Liquefied Energy Gases

A broad study of the safety of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) was conducted to learn whether, under current practices and regulations, the public is adequately protected when liquefied energy gases (LEG) are transported and stored. The study concluded that the federal government had not adequately protected the public from the hazards involved in handling these materials. Many LEG storage facilities are a serious hazard to the surrounding area, and both natural phenomena and sabotage can lead to the failure of large LEG storage tanks and massive spilling of their contents. Congress should enact legislation prohibiting construction or expansion of LEG facilities unless the tanks are inground or built to nuclear installation standards, enact legislation requiring that facility guards carry weapons to prevent sabotage, require LNG and LPG facilities to obtain certificates of public convenience, and allow the Department of Energy to require certificated sites to serve new customers. The least vulnerable of all systems involved in LNG transportation and storage are the LNG ships, but LEG trucks and railcars moving through densely populated areas pose a serious threat to public safety. Congress should enact legislation to protect drivers from discharge or discrimination if they complain about LEG safety to the Department of Transporation. At present, no federal agency addresses the question of offsite liability for LEG accidents. Congress should enact legislation dealing with the liability of corporations transporting or storing LEG.