Per Peter Nielson: HB 281. There are no pipelines in Missoula County that would be regulated by this bill, including crude oil, coal or carbon dioxide pipelines. Such pipelines would be prohibited from being constructed under water bodies by this bill.
Refined fuel product pipelines would not be regulated by the bill. There is one refined fuel pipeline in Missoula County, which has several stream crossings. One of these stream crossings is above ground, the rest are buried below ground. It is unlikely that a new refined fuel pipeline would be constructed in Missoula County in the forseeable future. If the bill is amended to include refined fuel pipelines it could prohibit projects to replace pipeline stream crossings below ground. The operator of the pipeline in Missoula County has replaced several of its stream crossings in recent years, placing the line at much greater depth in order to reduce risks from events such as floods, ice jams or stream channel migration. Missoula County has strongly supported these stream crossing upgrades. The pipeline operator has used directional drilling technology to place stream crossings forty or more feet below the streambed, replacing lines that were previously buried two to eight feet below the stream bed. This has significantly reduced risks of catastrophic pipeline releases in Missoula County and in other areas upstream of Missoula County.
Above ground stream crossings pose some unique risks, including potential vandalism.
Electric transmission lines would be prohibited from being buried under waterbodies by this bill. Future stream crossings or replacement stream crossings in Missoula County would be required to be constructed above ground. The water quality benefits of prohibiting electric transmission lines from being placed below waterbodies are unclear.
Missoula County should monitor this bill for amendments and action in the House committee. If the bill is amended to include refined fuel pipelines, Missoula County may wish to express concern over its potential impact on beneficial projects that replace shallow stream crossings.
Per Peter Nielson: HB 281. There are no pipelines in Missoula County that would be regulated by this bill, including crude oil, coal or carbon dioxide pipelines. Such pipelines would be prohibited from being constructed under water bodies by this bill.
ReplyDeleteRefined fuel product pipelines would not be regulated by the bill. There is one refined fuel pipeline in Missoula County, which has several stream crossings. One of these stream crossings is above ground, the rest are buried below ground. It is unlikely that a new refined fuel pipeline would be constructed in Missoula County in the forseeable future. If the bill is amended to include refined fuel pipelines it could prohibit projects to replace pipeline stream crossings below ground. The operator of the pipeline in Missoula County has replaced several of its stream crossings in recent years, placing the line at much greater depth in order to reduce risks from events such as floods, ice jams or stream channel migration. Missoula County has strongly supported these stream crossing upgrades. The pipeline operator has used directional drilling technology to place stream crossings forty or more feet below the streambed, replacing lines that were previously buried two to eight feet below the stream bed. This has significantly reduced risks of catastrophic pipeline releases in Missoula County and in other areas upstream of Missoula County.
Above ground stream crossings pose some unique risks, including potential vandalism.
Electric transmission lines would be prohibited from being buried under waterbodies by this bill. Future stream crossings or replacement stream crossings in Missoula County would be required to be constructed above ground. The water quality benefits of prohibiting electric transmission lines from being placed below waterbodies are unclear.
Missoula County should monitor this bill for amendments and action in the House committee. If the bill is amended to include refined fuel pipelines, Missoula County may wish to express concern over its potential impact on beneficial projects that replace shallow stream crossings.