Federal Pipeline Safety Bill Moves Forward After Senator Drops Opposition

It looks like Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, has had a change of heart about a federal pipeline safety bill that , saying before that the legislation could create unnecessary new regulations without proper debate. 

The Los Angeles Times reports that the U.S. Senate on Monday unanimously approved the legislation, the Pipeline Transportation Safety Improvement Act of 2011, which requires installation of automatic or remote-controlled shutoff valves on new and replaced pipelines. 

The measure would also boost fines for safety violations and increase the number of federal safety inspectors, according to the Times. 

The Times said the following about Paul’s reason for releasing his block on the bill: 

The measure had been held up by Sen. Rand Paul, who lifted his hold after reaching agreement with Democrats to add a key recommendation from the National Transportation Safety Board. 

Usually wary of regulatory oversight, Paul said he wanted to strengthen the legislation. His initial objection was that the bill was written before the NTSB completed its report on the San Bruno explosion, Paul said in a statement. "While I am in favor of as little regulation as necessary, if we are going to impose regulations, we should do it right," he said. 

Here is the reaction from Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough, who blasted Paul for holding up action on the bill before: 

“It would appear that Senator Rand Paul has gone from foe to ally,” Speier said in a statement. “I applaud the transformation.” 

The federal bill doesn’t require that pipeline operators install automatic or remote-controlled shutoff valves on existing pipelines in heavily populated areas—a provision Speier pushed for. 

But the bill does now include an amendment that requires that older, untested high-pressure pipes be strength-tested to establish safe maximum operating pressures, the Times reported. 

“The bill is now a stronger safety measure which I intend to support,” Speier said about the amendment. “This provision needs to be added to the House bill.” 

In related news, a Senate hearing is taking place today to discuss the Sept. 9, 2010, pipeline explosion in the Crestmoor neighborhood, which left eight people dead and 38 homes destroyed. According to media reports, the focus of the hearing is on the , which concluded that PG&E’s inadequate handling of Line 132 and a lack of federal and state oversight led to the explosion and fire.

Following the conclusion of the NTSB's investigation, the agency issues 29 recommendations that called for swift changes to how PG&E and the rest of the pipeline industry operated their pipelines.