Mayors, state and federal lawmakers, and utility and regulatory agency representatives will gather in Philadelphia next month for the two day Mayor’s Council on Pipeline Safety 2015 Conference. Registrations are being accepted for the May 14-15 event at the National Constitution Center.

The mayors’ effort is co-chaired by Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski and San Bruno, California Mayor Jim Ruane. A February 2011 natural gas explosion in Allentown killed five people and destroyed eight homes. A September 2010 pipeline explosion and fire in San Bruno killed eight people, destroyed 38 homes, and badly damaged 70 more.

Speakers at the Conference include U.S. Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, U.S. National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Christopher A. Hart, Commissioner Paul Roberti with the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and AFL-CIO National Director Government & Regulatory Affairs Carl Wood. Initiatives include recommendations for clear definitions of minimum leak detection regulations, pipeline mapping sharing among utilities and local governments, automatic shutoff valves, best practices in gas leak detection and explosion response and pipeline safety standards and rule making.

Pawlowski said, “We are engaging elected officials, regulatory agencies and utility representatives from across the nation in an effort to define and develop pipeline safety protocol specific to our cities. We can improve safety through engineering, damage prevention, land use, public education and community awareness, emergency response preparedness and a system of open communications throughout the country. We are bringing people together to explore ideas, conceptualizations and technology.”

Interested persons can register for the Conference at http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event;jsessionid=CAD0C80CDD44CF247734A7B1668FADFC.worker_registrant?llr=lx9odatab&oeidk=a07eaqrtvoba99c3b4f.

More information about the Conference can be obtained by contacting Lynda Farrell, Mayors' Council on Pipeline Safety at 484-340-0648 or by email at mcpsdirector1@gmail.com.

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