Sherman Responds to Natural Gas Storage Safety Report

Pushes Tougher Standards for Safety Valves and Energy Reliability

Sherman Oaks, CA – The Interagency Aliso Canyon Task force on Natural Gas Safety released its final Report on Natural Gas Storage Safety today.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Safety Materials Administration (PHMSA) will be moving forward with federal regulations for natural gas storage based on the Task Force’s recommendations.

Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) has advocated for PHMSA to expeditiously implement tough nationwide standards. Sherman spoke to both the President and Vice President in January about implementing natural gas storage safety standards in the calendar year.

Sherman issued the following statement after the Interagency Aliso Canyon Task Force on Natural Gas Safety unveiled its official recommendations this morning:

“This is an important first step in protecting communities like Porter Ranch that suffered from the largest methane leak in U.S. history.

“I am concerned the Report fails to call for sub-surface safety shut-off valves on every well. Additionally, the Report neglects to include a too big to fail analysis on whether some gas storage facilities are so large that their closure could adversely affect a major metropolitan area.

“I am pleased that the Report has strong recommendations on well integrity, including proposing that tubing be used for all injections and removal of natural gas.

“I want to thank Department of Energy Under Secretary for Science and Energy Franklin Orr and PHMSA Administrator Marie Therese Dominguez for their hard work on assessing how to better ensure the safe storage of energy resources following the natural gas leak at Aliso Canyon.

“I have had discussions with the President, Vice President, Secretary of Energy, Secretary of Transportation, and the Office of Management and Budget, and have been led to believe that PHMSA will issue proposed gas storage safety regulations this year.”

Background
Sherman’s home was as close to any residence to the Aliso Canyon gas leak. For nearly four months, the northern Los Angeles community of Porter Ranch suffered from the largest methane leak in U.S. history.  More than 7,000 families were displaced from their homes and forced to relocate. Two schools in the area were closed for the duration of the school year.