"Feds Tighten Controls On Abandoned Pipelines"

"Abandoned pipelines are facing new scrutiny from the Obama administration.

The Transportation Department’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued an advisory bulletin Monday that tightens controls on pipeline operators.

'To the extent feasible, owners and operators have a responsibility to assure facilities for which they are responsible or last owned do not present a hazard to people, property or the environment,' the agency wrote.

The new rules target abandoned pipelines that once carried hazardous liquids. Before abandoning a pipeline, operators must 'purge all combustibles and seal any facilities left in place,' the agency said."

Tim Devaney reports for The Hill August 15, 2016.