Declare a pipeline moratorium until federal guidelines updated

The Linn County Board of Supervisors is considering an ordinance that purportedly offers safety assurance to the citizens of Linn County. The ordinance relies on a formula to determine setback distances between a “hazardous supercritical pipeline” and Linn County’s public places, dwellings and future growth areas. These setback requirements are necessary since currently there are no federal guidelines for Hazardous Supercritical pipeline construction. The responsibility of safe setbacks falls squarely on the shoulders of local county officials.

After the 2020 Satartia Mississippi pipeline explosion, where injuries were reported over a 1-mile zone, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, (PHMSA,) the federal agency responsible for construction guidelines, determined current federal regulations were scientifically inaccurate and in 2022 started a multiyear updating process. The proposed Linn County ordinance allows an exception to the dwelling setback formula. The formula grants a 2050 ft setback for a 16-inch diameter pipeline but the exception reduces that distance to only 300 ft.

The requirement for that exception is “project approval by the Iowa Utilities Board” which any Iowa pipeline requires for a construction permit. Thus, dwelling setbacks in Linn County always default to 300 ft. Without scientifically proper federal guidelines, this ordinance establishes a safety setback 1/17th the Satartia accident zone distance.

Instead of prematurely jeopardizing Linn County resident’s health and safety with an ordinance that fails to provide safe dwelling setbacks, a better approach would be to declare a moratorium on hazardous pipeline projects until PHMSA issues setback guidelines.

Michael Daly

Lisbon

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