Jay Inslee: Washington's 1st Congressional District
Issues
Pipeline
On 10 June 1999, an oil pipeline ruptured in Bellingham, Wsh., resulting in the deaths of two children and one young man. Since that date, Jay has been fighting a two-pronged battle to ensure that the pipelines running under our communities are safe. He successfully has worked to ensure that the pipeline that exploded in Bellingham is water-pressure tested. He also introduced strong pipeline safety legislation in the House, and has been working to get it enacted.
[ Fact Sheet on Pipeline Safety ] [ Map of Pipeline ]
| House Passes Pipeline Safety Legislation |
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[ 23 July 2002 ] The U.S. House of Representatives voted tonight to pass improved pipeline safety legislation that contains a number of stronger regulations proposed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. "It appears that our decision to fight for a stronger bill than was offered in the last Congress has paid off," said Inslee. |
| Pipeline Safety Moving Forward |
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[ 13 February 2002 ] Inslee continues to urge the House leadership to take action on U.S. Rep. Larsen's Pipeline Safety legislation. Inslee is working with members of the Washington delegation and Transportation Committee members to move this legislation forward, because it has been in the House Transportation Committee for over one year without being considered for debate. |
| Calling the House to Action |
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[ 16 May 2001 ] U.S. Reps. Inslee, Larsen, Sen. Murray Call for House Action [ 14 May 2001 ] Inslee, Local Mayors Demand Action in House of Representatives |
| Pipeline Ruptures During Water Pressure Test |
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[ 8 May 2001 ] The result was a loss of approximately 100 barrels of water which soaked the nearby landscape and street. While this may sound alarming, it is actually a great safety victory, because this weak spot was detected with water instead of gasoline or airplane fuel. Mel Carpenter, who lives just adjacent to the pipeline told Inslee, "if this would have been jet fuel, my house would be gone right now." BP and their testing consultants are excavating the pipeline to investigate the cause of the failure. |
| Pipeline Safetly Legislation |
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[ 8 February 2001 ] Pipeline Safety Legislation Passes Senate [ 6 February 2001 ] New Pipeline Safety Legislation in House of Representatives |
| GPS Pipeline Location Technology Demo |
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[ 23 September 2000 ] Inslee and local emergancy response officers demonstrated a pipeline location device that was developed by a Snohomish County Deputy Sherriff. |
| Press Conference in D.C. |
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[ 7 September 2000 ] Inslee and Rep. Metcalf hold news conference with victims of pipeline explosions from across the nation to urge strong pipeline legislation in the House. |
| CNN Web Chat |
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[ 3 September 2000 ] Inslee featured on CNN Web Chat regarding pipeline safety legislation. |
| Olympic Agrees to Water Pressure Test |
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[ 7 August 2000 ] OPS Administrator Kelly Coyner calls Inslee to inform him that Olympic has decided to hydrostatically test its 16" line. Inslee and other Eastside leaders welcomed the news. |
| Letter to New Olympic President |
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[ 3 August 2000 ] Inslee sent a letter and had a phone conversation with newly appointed Olympic President Bob Batch urging him to hydrostatically test the pipeline. Mr. Batch moved from BP/Amoco to the position of President of Olympic Pipe Line Company. |
| New Management |
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[ June 2000 ] Olympic Pipe Line Company announced that BP/Amoco will be buying a majority share of the company, and taking over operations of the pipeline. Inslee immediately set up a conference call with BP’s Western General Manager and the BP Olympic Transition Team Leader regarding the benefits of hydrostatic testing Olympic's pipeline. |
| Inslee's Pipeline Safety Legislation |
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[ 29 June 2000 ] Inslee and Rep. Pallone (NJ) introduce the most aggressive pipeline safety legislation in Congress. |
| Inslee, Local Leaders Meet with Head of OPS |
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[ 3 June 2000 ] OPS Administrator Kelly Coyner flew out to Washington State to meet with Congressman Inslee and Eastside mayors. At the meeting, Inslee again asserted that until a proven technology is available for detecting longitudinal weaknesses, the pipeline must be hydrostatically tested. |
| Inslee Amendment to Transportation Funding Bill |
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[ 19 May 2000 ] Inslee offered an amendment to the Transportation Appropriations bill which would have required the OPS to order the hydrostatic testing of Olympic’s pipeline. A point of order was raised against the amendment by the majority leadership, and the amendment was not allowed a vote. |
| Inslee Issue Forum |
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[ 25 March 2000 ] Inslee organized an issue forum on pipeline safety. |
| OPS Ordered Tests Not Good Enough |
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[ 10 March 2000 ] OPS announced that it will order an experimental technology to find longitudinal problems in the pipe. Declaring that the people of East Puget Sound should not be lab rats for an unproven technology, Inslee criticized OPS for not taking the necessary step of hydrostatically testing the line. |
| Inslee and Sims News Conference |
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[ 12 February 2000 ] Inslee and King County Executive Ron Sims held a joint press conference demanding more local input in OPS’s decision making. |
| Inslee Urges Water Pressure Tests |
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[ 11 February 2000 ] Inslee sent a second letter to the Administrator urging that the Corrective Action Order against Olympic be changed to include hydrostatic testing. |
| Inslee Speaks at Pipeline Safety Forum |
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[ 22 January 2000 ] Inslee was the keynote speaker at a Pipeline Safety Forum sponsored by the Cascade Columbia Alliance. In his address he again publicly called on the Olympic Pipe Line Company to hydrostatically test the line. |
| OPS Data |
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[ 21 January 2000 ] In a letter to the Administrator of OPS, Congressman Inslee used OPS’s own data to demonstrate that the pipe manufactured by U.S. Steel had a very similar failure history as Lone Star Steel. OPS and the Olympic Pipe Line Company initially argued that although most of the 16-inch pipeline consisted of pipe manufactured by U.S. Steel, only the Lone Star Steel Corporation pipe was unsafe and needed hydrostatic testing. |
| Inslee Urges Water Pressure Testing |
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[ 20 January 2000 ] Inslee organized local mayors of communities through which the pipeline crossed to publicly urge hydrostatic testing. |
| Pipeline Safety Hearing |
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[ 27 October 1999 ] Inslee first called on the Olympic Pipe Line Company to hydrostatically test their entire line on 27 October 1999, at a congressional hearing. At the hearing, Inslee also urged OPS to order the hydrostatic tests if Olympic failed to do so voluntarily. |
| Inslee, Local Leaders Meet with Olympic Officials |
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[ 8 October 1999 ] Inslee meets with Mayors and officials from the Olympic Pipe Line Company in his Mountlake Terrace office. |
| Inslee Letter to Olympic |
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[ 5 October 1999 ] Inslee sends follow-up letter to Olympic Pipe Line Company requesting documentation supporting their assertion that hydrostatic tests fatigue pipelines. In a letter dated October 25, Olympic responds by stating "under certain circumstances hydro tests may cause fatigue on the pipe." |
| Inslee Meets with Olympic President |
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[ 28 September 1999 ] Inslee hosts meeting between Olympic Pipe Line Company President Fred Crognale and public officials in his D.C. congressional office to discuss recent water pressure test failure. |
| Pipe Ruptures Again |
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[ 18 September 1999 ] Olympic's pipeline ruptures during water pressure test in Bellingham. |
| Feds Order Olympic To Close the Line |
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[ 18 June 1999 ] Federal regulators order Olympic Pipe Line Company to close their pipeline. |
| Olympic Pipe Line Ruptures |
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[ 10 June 1999 ] Olympic's pipeline ruptures in Bellingham, killing three children. |
| Other Useful Information |
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