American Gas - April 2011 - (Page 2)

president’s Message safety is Job One every stakeholder in the energy delivery business must work proactively to improve safety. Despite the fact that the natural gas pipe- DAve mccurDy President and ceO dmccurdy@aga.org line delivery system is among the safest in the world, and despite the fact that our industry spends more than $6 billion a year on safetyrelated programs and initiatives, the tragic pipeline incidents that occurred recently in San Bruno, Calif., and Allentown, Pa., are sobering reminders that our industry continues to address significant challenges with regard to pipeline safety. That was also brought home to us by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who made a special trip to AGA to address the February meeting of the AGA Board of Directors. Secretary LaHood was both clear and forthright in saying that every single stakeholder in the energy delivery business, including safety regulators at every level of government, must do a better job of working together and working proactively to improve safety. “I did not come here to be critical,” he told our board. “I came here to ask for your help, to get your input, your advice and your ideas. We are all in this together.” It was just the right tone to set, and our board members responded by sharing with him both the challenges natural gas utilities face in improving pipeline safety—including the very high cost of replacing thousands of miles of aging pipeline—as well as the many safety improvements we are already making, which has resulted in a 27 percent decrease in serious reportable accidents since 2002. Much of that improvement can be attributed to the good work our utilities, our regulators and the Common Ground Alliance have done in promoting our “811 Call-Before-You-Dig” program, which serves to remind the public that whenever they are planning an excavation project (no matter how small) they should dial the 811 hotline to make sure no underground pipe will be affected. This program has significantly reduced third-party damage to underground pipelines, which remains the No. 1 cause of pipeline accidents. That meeting with Secretary LaHood resulted in a renewed commitment to work more closely together and to make sure that we are all “singing from the same song sheet” in terms of the safety information we need to share with the public. The secretary suggested, and our board unanimously agreed, that an ongoing series of meetings among all stakeholders should be set up as soon as possible to enhance communication, exchange ideas and develop a set of principles that will both improve pipeline safety and improve our communications to the public about what we are doing to enhance safety and what they can do to help. Those meetings are taking place, and having worked with Secretary LaHood in the past, in particular on the issue of vehicular safety when I headed the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, I can say that he is determined, thorough and a hard charger when it comes to public safety. As he said at our board meeting, “We must get ahead of the curve on this issue.” I can also say that as AGA’s new president and CEO I will focus like a laser beam on the issue of pipeline safety. Now, more than ever, safety is job one. Barry Myers 2 april 2011 AmericAn GAs

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Gas - April 2011

American Gas - April 2011
Contents
President’s Message Safety Is Job One
In the Know Gas Quality: When Science and Policy Intersect
In the News
Safety First Partnering for Progress
The New Realities of the Natural Gas Industry: From Wellhead to Customer
Part I: Then There Was Abundance
Part II: through the Pipeline
Part III: Priority Pathways for Growth
Going for the Green
Places to Be
Noteworthies
Advertisers’ Index
Jobline
Marketplace
Facts on Gas

American Gas - April 2011

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