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Knight’s Gas Leak Prevention Bill Signed Into Law

The Natural Gas Leak Prevention Act, authored by Congressman Steve Knight, R-Palmdale, which was designed to prevent future Aliso Canyon-style gas leaks at other natural gas storage facilities was signed into law by President Barack Obama earlier this week.


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The Natural Gas Leak Prevention Act, H.R. 4429, requires the Secretary of Transportation to issue new, updated safety standards for underground natural gas storage facilities.

These safety guidelines would apply to other facilities owned by Southern California Gas Company, including the Honor Rancho facility in Santa Clarita.

“I saw firsthand the pain that families in Porter Ranch went through during the gas leak, and I want to ensure that such suffering doesn’t happen in the future,” said Knight. “This law will go a long way to protect communities across the country from that type of disaster.”

The natural gas leak at Aliso Canyon, which began in October, forced more than 2,200 residents of Porter Ranch to relocate while an estimated 97,000 tons of methane bled into the atmosphere.

On Feb. 17, four months after the leak was detected, state regulators determined that the leak had stopped and was contained.

“This legislation will prevent gas leaks similar to the one that occurred near Porter Ranch last October, which forced many residents from their schools, businesses and homes,” said in a news release from Knight’s office.

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The language in Knight’s measure was included in S. 2276, the PIPES Act, a bill by Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska that would reauthorize national pipeline safety programs.

The PIPES Act, along with Knight’s natural gas storage safety measure, passed the House earlier this month floor with unanimous, bipartisan support. They were signed by the president Wednesday afternoon.

The Natural Gas Leak Prevention Act’s passage is the product of a long series of actions taken by Knight to address safety issues at underground natural gas storage facilities like Aliso Canyon in Porter Ranch and Honor Rancho in Valencia.

Prior to introducing H.R. 4429, he testified in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railways, Pipelines and Hazardous Material on behalf of the residents of Porter Ranch about the need to create safety standards to prevent future gas leaks.

In March, Knight hosted Congressman Jeff Denham, Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railways, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials, for a tour of the Aliso Canyon facility to provide him with first-hand information and perspective about the site so that the causes of the leak can be properly addressed by Congress.

“I am pleased and proud that this historic effort to increase safety at natural gas storage facilities was signed into law today,” said Knight. “I applaud my colleagues in Congress and the President on supporting this crucial measure.”

The criminal trial concerning Southern California Gas Company’s alleged criminal involvement with the leak is ongoing, with a pretrial conference scheduled for September.

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KHTS AM 1220 - Santa Clarita Radio

Knight’s Gas Leak Prevention Bill Signed Into Law

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About Chris McCrory

Chris McCrory is the acting News Director for KHTS Radio. He set up a profile picture in his first week as an intern in 2015, and still isn't sure how to change it. He will graduate from Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism in December 2018.