WASHINGTON— Don Santa, president and CEO of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, today released the following statement, commending the U.S. Senate for an important step in renewing a law that ensures the safety of the interstate natural gas pipeline system that delivers almost one quarter of the energy consumed by Americans:
“We applaud the Senate for passing S. 275, The Pipeline Transportation Safety Improvement Act, and look forward to similar action in the House, where two committees already have passed reauthorization bills. We hope Congress can send a final bill to the president by the end of the year.
“INGAA recognizes the importance of continuous improvement to pipeline safety regulations, standards and procedures. This legislation updates and improves policy in several areas, including integrity management and damage prevention. Combined with regulatory changes already anticipated at the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the initiatives INGAA is undertaking through our board-level pipeline safety task force, we believe the result will be a safer pipeline system nationwide.”
