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posted by martyb on Tuesday September 18 2018, @09:59PM   Printer-friendly
from the Big-oops-made-big-booms dept.

Pipe pressure before gas explosions was 12 times too high

The pressure in natural gas pipelines prior to a series of explosions and fires in Massachusetts last week was 12 times higher than it should have been, according to a letter from the state's U.S. senators to executives of the utility in charge of the pipelines.

Democratic U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey sent the letter Monday seeking answers about the explosions from the heads of Columbia Gas, the company that serves the communities of Lawrence, Andover and North Andover, and NiSource, the parent company of Columbia Gas.

"The federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has reported that the pressure in the Columbia Gas system should have been around 0.5 pounds per square inch (PSI), but readings in the area reached at least 6 PSI — twelve times higher than the system was intended to hold," the letter said.

The pressure spike registered in a Columbia Gas control room in Ohio, the senators said in the letter, which requests a reply by Wednesday.

See also: Columbia Gas pledges $10M toward relief efforts in Lawrence, Andover, North Andover

Previously: 60-80 Homes Burn; Gas Line "Incident" in Northern Massachusetts


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  • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday September 19 2018, @07:56AM (3 children)

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday September 19 2018, @07:56AM (#736946) Journal

    Interstate commerce almost certainly applies. If farmers can be penalized for growing the wrong crops on their land under interstate commerce law, then gas companies can be held liable for safety standards under those same laws.

    Starting Score:    1  point
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  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by The Mighty Buzzard on Wednesday September 19 2018, @11:24AM (2 children)

    by The Mighty Buzzard (18) Subscriber Badge <themightybuzzard@proton.me> on Wednesday September 19 2018, @11:24AM (#736989) Homepage Journal

    One blatant abuse of the commerce clause does not justify another.

    --
    My rights don't end where your fear begins.
    • (Score: 2) by NewNic on Wednesday September 19 2018, @06:49PM (1 child)

      by NewNic (6420) on Wednesday September 19 2018, @06:49PM (#737170) Journal

      One blatant abuse of the commerce clause does not justify another.

      Tell that to the judges on the Supreme Court, because they have used that abuse as justification for many more abuses.

      --
      lib·er·tar·i·an·ism ˌlibərˈterēənizəm/ noun: Magical thinking that useful idiots mistake for serious political theory