For three consecutive years, the DCPSC received a 100% rating for its implementation of the District’s Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Program from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). The Commission provides oversight of intrastate natural gas pipelines in the District through annual certification and partial funding by PHMSA.
As in previous years, the DCPSC’s Office of Compliance and Enforcement scored 100% on the Progress Report and 100% on PHMSA’s Annual Performance Evaluation of the pipeline safety program procedures, records, field activities and inspections. With the Performance Evaluation result (100%) and the Progress Report score (100%), the DCPSC received the overall score of 100% for CY 2017, as it did for CY 2015 and CY 2016.
Dr. Udeozo Ogbue, P.Eng., Chief of the Office of Compliance and Enforcement and Program Manager for Pipeline Safety and Damage Prevention, states: "I wish to thank and congratulate our Pipeline Safety Engineers/Inspectors, Damage Prevention Inspector, Compliance and Enforcement Officer, and all OCE Staff for this accomplishment. I also wish to thank the Commissioners and Executive Director Veronica Ahern for their continued support and encouragement of OCE’s efforts. We will continue our maximum efforts to help keep the District safe from the hazards of natural gas transportation. We have achieved this stellar, high-bar performance for three consecutive years."
The Commission's Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Program and Damage Prevention Program assures compliance with federal and District of Columbia regulations and codes by:
- Assigning a PHMSA-trained and certified Pipeline Safety Program Manager to lead and champion the programs
- Deploying three PHMSA-trained and certified pipeline safety engineers/inspectors to conduct daily inspections of pipeline construction and maintenance sites, operational records, operator qualifications, and pipeline facilities
- Deploying one Damage Prevention Inspector to conduct daily excavation damage prevention inspections
- Conducting accident investigations
- Implementing enforcement actions
- Assessing risks and developing regulations and standards to facilitate natural gas pipeline safety and excavation damage prevention
- Monitoring the training and verifying the operator qualifications of the gas utility personnel
- Promoting natural gas pipeline safety and excavation damage prevention through public education and communication programs (in collaboration with the Office of Consumer Services).