September 02, 2015
Willliams Partners/http://atlanticsunriseexpansion.com
Shot of pipeline construction from the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project website.
The state of Pennsylvania has been awarded a $2.19 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration to ramp up pipeline inspections and enforcement of regulations, officials announced Wednesday.
The funds, awarded through the 2015 State Base Pipeline Safety Grant Program, are part of a $54 million nationwide initiative to support states by reimbursing them for a portion of their program expenses, Lehigh Valley Business reports.
“Pipeline safety is essential not only for the oil industry in Pennsylvania, but the entire country,” U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., said in a press release. “This money will protect the health of Pennsylvanians and ensure that safety standards for pipelines and pipeline facilities are enforced.”
In addition to inspections and enforcement, the grant will be used to conduct incident investigations and take corrective actions that ensure pipeline safety. Nationally, the program covers states and territories that account for 330 inspectors, who are responsible for more than 80 percent of intrastate natural gas and hazardous liquid pipeline mileage in the United States.
“These grants ensure state programs have the funding they need for resources, including personnel and equipment, to protect communities, carry out inspections and enforce pipeline safety regulations,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
