More than 100,000 jobs in Pennsylvania are connected to the natural gas industry, which has generated tens of billions of dollars in economic activity for the commonwealth, according to a recent industry study. And members of Steamfitters Local 420 play a vital role in building the necessary infrastructure across the state — from pipe-fitting to welding, brazing and soldering to plastic fusion.
But far too much infrastructure that delivers natural gas is outdated and often falling apart, with pipes, tees, and other delivery structures that have not been properly maintained.
Harmful and potentially deadly natural gas incidents are a matter of when, not if. After all, it was only about a year ago when there was a deadly and tragic natural gas explosion at the R.M. Palmer factory in West Reading, Berks County, and we’re constantly hearing concerns about trains traveling through the state carrying hazardous materials like natural gas. Though the National Transportation Safety Board has not yet announced the probable cause of the explosion at the factory, it did note that “natural gas was leaking from a DuPont Aldyl A service tee that was installed in 1982.”
Members of Congress are working together — across party lines — to prevent such tragedies. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, a Chester County Democrat, and Rep. Dan Meuser, a Luzerne County Republican, introduced HR 5638, the Aldyl A Hazard Reduction and Community Safety Act. The two lawmakers represent parts of Berks County. Their bill requires documentation of all Aldyl A service tees in natural gas pipelines across the country as well as subsequent removal of this unreliable piping.
I hope to work with representatives in Washington to ensure the new replacement piping is made out of steel, which is a much safer alternative. I applaud these efforts and we need more bipartisan actions like this to prevent future tragedies.
The reality, however, is natural gas is not going away, nor should it. Nearly 60% of U.S. homes use natural gas for heating, cooking and laundry, and it's one of the primary sources of energy in commercial buildings across the United States. But we must take concrete steps quickly to modernize our pipelines and other pieces that are vital to the distribution of gas. Urgent updates are needed for the infrastructure that transports natural gas.
Pipelines for natural gas began being built as early as the 1890s, and most of the nation’s natural gas pipeline networks were built during the 1950s and 1960s. Today, the U.S. interstate pipeline network can span around the world almost 12 times. Most of our vast natural gas infrastructure is at least 70 years old. These pipes are usually built to last for approximately 50 years.
Time is running out to address this issue. A proper accounting and repairs must come quickly. The best way to protect and prepare our state is to have a better understanding of all our natural gas infrastructure vulnerabilities, more attention and awareness from our decision-makers and clear guidelines on how to prevent incidents and navigate them when they happen.
Public utilities and government regulators must be our first line of defense in managing this energy infrastructure. If we don't get this right, we are at risk for leaks, explosions and unnecessary threats to public health.
Gov. Josh Shapiro gets this – in his PA Gets It Done 10-year economic plan, he highlights Pennsylvania’s competitive advantages when it comes to energy — the commonwealth is the second largest supplier of energy in the nation, in large part because of natural gas. The governor rightfully says that our abundant supply of natural gas is the envy of much of the world, and that “energy production, transmission, and distribution are key enablers of our entire economy.”
The Steamfitters have invested significant resources in training our members for this work and there is no one better suited to further efforts to quickly modernize our natural gas infrastructure than our members. It's imperative that we move quickly because if we don’t get this right, we’re putting ourselves at serious risk.
Jim Snell is the business manager at Steamfitters Local 420, which covers a 10-county area in southeast Pennsylvania and has workers involved in gas line distribution projects across the state.