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EXECIUTIVE SJJMM iY1 <br />al <br />'The complete findings and recommendations of the commission are <br />presented in Chapiter, I of this report and are divided into five general <br />areas of pipeline safety. The topic areas include: <br />L Steps to '*improve emergency response to pipeline leaks and spills, <br />2. Methods for reducing, accidents caused by third -party dig-ins, <br />3. Fed Federal and state pipeline inspection programs, <br />4. Government standards for existing, pipelines, and <br />5. Government req,uirem,e,n,ts for new pipeline design, construction and <br />riouting, <br />Federal, StAtie and Local Roles, In Pi eline Safety <br />Under the current division of federal., state and local authority, each <br />level of' glovernmient is responsible for various aspects of pipeline <br />safety. The c ol mm fission's riecommendations, are, therefore, directed at one <br />of the three levels of government. <br />A, <br />principal factor determ i n i <br />ng the for of the recommendations is the <br />dominant role of' the fedcral. Department of' Transportation in pipeline <br />regulation. Federal statutes specifically prohibit states from setting <br />safety standards, for interstate pipelines. States can be certified by the <br />department to, conduct their own, inspection programs as an agent of the <br />federal, government. If' state programs meet federal guidelines on <br />qual "if icati'l loins of' inspectors and thoroughness of the 'Inspection program., <br />then the department may authorize greater latitude for 'inspection of <br />intrastate pipelines. The higher level of certification plermits states to <br />carry out their own enforcement actions and establish more stringent <br />standards than required by federal regulation.1 <br />0 <br />State, parti I Cipation in the inspection. of iWerstatg pipelines is very <br />limited. Federal 'statutes do not permit the higher level of certification <br />al 10, <br />for state inspection and enforcement actions. In addition, the Department <br />of Transportation, has certified only 1, 1, states to inspect interstate <br />naturla,l gas pipelines as an agent of the federal government. No states <br />are currently certified to inspect interstate petrolcum pipelines.. <br />Reglomm end litions fqrl Fedier,al PlIntlint,, Insipectigal-and Ra ti,on <br />The Minnesota Commission on Pipeline Safety has concluded that the <br />federal, government, should give states, greater latitude in the regulation <br />