The following quotes from Brigham A. McCown are on the record for media use. To schedule an interview with Mr.McCown, please contact his Communications Director, Jill Donovan, at 214.296.4856
“The tragic gas leak explosion in New York City is a terrible reminder of just how dangerous working in and around natural gas can be, of how crucial proper safety precautions are, and how important it is to report gas leaks in a timely manner.
As the former head of the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, and one who helped create and implement the national 811 single-call system for assistance in locating utility lines, my sole desire is to uphold safety. While it is unclear at this time if construction activity caused the explosion, this event and another gas explosion just days ago in New Jersey reinforce the need for a top-to-bottom, comprehensive national review and upgrade of our natural gas infrastructure system.
Too often, investigations into events like yesterday’s reveal the cause to be old, outdated or misplaced pipes, poor pipe locating technology and/or inaccurate system maps, or unsafe construction practices.
To prevent this morning’s scene from repeating time and time again across the country, we must embark on a national effort to improve and modernize our infrastructure, raise our safety standards, and improve our underground pipeline mapping system.”
The full article can be found on Forbes