Gov. Charlie Baker Proposes Legislation on Natural Gas Safety Practices

SEATTLE (Oil Monster): As some families struck by the gas disaster in Greater Lawrence prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday outside of their homes, Gov. Charlie Baker introduced legislation designed to ensure safe natural gas work.

The legislation filed by Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito would require all natural gas work that could pose a risk to the public to be reviewed and approved by a professional engineer.

The proposal aims to "provide another critical check and balance on the Commonwealth's gas infrastructure," Baker said in a statement.

Under the proposed legislation, the Department of Public Utilities would be responsible for determining when natural gas engineering work would pose a "material risk to public safety."

The effort to secure gas work safety stems from a recommendation by the National Transportation Safety Board last week. According to a report by the NTSB, Massachusetts is one of many states that do not require a professional engineer to approve public utility plans. 

The goal of the proposed legislation, according to Baker's office, is to lay out  a consistent "standard of care" and code of ethics with which natural gas engineering work should be performed across the state. 

The governor's legislative announcement follows months of disarray in the state's natural gas industry, including the disaster tied to Columbia Gas in the Merrimack Valley in September, as well as the nearly five-month lockout of National Grid workers. 

As recovery efforts and investigations into safety have continued in the last few months, the DPU has ordered Columbia Gas of Massachusetts and National Grid to impose a moratorium on all non-emergency work. 

The state agency is also overseeing a review of Massachusetts' gas systems by safety consulting firm "Dynamic Risk Assessment System, Inc." Baker's office said in a statement the assessment is being conducted "out of an abundance of caution."

 Courtesy: www.masslive.com