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to emergencies invalving failed sections of its pipeline, ar�d the nonavailability oi remotely operated valves or automatic shutdown capabifity on the pipeline. !n St. Paul (From "Current Pipeline Safety Issues from the NTSB's Perspective", by Lawrence E. Jackson.) (NTSB Report not yet issued): On July 22, 'f 993, in St. Paul, Minnesota, a City public work's crew struck a 1.25 inch plas#ic service line inside a steef sleeve. The service iine transitioned through a coupling to a 1-inch plastic service fine. The 1-inch fine had an overstress break near an elbow, next io the building. A buiiding which included eight upstairs apartments, a food market, a computer store and a book store was desiroyed by the resulting fire and explosion, about 20 minutes after striking tY�e line. The accidenf resulted in three fatalities and 12 injuries. A team of three NTSB investigators were dispatched to the scene. No hearing or depositions have been scheduled. Areas to explore in this accident inciude crew training and compliar�ce with one-call systems and excavation regulations, and damage to pipelines by third parties. Soon after the Mounds View incident, Governor Rudy Perpich appointed a Commission oi 26 individuals of appropriate backgrounds to investigate all aspects of the safety of pipelines operating in Minnesota, as wefl as the reliability of energy supplies transporied by pipelines. Five areas of pipeEine safety were explored: ♦ Steps to improve emergency response to pipeline leaks and spills, ♦ Methods for reducing accidents caused by third-party dig-ins, ♦ Federal and state pipeline inspection programs, ♦ Government standards for existing pipelines, and ♦ Government requirements for new pipeline design, construction and routing. The Commission offered 38 recommendations based on their findings. Qf particular interest are the folEowing which have been implemented: ♦ The Minnesota Legislature should establish an office of pipeline safety in the Department of Public Safety responsible for the state inspection program, monitoring and repo�ting on the implementation of federa! pipeline standards and regulations, coordination of emergency response activities, and implementation af staie policies to reduce third-party accidents. � The Office of Pipeline Safety should be advised by a pipeline safety commission made up of technical experts and representatives from the pipeline industry, state government and the p�blic. 2-5