Public Information Meeting  – Pipeline Safety in West Virginia

Commentary & Summary by April Keating, Buckhannon, Upshur County, WV, September 29, 2015

I attended the pipeline safety awareness and first responder training, Pipeline Awareness for Emergency Response, in Buckhannon on September 28th. It was sponsored by several gas/pipeline companies, including Dominion, EQT, Mountaineer, and a couple more, plus 811, and held at Riverbend Golf Club. They were there with their booths and their giveaway items, and we heard a bit from each of them at the beginning of the program during introductions.

I got a lot of stuff to take home – a flashlight, a few pens, a tire gauge, drink cozy and reusable water bottle, and more, which all fit nicely into my new tote bag, courtesy of Dominion Resources. Dinner was served before the presentation – homemade meatloaf, mashed potatoes, canned green beans, and salad. There was ice cream for dessert.

The speaker was a guy from Kansas who had years of experience in law enforcement, culminating in some years with the KBI and as leader of the SWAT team there. He ran the powerpoint presentation, which was long, with a headset microphone, and in order to run it efficiently, he went fast. We were given booklets which had the powerpoint slides laid out with lines beside each one for notes. The print was very small in the book, and the screen on the projector was far away from me, people were in front of me, and my old eyes failed me on some of the details. I hope the info is online.

There was a lot of information presented, mostly stuff we already knew, and some links. There was an electrical clicker device which allowed the audience to vote on answers to several “pop quiz” questions as we went along. This was apparently to increase audience participation and interest, but I think they probably also use it in their PR materials (“See, we had a 100% accuracy rate among respondents! People were really paying attention!” – even if only 10 people responded…ah, the corporate world!).

Topics covered were: types of natural disasters that can compromise pipelines, types of pipelines and systems, what regulatory agencies cover what types, info on the “national pipeline mapping system,” which of course only covers interstate lines, safety initiatives, right of way, above ground storage tanks, Hydrogen sulfide H2S (yes, they did!), batching pipe (this is when they run several different types of liquids in the same pipe! who knew?), petroleum and natural gas products and health hazards, cross bores (how about a gas line through your sewer!), HVLs (highly volatile liquids), above-ground HVL tanks, HCA (high consequence areas), PIR (potential impact radius), evacuation radius, site assessment (things to think about), damage prevention, 811-call before you dig, hazards and risks, incident command, terrorism and vandalism, how to develop emergency response plans, communication issues between departments, and more!

Most of the cars (trucks) in the lot were gas trucks, but there were a few public reps there, including two of our county commissioners and Mary Friend of the WV Public Service Commission. As everyone was leaving, I stopped to ask her a few questions about pipelines, starting with why do they call the “affected public” anyone within 660 feet radius of a pipeline, when the blast radius on a 42″ at 1000 psi is 1000 ft, and the evacuation radius on the same is 3000 feet? She explained it as something to do with different sections of PHMSA, the 660-foot one being in section 616, I believe, and that the other ones are industry standards but also have coding in law. I would like to look this up and find out why the larger radius isn’t just standard for all those purposes. If the evacuation radius is 3000 feet, then by all means, count the people thereby affected as “the affected public.”

I told her I was worried about the water, and we talked about how much water it takes to frack wells. She responded with how they’ve had that technology since the 1940s. Yes, but not in its current form, and not to this degree, I responded. Well, they recycle that water and use it “over and over.” I believe someone in the industry who works for a water recycling company told me they can only use it once, but I didn’t press that. I did say that it is not economical to make it potable so they basically “can’t,” but she didn’t buy it. She did mention that her husband works in oil and gas.

I told her I was part of a small group that is trying to educate the public on such issues. I am hopeful that we can spread our message and win the minds and hearts of the people that are our leaders before it is too late. The best we can do is keep educating ourselves and reaching out to others to make sure we all know the ins and outs of gas pipelines, so that we can inform those who may not be so informed.

