Comment from Shahla Werner

Greetings: I'm writing to express strong support for strengthening Docket No. PHMSA-2021-0046 as presented by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). While the country is still reliant on gas, we must make its transportation as clean and 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. Safer pipeline protocols are needed now to prevent dangerous accidents in local communities and large-scale leaks of greenhouse gases that drive climate change. Methane leaks can cause effects from dizziness and rapid breathing, to injury and deaths from fires and explosions. The policy 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. They need to be prepared for any incident along a pipeline. Operators must take on the bulk of this responsibility via improved record keeping, realistic risk management, and regular maintenance of pipelines. This process should be redundant in order to spot small mistake that could lead to disasters. This will not only protect the health of community members but also increase safety precautions and protections for pipeline workers. We cannot let a disaster like the one in Merrimack Valley happen again, which 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. This policy is 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. Thank you for proposing this rule and for the opportunity to comment. Sincerely,