Expressing support for designation of June 10th as "National Pipeline Safety Day".

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 484, introduced by the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Larsen), which expresses support for designating June 10th as ``National Pipeline Safety Day''.

Pipelines have a critical place in our national infrastructure. The national pipeline network of over 2.2 million miles efficiently delivers gasoline, natural gas, oil, and other essential energy products across the country each day. However, because of the volatile nature of the products they deliver, if pipelines are not properly cared for, or they are carelessly tampered with, there can be serious consequences.

That is what occurred in 1986 in Mounds View, Minnesota, when a Williams pipeline ruptured. Vaporized gasoline combined with air and liquid gasoline flowed along neighborhood streets. About 20 minutes after the accident occurred, the gasoline vapor was ignited when an automobile entered the area. Fire spread rapidly along the path of the liquid gasoline, killing a woman and her daughter and severely burning another victim. According to accident investigators, there were known deficiencies in the cathodic protection applied to the first 10 miles of the pipeline and Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 484, introduced by the corrosion to the weld seams. Employees also had failed to shut-off the manually operated gate valve until one and half hours into the spill.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), had the valve been remotely operable or had remote-operated valves been installed on the line at the time of the accident, the pipeline could have been shut down by the dispatcher soon after the failure was detected, thereby decreasing substantially the amount of product released into the neighborhood. Ignition of the fuel may not have been prevented; however, the extent and severity of the damage could have been reduced.

The NTSB first identified the need for rapid shutdown of failed pipelines to limit the release of product following a pipeline rupture in a 1970 study, entitled ``Effects of Delay in Shutting Down Failed Pipeline Systems and Methods of Providing Rapid Shutdown''. Since then, a number of accidents that highlight the need to reduce the release of hazardous gases or liquids have occurred. In 1995, the NTSB recommended that the Department of Transportation's Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) expedite requirements for rapid shutdown of failed pipeline segments on high-pressure pipelines in high-consequence areas.

However, RSPA failed to act on the NTSB's recommendations, opting instead to further study the issue. That prompted Congress to pass the Accountable Pipeline Safety and

Partnership Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-304), which required the Secretary of Transportation to assess the effectiveness of remotely operated valves and to prescribe standards, within two years of enactment, for installation of the valves based on that assessment. The regulations were not issued until 2001--too late for the victims of the 1999 hazardous liquid pipeline explosion in Bellingham, Washington.

The June 10, 1999, explosion caused the release of about 237,000 gallons of gasoline into a creek that flowed through Whatcom Falls Park in Bellingham, Washington. The gasoline ignited, sending a fireball about 1.5 miles down the creek, which took the lives of two 10-year-old boys, Stephen Tsiorvas and Wade King, and an 18-year-old young man, Liam Wood. Eight additional inhalation injuries occurred, a single- family residence and the city of Bellingham's water treatment plant were severely damaged, and the wildlife in Whatcom Creek was completely destroyed.

Investigators found, among other things, that Olympic Pipe Line had no remote-operated shut off valves on the line, which could have prevented the release of hundreds of thousands of gasoline and the loss of three young lives. Following the Bellingham accident, RSPA ordered the pipeline company to install an automatic check valve just downstream of the rupture location so that the volume of product released would be limited in the event of a future pipeline rupture in that area. Again, a case of too little, too late.

Pipeline accidents, such as the ones in Mounds View and Bellingham, are not isolated incidents. According to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), which now oversees the safety of our nation's pipeline infrastructure, 2,888 significant pipeline incidents occurred between 1999-2008, resulting in 173 fatalities, 632 injuries, and $2.7 billion in property damage.

In response to these incidents, Congress passed the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-355), which increased penalties for violations of safety standards; developed qualification programs for employees who perform sensitive tasks; strengthened pipeline testing requirements; required government mapping of the pipeline system; established a public education program for communities that live around pipelines; and enhanced whistleblower protections.

In 2006, Congress furthered these pipeline safety efforts by passing the Pipeline Inspection, Protection, Enforcement, and Safety Act (P.L. 109-468), which required development of an integrity management program for distribution pipelines; implemented long-standing NTSB safety recommendations on the installation of excess flow valves, development of hours-of-service standards for pipeline employees, and adoption of safety standards for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems; and increased pipeline inspection and enforcement personnel.

Despite these significant measures, much work remains to be done. PHMSA has not implemented many of the mandates from the 2006 Act. Over the next several months, as we look to reauthorization of the pipeline safety program in fiscal year 2011, we will work with PHMSA to ensure full implementation of the Act

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 484.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 484) expressing support for designation of June 10th as ``National Pipeline Safety Day''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on House Resolution 484.

I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to ask the House of Representatives to support the designation of June 10, tomorrow, as National Pipeline Safety Day. There are more than 2 million miles of gas and hazardous liquid pipelines in our country. Pipelines play a vital role in the lives of the American people by delivering the energy we need to heat our homes, to drive our cars, to cook our food, and to operate our businesses.

In the past decade, significant new pipelines have been built to help move oil and gas to refineries and to markets. These pipelines are invisible to most people and, therefore, are out of sight and are out of mind. This can lead to pipeline damage and to a general lack of government oversight.

On June 10 of 1999, a pipeline leak caused a massive explosion in my district in Bellingham, Washington. The rupture released more than a quarter of a million gallons of gasoline into Whatcom Creek. The gasoline ignited, sending a fireball racing down the creek, which killed two 10-year-old boys and an 18-year-old man. The two boys-- Stephen Tsiorvas and Wade King--were playing in the creek on a summer day, near their homes, and 18-year-old Liam Wood had just graduated from high school and was fly fishing for trout.

