The North Dakota Public Service Commission (PSC) met with representatives from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Tuesday and received an updated on the agency’s safety inspections being conducted on the Dakota Access Pipeline.
“The discussion with PHMSA reinforced the value of new, state-of-the-art pipelines as the preferred method for transporting oil,” said PSC Commission Chairwomen Julie Fedorchak in a press release following the meeting. “It’s safer for the public and for the environment.
According the release, PHMSA officials ensured commissioners that inspectors continue to play an active role in the in the DAPL construction process. While the PSC was responsible for approving the pipeline in North Dakota, PHMSA has regulatory authority over the construction, operation, and maintenance of DAPL. During construction, inspectors focus on a multitude of different areas, including ensuring proper training and observing the pipe’s installation.
“The work of these neutral, third-party PHMSA inspectors provides great comfort for concerned citizens that this important oil transmission pipeline is being installed to meet or exceed all reasonable safety standards,” said Commissioner Randy Christmann.
The release further noted that a majority construction and testing in North Dakota should be complete by the end of October.