Pipelines

ABCAlliance reminds residents that no federal law dictates how far homes and other buildings must be constructed from pipelines.

Pipeline locations and setbacks are dictated by local ordinance, most only wide enough to accommodate a 50-foot or 100-foot easement. Rarely do such ordinances consider an impact radius. As all of North Texas learned when workers struck a pipeline in Johnson County a few months ago, the conflagration reaches further than 50 to 100 feet.

(See our Sept. 14 post on pipeline safety.)

ABCAlliance believes pipeline setbacks should be based on the size of the line being installed and established impact radius data. AISD officials must insist on the kind of information that allows them to evaluate a potential impact radius around their facilities so that the community can plan accordingly.