products; NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Marysville supports the National League of Cities findings that petroleum and natural gas pipeline safety is of immense importance to the welfare of cities and their residents; and 1. That the Pipeline Safety Act should be amended to allow states flexibility to impose safety requirements beyond the federal requirements; and, 2. That Congress should hold oversight hearings concerning the Office of Pipeline Safety's disregard for the National Transportation Safety Board's recommendations to develop rules for periodic testing of pipelines and the Congressional directives to define "environmentally sensitive areas" and "high density population areas"; and 3. That requirements for periodic testing of pipelines utilizing methods such as smart pigs,hydrostatic tests or other appropriate methods should be in place; and, 4. That Congress should strengthen rules regarding pipeline operation, maintenance and public reporting, giving strong consideration to items including but not limited to: a. Requiring federal certification of operator training and qualification; b. Increasing inspection requirements for pipeline condition, integrity and corrosion; c. Requiring study and implementation of state-of-the-art leak detection systems; d. Requiring installation of effective fail safe mechanisms; e.Imposing appropriate safety standards for liquid fuel pipelines and natural gas pipelines; f. Requiring pipeline operators to report in a timely manner to the Office of Pipeline Safety and affected jurisdictions all spills except those spills truly de minimis in nature; g. Requiring the Office of Pipeline Safety to work with local emergency response providers to develop preparedness and response plans, and providing appropriate funding support to local jurisdictions to implement such plans; h. Requiring periodic operational audits of pipeline companies to assure compliance with the foregoing; and i. Ways to provide greater protections against third party damage from digging in the vicinity of pipelines; and, J.Providing enhanced funding to federal agencies charged with the oversight of pipeline safety laws and regulations. I, 5. That Congress should enact and or strengthen rules regarding other modes of transporting petroleum products to ensure adequate and appropriate safety requirements related to each of those methods including requirements similar to those regulating the pipeline industry which guarantee centralized reporting of all spills. 6. That regulations for all modes of transporting petroleum products should be designed with appropriate uniformity so that undesirable and counter-productive incentives to ship petroleum products by the least regulated and consequently less safe or environmentally more risky mode of transportation are not created. PASSED by the City Council and APPROVED by the mayor this 13th day of December, 1999. CITY OF MARYSVILLE MAYOR ATTEST: BY~~LERK Approved as to form: By~kLJJ CITY ATTORNEY