(C) Common Dreams This story was originally published by Common Dreams and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Mountain Valley Pipeline: "Uniquely Risky" [1] ['Amy Mall'] Date: 2023-09 According to the Pipeline Safety Trust, “There are significant concerns about the effectiveness of the FBE epoxy coatings on the pipeline segments that have been exposed to sun and weathering for far longer than recommended by the manufacturer.” MVP’s coated pipe has been exposed to the elements for up to six years because of the pipeline owner’s bullish decision to purchase and coat the pipes before resolving outstanding issues regarding the unlawfulness of its design and permits issued by federal agencies during the Trump Administration. MVP claims that they will inspect the pipe and repair any damaged coating or thin spots on exposed pipe before installing it in the ground. But there aren't any federal regulations that specify standards for repair. According to the Pipeline Safety Trust, “The regulations are written to largely allow the operator to determine if the coating is appropriate as opposed to prescribing exactly what would make a coating safe or unsafe.” When pipes for the proposed (and now cancelled) Keystone XL pipeline were stored outdoors for approximately six years due to delay, a company representative stated that any pipe determined to need recoating would have to be transported back to a plant to be stripped and recoated. That requires time—and money. Given that MVP is already more than $3 billion over budget and more than five years behind schedule, the company has incentive to cut corners. Leaving pipeline inspection and repair up to the pipeline company is simply wrong. The communities along the route need to able to sleep at night with confidence that their lives and those of their loved ones are being considered—the most important purpose of the coatings. These pipes are sitting on private property that belongs to real people who live in what is known as the “blast zone”—the distance from an explosion where death or serious injury is likely. And they won’t be able to sleep at night knowing that a pipeline company that has been fined millions of dollars for hundreds of state alleged violations is allowed to decide how to address the risks associated with deteriorating pipe coating that has been exposed to the elements for far too long. 1 Keith Coulson, James Ferguson, and David Milmine, “Study of stockpiled fusion bond epoxy coated pipe,” in Corrosion Management, Institute of Corrosion, January/February 2020. 2 Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. Sharon Simmons, et al, Defendants, Civil Action Number: 1:17CV211, Proceedings had in the Motion Hearing on January 23, 2018. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.nrdc.org/bio/amy-mall/mountain-valley-pipeline-uniquely-risky-0 Published and (C) by Common Dreams Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 3.0.. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/commondreams/