FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE SAFETY ACT OF 1968 TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES: I herewith transmit the Fourth Annual Report on the administration of the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968. This report has been prepared in accordance with Section 14 of the Act, and covers the period of January 1, 1971, through December 31, 1971. Compilation of Accidents and Casualties Occurring Section 14 (a) (1) List of Federal Gas Pipeline Standards Established -- Waivers Granted Under Section 3 (e) of the Act in Evaluation of Degree of Observance of Applicable -- Summary of Outstanding Problems 7 8 11 Analysis and Evaluation of Research Activities as -- 16 Pending or Completed Judicial Actions -- Section 17 Dissemination of Technical and Consumer-Oriented Compilation of Section 5(a) Certifications and Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee Cooperation With Other Federal Agencies INTRODUCTION This report covers the administration of the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 for the calendar year 1971. The report is divided into sections, which generally correspond to the requirements of Section 14 of the Act. The Department's gas pipeline safety responsibilities involve a network of more than a million miles of gas transmission pipelines, distribution systems, and nonrural area gathering lines. Those systems under the Department's safety jurisdiction are constructed, operated, and maintained by more than 2,000 separate operators who supply 40 percent of the nation's energy needs while serving some 41 million customers. Age of the systems range from those recently installed to others which have been in the ground for over 150 years, thus involving a variety of engineering and operating challenges in carrying forward the Department's pipeline safety programs. The Act provides for Federal safety standards for gas pipeline facilities utilized in the transportation of natural, flammable, toxic, or corrosive gases. The Act creates exclusive Federal safety authority over systems, generally described as interstate systems, which are subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal Power Commission under the Natural Gas Act. A State agency may assume responsibility, by certification, for administering and enforcing safety programs with respect to intrastate facilities and may adopt additional, or more stringent, standards which are not incompatible with Federal standards. A State agency that does not submit a certification may enter into an agreement with the Secretary to aid in the enforcement of Federal safety standards. . During 1971, the Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) which administers the Act under delegation from the Secretary of Transportation, through the Assistant Secretary for Safety and Consumer Affairs, took several significant steps to improve the effectiveness of the Federal pipeline safety program. Especially important among these have been programs to provide additional Federal safety standards for corrosion control, strengthening the role of State agencies through Federal grants, and development of compliance and technical information programs to assure that all gas pipeline operators achieve a maximum level of safety. OPS review of industry operational experience, scientific research, published technical information and communication with government agencies, industry and the public, determined that corrosion is a major problem. The leak and failure data reported by operators to date show that about one-half of all leaks on gas pipeline facilities are caused by corrosion. It is recognized by government, industry, and the public generally that effective corrosion control is a vital part of the safe and efficient operation of any gas pipeline system. The Federal standards issued in 1970 did not adequately cover corrosion control. Because of the complex nature of the corrosion problem and the many variables associated with the technology of corrosion control, OPS made great efforts to obtain as much factual information as possible from all sources. This was carried out through the rulemaking process, including notices, public hearings, and review and comment by the Department's Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee. These corrosion control regulations for gas pipelines (Appendix 4) went into effect on August 1, 1971. The Department has overall responsibility for safety regulation of intrastate facilities, as well as exclusive authority over interstate systems. The OPS works closely with the States in all aspects of the pipeline safety program, and it has continued to encourage strong effective State pipeline safety programs. Cooperative action, particularly concerning intrastate facilities, is a very important element in the total pipeline safety program. Since 1968, State legislatures have displayed great interest in the program by enacting pipeline safety legislation to facilitate joint action with the Department. In 1971, 50 (including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) of 52 eligible jurisdictions cooperated with the Department under Section 5 of the Act. The Federal financial assistance program for gas pipe- |