A Pipeline to the Facts : Don’t Base Decision on Proposed Line on Flawed Data

The Burbank City Council has put off a vote on a resolution to oppose an oil pipeline that would run from Santa Barbara and Ventura counties to Los Angeles area refineries. The decision to delay a vote will allow talks between Burbank Fire Chief Mike Davis and representatives of Pacific Pipelines Inc., which has proposed the line.

The city of Los Angeles already has passed a resolution opposing the project, and the city of Glendale is considering a similar action. The final decision will be made by the state Public Utilities Commission.

We are not here to pass judgment on whether this pipeline should be built, nor on whether this particular route is better or worse than any other. We are concerned, however, at the statements that have been made by various local officials.

To whit: the concerns expressed over a possible repeat of the earthquake-related break of an old pipeline that resulted in a fire that destroyed three homes and 17 vehicles in Mission Hills. And there were the comments of Fire Chief Davis, who said: “If the crude oil was transported by ship or ground tanker, the danger would not be so high.”

First, the pipeline that ruptured during the Northridge quake was one of the state’s oldest, built in 1925 using acetylene welds that are antiquated by today’s standards. Modern pipelines are built to much tougher specifications and include flexible segments to better withstand ground movements.

Secondly, the idea that deep water tankers or ground transportation are safer is absurd in the extreme. Tankers are to be considered the carriers of last resort whenever people have good reason to suspect the slightest chance of oil washing up on their beaches.

Moreover, the tremendous volume of our region’s crude oil needs suggests that the number of trucks needed would place an inordinate burden on our already clogged roads and freeways. The decision on whether to build this pipeline is months away, but it should not be based on fears of dated technology and badly flawed information.