Comment from Karin Hemmingsen

My name Karin Hemmingsen. I am a physician (MD) and a public health professional (MPH). I would like to express my support for strengthening Docket No. PHMSA-2021-0046 as presented by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). This nation needs to move with all speed toward zero reliance on fossil fuels. However, while the country is still reliant on gas, we must make its transport as safe as possible. The use of gas in our homes is dangerous for health and safety reasons, from the danger of fires and explosions to exacerbating childhood asthma and impeding cognitive development. This is of particular importance to me as a family physician in an area of the country with significantly aging infrastructure. In addition to protecting our public health, this proposal will help to protect the environment and climate. With safer pipeline protocols, there will be fewer large-scale leaks of greenhouse gases, the main driver of climate change. The policy also adheres to Justice40, a policy set forth to promote environmental justice, because it protects people in low-income communities and communities of color, who are more likely to live in close proximity to pipelines. Emergency response plans must be updated, and it is crucial to involve multiple parties, including but not limited to: pipeline operators, first responders, relevant government actors from the local to federal agency level, and local hospital systems. Operators MUST take on the bulk of this responsibility via improved record keeping, realistic risk management, and regular maintenance of pipelines. It is long past time for fossil fuel interests to pay their fair share for our energy infrastructure. This process should also be redundant in order to spot any issues before a small mistake creates an unsafe situation. We cannot let a disaster like the one in the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts happen again. This incident caused the evacuation of at least 15,000, loss of gas connectivity to nearly 10,000 homes for several months, 25 injuries including to first responders, and one death. PHMSA exists to ensure safety regulations are in place, making this policy paramount to its mission. This proposal can save lives and should be treated as such. I would like to see PHMSA finalize this rulemaking in such a way that public health, occupational safety, and environmental justice are at the forefront. This should be done as soon as possible to avert another disaster where policy has been lacking. Thank you for proposing this rule and for the opportunity to comment. Sincerely, Karin Hemmingsen