Transcript ppt - Mayors Council on Pipeline Safety (MCPS)

Repairing Our Cities’
Aging Pipelines
Mayors’ Council on Pipeline Safety Conference
May 2015
Kim Glas – Executive Director
A coalition of 10 of the country’s largest labor
unions and 5 of America’s most influential
environmental groups
AFL-CIO
BlueGreen Alliance unites nearly 16M members
and supporters working for a clean energy
economy.
AFL-CIO representing 11M+ American workers
Repairing our Cities Aging
Pipelines – RECAP
• Labor partners involved in pipeline installation,
operations, maintenance, fabrication:
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AFL-CIO
Pipefitters (UA)
Utility Workers (UWUA)
Steelworkers (USW)
• Steel industry partners deliver advanced materials for
modern gas system – ArcelorMittal, EVRAZ N. America
• Environmental partners support emissions reductions
and transition to cleaner economy
• Common priorities - economic vitality, job growth,
worker/community health & safety
RECAP Goals
• Improve efficiency and resiliency of natural
gas distribution
• Reduce emissions to lower greenhouse
gas/climate impact
• Recapture lost natural gas costs to
consumers/businesses – keep gas ‘in the
system’
• Create jobs and strengthen economy–
accelerating rate of distribution
repair/replacement from 10 to 30 years
could create 300k jobs, $30B GDP benefit
‘A safer distribution system means reducing
pollution, and reducing pollution means a
safer system.’
Methane By The Numbers
• At least 28 times more powerful climate
change agent than CO2, pound for pound
• Natural gas distribution pipes lose 64 billion
cubic feet of natural gas per year - equivalent
to total gas use in the state of Maine.
• US consumers have paid for $21 billion in
natural gas lost through distribution from
2000-2012
• Current fed proposal could cut methane
emissions across energy sector up to 45
percent by 2025
• Recent studies suggest cuts up to 50 percent
could be achieved w/ off-shelf technology at
low cost (1 penny per MCF)
Leak-Prone Gas Pipe
• Leak-prone cast-iron and bare steel in
service since the late 19th century
• 2012: 46K miles of cast iron; 2.6M bare steel
individual service pipes (Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration/PHMSA)
• 9% of distribution mileage (112K miles)
Identified by PHMSA for accelerated
replacement (incl. unprotected or uncoated)
• Cast iron /bare steel pipe leak 18 times more
gas than plastic pipes and 57 times more gas
than protected steel
EDF Leak Study - Boston
BGA partner Environmental Defense Fund
is conducting a leak mapping project in
select cities w/ universities & Google Maps
• How many leaks: average of about one
leak per mile driven.
• Pipe materials: Nearly 45% of the pipes
are made from cast iron or other
corrosion- and leak-prone materials.
• Age of pipes: More than half of the
pipes are more than 50 years old.
• Progress: In June 2014, Governor
Patrick signed a bill accelerating leakprone gas pipe repairs to a 20 year
timeline…can we do better?
State Policy Successes
• Methane Leakage Abatement Workforce
Act (SB1371) – CA law updates pipe
repair/replacement policy, creates rate
mechanisms to improve safety, 1st ever
that factors climate change/enviro impact
• Targeted Infrastructure Replacement
Programs (TIRF) - 34 states have TIRFs,
allowing utilities to recover repair costs
outside typical rate case
• IL SB2266 - TIRF approved in 2013 for
Chicago & statewide replacement of
cast iron, wrought iron, and uncoated
steel distribution pipe
• Creation of 500 direct jobs incl.
veterans hiring program
• These and other states (i.e. MD, MN) doing
well - how can we get others up to speed?
Industry Efforts to
Advance Pipe Repairs
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New Jersey/PSEG - Current proposal to invest
$1.6B over 5 yrs to modernize pipe (160 miles
of cast iron pipe & 11K bare steel service lines)
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Last year, PSEG responded to Hurricane Sandy
w/ EnergyStrong $1.2B resiliency investment
program, which includes accelerated
replacement of 250 miles of cast iron pipe
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Minnesota/Centerpoint - Recently doubled
pipe replacement budget from $70M to
$140M/yr
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Advanced technology reduced undetected
leaks by 90%
Working Together Toward Success - RECAP
• Problem – Prevalence of leak-prone pipe,
significant emissions impact
Workers are a
key resource in
defining and
resolving issues
in the natural
gas pipeline
system
• Solution – Improved repair/replacement policies
coupled w/ investment/recovery mechanisms
• Partner resources – membership across labor
and enviro partners
• Align partner efforts and motivate
stakeholders – consumers/businesses,
electeds, government agencies, public
service commissioners, utilities
• Urgency – Create jobs and strengthen the
economy, avert climate change impact