On February 18, 2016, the Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force
released its final report to the governor.
The task force was created to identify “best practices for pipeline
siting, permitting, and safety.” The
task force was made up of 48 members with more than 100 additional volunteers
serving in 12 different workgroups. The
workgroups represented different constituencies in Pennsylvania that will be affected
by construction of additional pipeline infrastructure. The workgroups represented interests ranging
from agricultural to local government.
The task force focused on creating recommendations that
could help meet six overarching goals: (1) “amplify and engage in meaningful
public participation” (2) “develop long-term operations and maintenance plans
to ensure pipeline safety and integrity” (3) “employ construction methods that
reduce environmental and community impact” (4) “maximize opportunities for
predictable and efficient permitting” (5) “plan, site, and route pipelines in
ways to avoid or reduce environmental and community impacts” (6) “enhance
workforce/economic development.” The
task force developed 184 recommendations and identified the top two recommendations
for each category.
For the public participation goal, the task force recommended
establishment of “early coordination with local landowners and lessors” and
education of “landowners on pipeline development issues.” The pipeline safety and integrity recommendations
were to “train emergency responders” and “enhance emergency response training
for responder agencies.” The environmental
impact recommendations were to “minimize impacts of stream crossings” and use “best
available combination of technologies to protect exception value and high
quality waters.” The permitting recommendations
were to “ensure adequate agency staffing for reviewing the pipeline infrastructure
projects” and “implement electronic permit submissions for chapters 102 and 105”
(water obstruction and encroachment permits and erosion and sediment control
permits, respectively). The avoidance of
environmental and community impacts recommendations were to “expand PA1Call for
all classes of pipelines” and “identify barriers to sharing rights-of-ways.” The workforce/economic development recommendations
included “attract military veterans to the energy workforce” and “enhance
science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.”
Written by - Stephen Kenney
Research Assistant
Center for Agricultural and Shale Law