But make no mistake, the world around us is heading fast and furious toward renewables. It’s time for West Virginia to think FORWARD and MOVE forward, and not be left behind. I have started a hashtag #wakeupwv. Please use it whenever you repost an article about the opportunities out there that we are missing out on.

Thank you for your considerations,

April Keating, Board Member, Mountain Lakes Preservation Alliance

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NOTE: There is a Pipeline Awareness for Emergency Response Meeting set for Moorefield tonight (September 30th) at 5:30 pm at the South Branch Inn.  And, the October 1st meeting is set for the Holiday Inn in Martinsburg, WV.  Please call the Holiday Inn to verify the time which is listed on the web-site for 7 am.  A time of 7 pm would be more popular!

See also: http://wv.pipeline-awareness.com/meeting_schedule

Route 50 Reopens in Doddridge County after Liquid Propane Leak

From a News Report of Chrystal Phillips, WBOY 12 News, October 9, 2014

The WV Department of Transportation is reporting US Route 50 in Doddridge County was closed for some time on October 9^th. The County dispatchers say the closure was due to a liquid propane leak at the MarkWest plant, near West Union.

The closure was located at England’s Run Road affecting both westbound and eastbound lanes.

All schools in Doddridge County were placed on a 2 hour delay due to the closure. Fire and emergency crews responded to a fuel spill around 5 a.m., according to Harrison County dispatchers.

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MarkWest Cleaning up Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) Spill

From an Article by Casey Junkins, Wheeling Intelligencer, August 13, 2013

MarkWest Energy continues repairing and remediating the natural gas liquids pipeline spill that recently killed an unspecified number of fish in northern Wetzel County.

“We are beginning our repairs and remediation activities. Our efforts will include stabilization of the slip location, management of the landside materials and affected soils, and pipeline repair activities,” said Robert McHale, spokesman for MarkWest.

Denver-based MarkWest processes and transports dry methane natural gas, as well as liquids – such as propane, ethane, butane and pentanes – for producers such as Magnum Hunter Resources, Antero Resources, Gulfport Energy, Noble Energy and several others.

WV Division of Natural Resources District 1 Fishery Biologist Frank Jernejcic said minnows, smallmouth bass and other species of fish died in Rocky Run, a tributary of Fish Creek, as a result of the spill.  The WV-DEP cited MarkWest for “conditions not allowable in the waters of the state.” It has been difficult for officials to fully examine the Rocky Run area where the liquid was released, noting the area was filled with “vapors.”

“The company is working to repair the access road so that it can get equipment into the area to begin repairing the pipeline, cleaning up the slip and removing the mud and debris from the stream,” according to the WV-DEP.

The company has removed the spilled flammable liquid from the broken pipeline, purifying it with nitrogen. MarkWest has installed erosion control devices to prevent any further slippage.

Anyone needing to report a spill related to the natural gas industry in West Virginia should call 800-642-3074.

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Propane Tanker Crashes over Hillside on I-79 near Morgantown

From a News Report, WBOY 12 News, March 19, 2013

MONONGALIA COUNTY, W. Va. — Traffic on Interstate 79 North in West Virginia was snarled when a flatbed truck and propane tanker collided. Authorities said the accident was reported about 3:30 p.m. near mile-marker 146. Officials said the tanker crashed through the guardrail and over a hillside.

There is no word if any injuries were reported. Both northbound lanes and one southbound lane were closed while crews cleared the scene and investigated the crash. One lane remained closed while the cleanup was completed.

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Propane Truck Fire Burns Out in Barbour County

From a News Report, WBOY 12 News, Clarksburg, WV

>>> Update on March 18, 2013

A fire in Barbour County that started a week ago last Friday finally is out. It started with the fire that destroyed Sisolak’s Truck Repair Shop on Talbott Road just off Corridor H.

That fire spread to a liquid propane truck in the shop. Belington firefighters had to let the fire burn itself out which finally happened at about noon Sunday.

