Pipeline Safety: Funding, Regulation, and Lessons from San Bruno

The San Bruno Pipeline Explosion

• 💥 A natural gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno 15 years ago, near Rep. Mullin's district, killed eight people, injured dozens, and destroyed over 100 homes.
• 🔍 The NTSB report identified a failure of the entire system, with no entity knowing if the pipeline was safe.
• ⚠️ Root causes included organizational breakdowns and regulatory gaps, with a section of pipe lacking initial testing standards and poor recordkeeping through acquisitions.

Regulatory Improvements and Shortcomings

• 📈 FIMSA has enacted rulemakings in response to NTSB recommendations, leading to real improvements in regulations.
• 🚫 However, not all NTSB recommendations were implemented by FIMSA due to non-application clauses and cost-benefit analyses.
• 📉 Under the Trump administration, FIMSA's enforcement actions dropped to record lows, senior staff left, and a rule on gas leaks was delayed.
• 💰 The administration also proposed slashing FIMSA's budget and threatened to withhold funding from the Pipeline Safety Trust.

Congressional Role in Pipeline Safety

• 🏛️ Congress plays a critical oversight role by authorizing and appropriating the appropriate level of funding for pipeline safety.
• 📊 Oversight includes monitoring how agencies implement the Pipeline Safety Act, with hearings and regular updates on rulemaking progress being key.
• ⚠️ A lack of updated public information on FIMSA's progress, with a web chart not updated since January, hinders transparency and public understanding.
• 💰 Ensuring an appropriate level of funding is critical for making pipelines safer than they were a decade ago.