The City Council is asking the Chief of Police and the Chief Fire Engineer to share information gleaned from their meetings with Spectra Energy relating to possible risks public safety posed by gas pipelines.

By Jim Clark

An order was put forward at the latest regular meeting of the Somerville City Council asking that the Chief of Police and the Chief Fire Engineer provide an update on upcoming and past meetings with Spectra Energy (now Enbridge) related to the Algonquin Gas Transmission line and the J2 loop and any communications on risks and safety procedures related to those pipelines.

Speaking on the matter, Councilor At-Large Stephanie Hirsch told the Council, “It is my understanding that this line runs past, under, or very close to Clarendon and also along the Green Line by Gilman Station. And according to the constituent who is advocating for this, she said that the U.S. Department of Transportation is required to, every three years, have a meeting with the local first responders to talk about what you would do in the case of an emergency in high density areas – which of course we are – that are near these transmission lines.”

Hirsch indicated that the meeting that would happen between municipal employees and others at the state level and would not include constituents.

Councilor At-Large Stephanie Hirsch explained concerns over gas pipelines brought forward by a constituent to the City Council at their latest meeting.

“So we want to know did that happen, what was in the information, and what can our local government tell us about what risks the lines pose to us and what we’re doing to mitigate the risk,” Hirsch said.

In expressing support for the order, Councilor At-Large Wilfred N. Mbah added, “I think this is something that should alarm everyone because those are high pressure gas lines that we are dealing with. And some of those gas lines were installed decades ago. It will be good if we all keep alert on this, study it really closely to make sure that we don’t have any disaster in the near future.”

The Algonquin Gas Transmission is a 1,100 miles long pipeline system, which delivers natural gas to New England. It is connected to the Texas Eastern Pipeline and the Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline. The pipeline transports about 20 billion cubic meters of natural gas per annum. The Algonquin Gas Transmission is owned by Enbridge.

The order was approved with a copy going to the Public Utilities and Public Works Committee.

A related order was also put forward and approved at the meeting requesting that the Director of Infrastructure and Asset Management, the Chief Fire Engineer, the Chief of Police and other necessary city departments discuss and advise the Council of the impacts that any further development along Alewife Brook Parkway would have on the Algonquin Gas Transmission Pipeline running along Alewife Brook in addition to the following questions:

• When installed.
• What is the pressure.
• What is the diameter of the pipeline.
• What is the maintenance plan.
• Does a maintenance plan trigger requiring Algonquin to notify the city.
• Which city staff is Algonquin required to contact.
• What kind of work triggers requiring Algonquin to contact the city.
• Was there expansion to the pipe? If yes, when?
• What impact would a development along Alewife Brook Parkway have on this pipeline.