>>> Update on March 15, 2014

A Southern States propane truck that first ignited on March 8 in the Talbott community in Barbour County continues to burn, according to a news release. The Belington Fire Department and Belington EMS have been on scene since the incident started, applying water to the tank to keep it cool.

According to fire officials, the situation is very dangerous and hazardous but at this time, they consider it a “controlled hazard”. Fire officials fear that piping failure could occur on the back of the truck, which has been exposed to heat and flames, leading to a rapid uncontrollable discharge. This discharge could cause severe injury or death to anyone in its path, according to the news release.

Crews have secured an area around the back of the tank to keep all personnel from the back of the truck in case of a rapid discharge. According to the news release, unmanned hose lines are positioned on the left and right sides of the tank to keep it cool.

Due to the nature of this incident, fire officials have closed Talbott Road from Deerbrook Estates on the Belington side of the incident to the Talbott community building, until this incident can be resolved.

Residents are advised to use alternate routes to get to their destinations. Two homes have been evacuated, but no other evacuations are necessary at this time.

>>> Original Story on March 8, 2013

Fire started in a service garage in Belington around 7:45 a.m. Friday.  According to Barbour County 911 officials, Belington fire fighters found the John Sisolak Garage on Talbott Road fully engulfed in flames when they arrived.

A Southern States truck carrying between 3,500 to 4,000 gallons of propane ignited, according to officials. The fire was close to acetylene tanks, which is a gas used in welding that is highly flammable.

Emergency crews closed Talbott Road while firefighters work to get the fire under control. No injuries were reported.

The Belington, Junior, Ellamore, Colton, Fellowsville, Huttonsville Mill Creek and Beverly Volunteer Fire Departments and the Elkins Fire Department were all on scene, along with Belington EMS and West Virginia State Police.

Residents from Athens County in southeastern Ohio have visited Wetzel County in West Virginia to get a first-hand understanding of the issues involving deep drilling and fracking for natural gas.  They witnessed the drilling equipment, gas wells and pipelines across the cleared muddy landscape just a few miles into the hills from the Ohio River.

Councilwoman Michele Papai, D-3rd Ward, Ann Brown and Al Blazevicius presented what they saw during their January 9th visit in a report at the Athens County Commissioners meeting.  The group shared its observations on the effects of hydraulic fracturing sites run primarily by Chesapeake Energy, one of the oil-and-gas corporations purchasing mineral rights leases in Athens County.

These community leaders urged the commissioners to begin a strategic planning process to develop a proactive approach to “fracking” in the county. “We need to encourage citizens to know what’s going on and pull in all facets of the issue,” Councilwoman Michelle Papai said. “We cannot be fragmented, and we look to our leaders to push for that.” Papai said the interest in creating a strategic committee is huge and could lead to interaction and collaboration between city officials, county officials and citizens. Though she said she understands many of the concerns about fracking are regulated by the state, Papai added that a local push for a change is just as important.

Commissioner Larry Payne said many opponents of fracking have approached him about creating regulations about air, water and land pollution, but it is not the county’s jurisdiction because of state and federal law. “As much as we would like to be able to help in every way, we have to work on what we are allowed to work on,” Payne said.

Along with many of the negative environmental effects — such as chemical spillage and air, water and land pollution — Ann Brown said deteriorating roads and changes in the quality of life were evident in Wetzel. Numerous Wetzel residents reported day-to-day problems with traffic and road safety. On its tour, the group witnessed a truck accident caused by a road giving out because of soil erosion.

Payne said the commissioners have been and will continue to be proactive regarding the safety of the county, adding that two committees have been formed to create emergency action plans and better communication between all safety providers. Payne also said a road use agreement is being drafted by the commissioners that will require companies to maintain and fix all roads they use during their time in the county. 

Commissioner Lenny Eliason said that along with letting the public know more about the committees, writing to state and federal officials is also highly encouraged. “I know many people from Athens have protested against fracking and letting your voice be heard on the state level is an important part of this,” Eliason said.