Senate sends pipeline safety bill to Bush.(George W. Bush)

LP/Gas, January, 2007

The Senate followed suit with the House Dec. 7 to send a bipartisan pipeline safety reauthorization bill to the White House.

The bill would in most cases subject low-stress oil pipelines to the same regulatory standards as high-stress lines. Rural low-stress lines are currently largely exempt from federal oversight.

Pressure to require better cleaning and monitoring of low-stress lines mounted following spills at BP's Prudhoe Bay oil field in Alaska due to undiscovered corrosion. Problems with the oil lines there prompted a partial shutdown of the 400,000 barrel-per-day field in August.

"This legislation will ensure America's pipelines continue to provide our nation with needed energy resources in a safe manner and that activities on...

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