Previous generations certainly ask themselves, Where were you when President Kennedy was shot? But in my district, people literally ask the question and know the answer to, Where were you when the pipeline exploded? It had that much of an impact in my district.

In response to this tragedy and several other pipeline explosions across the country, Congress passed legislation to strengthen pipeline safety regulations. The 2002 Pipeline Safety Improvement Act increased penalty fines, improved pipeline testing timelines, provided whistleblower protection, and allowed for State oversight. In 2006, Congress reauthorized the 2002 law by passing the Pipeline Inspection, Protection, Enforcement, and Safety Act, or the PIPES Act. Since that day in June, we've made significant progress in ensuring the safety of our Nation's pipelines. The frequency of so-called ``high-consequence events'' to pipelines has diminished almost 35 percent in the last 10 years. Due to the integrity management program required by the new law, pipeline operators have made extensive repairs to their pipelines that otherwise would have led to future accidents.

The 811 One-Call program now provides a number that people can call before they dig to make sure that they won't hit a pipeline when they do dig. ``Call 811, the One-Call program.'' And Congress has significantly increased the number of pipeline inspectors in

the field. However, we must remain vigilant. That's why I have introduced House Resolution 484, a resolution to recognize tomorrow, June 10, 2009, the 10-year anniversary of the Bellingham pipeline explosion, as National Pipeline Safety Day. My resolution encourages individuals, State and local governments, and pipeline safety stakeholders to use this day to create greater public awareness of pipelines and pipeline safety. It has the support of Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire, the Whatcom County Council, the Pipeline Safety Trust, the Pipeline Association for Public Awareness, the American Gas Association and the American Public Gas Association.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I do encourage my colleagues to support House Resolution 484.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the parents of the three young men who died in the explosion would be very interested to hear the thoughts of the gentleman from Florida on energy.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Petri and Mr. Mica as well as Mr. Young, Mr. Oberstar, and Ms. Brown for all their help in putting this resolution together and getting it to the floor today. I urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 484.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentleman for his generosity with the time.

I rise in support of this resolution, designating National Pipeline Safety Month. Mr. Speaker, pipelines obviously play an important role in our society through the operation of our homes, our businesses, and the delivery of energy to drive our cars, to cook our food, to keep us warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It is an undeniable reality that energy affects all aspects of our lives, and all Americans need it and depend on energy.

That's why it's unfortunate that some in the majority and in the administration, frankly, are proposing this cap-and-trade legislation that many are calling cap-and-tax legislation that would dramatically increase the cost of energy for all Americans, every single American. Estimates say that this bill could increase a cost to a family of four close to $3,000 a year, $2,937 a year, to be exact, and raise electrical rates on families by 90 percent after adjusting for inflation, boost gasoline prices by 74 percent on American families, and natural gas prices by 54 percent. If that were not bad enough, it would also put American businesses at a huge competitive disadvantage with their competitors from other countries that don't pursue that kind of legislation, be it China or India.

Now let's take a look at what some key players in the administration have recently stated about this legislation, some facts. For example, Peter Orszag, as CBO director and currently as the OMB director, testified to the Ways and Means Committee on September 18, 2008. He said, ``Decreasing emission would also impose costs on the economy. Much of those costs will be passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices for energy and energy-intensive goods.''

Mr. Orszag's written testimony stated that the average annual household cost was $1,300. That's for a 15 percent cut in CO2 emissions, which, by the way, happens to be 80 percent less than the cut sought by this administration.

Another fact. On March 17, 2009, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, testifying before the Science Committee said, ``The cap-and-trade bill will likely increase the cost of electricity.''

Another fact I would like to bring up today, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said advocating adjusting trade duties as a ``weapon'' to protect U.S. manufacturing, because otherwise, again, U.S. manufacturing would be put at a huge disadvantage. He said establishing a carbon tariff would help ``level the playing field'' if other countries haven't imposed mandatory reductions in carbon emissions; again, referring to the fact that it would put our industry at a huge, huge disadvantage. Again Mr. Chu said, ``If other countries don't impose a cost on carbon, then we will be at a disadvantage,'' and he went on to say, ``and we would look at considering duties to offset that cost.'' But the legislation doesn't have those in the bill.

Again, what we are looking at then is, the United States will impose a self-inflicted wound to put our industry and our country at a huge disadvantage, increasing costs of energy to all consumers in this great country of ours at a time in particular when everybody is hurting.

Last month on May 21, the current CBO director testified before the House Budget Committee and said, ``CBO has been very clear that a cap- and-trade system or a carbon tax would raise the price of carbon emissions, and the cost would ultimately be borne by households.'' Again, it's not rocket science, Mr. Speaker. And again, ``It's also widely understood that if we raise the price of carbon emissions and our trading partners do not, then that creates an additional challenge for carbon-emitting industries.'' Those are his words. I added that part about the rocket science, to be fair; but those are his words.

So it's fitting that we are now here talking about pipelines and energy. I just hope that we don't forget the big picture as well and that we don't impose this huge cost on our consumers and those who use gasoline and turn on lights, like everybody does, that manufactures using energy, like every industry does, that we don't put them at a huge disadvantage.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

I would like to express my support for House Resolution 484, designating June 10 as National Pipeline Safety Day, and yield such time as he may consume to my colleague from Florida (Mr. Mario Diaz- Balart).

Mr. Speaker, I believe this resolution highlights the need to properly maintain pipelines and encourages the development of pipeline safety programs. I support the passage of this resolution and urge my colleagues to do the same.

I yield back the balance of my time.