Anna Eshoo: “Last year, in the bipartisan pipeline safety bill that was signed into law, I worked with Chairman Upton to include…”

“Last year, in the bipartisan pipeline safety bill that was signed into law, I worked with Chairman Upton to include language which requires the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, which is called PHMSA, to complete a comprehensive review of hazardous liquid pipeline regulations. This review will determine whether the current regulations are sufficient to ensure the safety of pipelines used for the transportation of diluted bitumen or tar sands oil. Everyone agrees that this review makes sense. The House and the Senate both passed the pipeline safety bill without a single Member of Congress voting against it. What doesn't make sense is directing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to issue a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline before we know whether our safety standards are adequate. Last year, Cynthia Quarterman, the Administrator of PHMSA, testified before the Energy and Commerce Committee, stating the agency had not done a study to analyze the risks associated with transporting diluted bitumen. We've heard concerns that pipelines carrying tar sands oil may pose greater safety risks and may be more corrosive than pipelines carrying conventional crude. According to a recent whistleblower who worked as a safety inspector for the first Keystone pipeline, he said: This oil has the consistency of peanut butter and is similar to sending heavy grit sandpaper down the steel pipe. {time} 1550 So we're not talking about a theoretical risk.…”