HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/21/2010, COMMUNICATIONS - RECEIVE[
SEP 21 2010
e SLO CITY [LER
Inforinafion onpipelines is hard to obtain
BY GARmcE BuxKE Terrorism fears have.made it difficult for In the wake of a deadly
AND MAnMW Bxowrrpipeline blast earlier this
A%ocmted Pews homeowners to find out location of pipes month in San Bruno,and se
SAN FRANCISCp—Pull- nous leaks in Michigan and
He records can reveal a lot explosive natural gas runs industry have made it ea- Illinois, the secrecy sur-
aboutanei0ibwhood:'who's beneath the neighborhood, tremely difficult for home- rounding the nation's 2.5-
not payingtheir tases,where ifs a dot story. owners to learn the location million-mile network of gas rao
sexoffendersfive,whethera Citing fears that terrorists of pipelines and any history transmission Imes is facinghouse for sale bas lead paint mighttry to blow up the na of inspections and repairs— criticism. m
Yet if a 2Motwide pipeline tion's natural-gas pipefirim information that safety ad
carrying highly pressrrbK federal regulators and the voce say could save fives. Please see PIPELINE,AS D -n
m m
• - - v
evacuated the area as the D
e =PM SAH BRUNO PIPE WON HIGH-RISK LIST Propane leaked, and they.
�,..
From cr..- "We were not aware of could have warned people
Many ofthese A sectIm of aaI W, le
in this particular aft doing S that: z
Practices. rniShe Ass Associated
s..
sP�ng up;after..1;l that expfaded area that would have met The. Associated press
the Sept 11:2001;attacks _south of San rrantt
out of ureal sw does thetr�rb to put it on that asked the federal agency
of another rata- -not appear on Pacific Gas risk'Johns said that oversees the nation's.
strophic attack Before and Electric Co.'s fist of-as California utility
9/11,for example, there -100 riskiest pipeline Pipeline network — the .
Ma-
were no regions on who regulators on Monday Pipeline&Hazardous 1VIa
could look at utility warned that people should terials Safety Administra- 91 �� O ��j3 01
maps ' company said blim* not fear the pipelines on the tion—for a list or map of rn D o
nation's gafull s pipelines, but p�President Chris list,and that they are not the nation's pipelines, in- g � �' � � p c
information
since Mon has�� Johns said the pine considered at-risk or cluding those deemed �' _Z Z
ed to industry and local, that ruptured and dangerars �rislr'because they are 2 D ��, 3
state and tedezal officials inP1�ed beneath a To view the risk go to m highly Populated areas. Cn cr 3
The federal govermment Bruno neighborhood Sept 9 hftW/1inWLcorWbp100plpes. But the age c noi
said t in-
also has asked utilities to did not warrant inclusion on .Most of the segments are in The AP
me w the fist the Bay Arm sought the saNJ p nu Vrm `Q
information from the Cali- z e m -u -u -n -n c)
sites — —— - —
forma Public Utilities Com- Do r- 0 o m Z o
But .mak' 1 four people,in mission and
lured Federal re the American ] o o m M c: M —
vocates and ind ex dozens and regulators and Petroleum Institute and did r n _ X
[its say crucial informs 40h�es—r nearly the industry within the last not immediately receive a s T
under year were admonished by response. -"
lion is being denied to the investigation,and it is not the National Transportation 'IheAPwasabletnlocate
Puhk'ockftMftWM7 deerwhatprobkemshowed Safety Board after a numerous gas line maps
v who hen something goes
upm�orbVecfionsofthe propane explosion near from the National Pipeline
thing goes 44yearold Pacific Comas and Carmichael,Myss.,
"r°nn 2007: Mapping System,awebsite
& fey say homeown Electric Co.Cline A pipeline ruptured be- created by the US.Trans
xs,for example,have no What is known is that cause of a failed weld and peltation Department and
iuetowhethercmTOsicnis many in San Bruno first sent a huge fireball over the industry.But the maps
eating away the pipeline learned of the adsteaee of homes,killing two people do not say which pipekm
teel under their fit the pipeline Sept 9,when and mijurig
"large natural gas trans gas leaking from the 30- seven are>�rusk,nor ne they
�� >�y emergency - include the pipelines'in-
Pipelines are the inch rme ignited and sent a ers had not known about the spection
llte qurvalent of burying dyna- fireballshooting hundreds pipeline; nor were they MEA spokesman Da.
underground,"" said of feet above the San Fran. •trained in how to respond, mon Hill said the agency's
"au1 Blackbtrm;apublic in dwD suburb:Among those the N'I'SB said:Also,the vie.. Public disclosumprogram is
nest lawyer in Vermillion, Previously in the dark was finis and others whose hour a`work in Progress'and
1).,who has worked on ort San Bruno Mayor run till- es were destroyed had been mom information will be dis
ad gas Pipeline matters ane.He said he is learning leg out of public
mailingsof- closed in the future. For
lire Public needs to know `more and more, day by fig pipem qty tip-- now,.he said,a formai re-
ves are being pot at risk day'about the pipeline: The NM said that if lo- quest imdertlre'Freedom of
rd It was not the first time a cal authorities had known of Information Act'must be.
The cause of the San community was caught the presence of the pipe, submitted be5ore f uli inspeo-
nmo eaplosion—wlirrh tregacailyumaware theycouldhave y �results are drsdosed.