WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), and Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded $58,995 to the State of Maine that will help keep our pipelines safe. The investment will provide funding to continue to support one of the state’s two Damage Prevention Investigators.  The grant, which is funded through THUD, was awarded by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA).

“Pipelines are one of the safest and most efficient methods for transporting oil and natural gas to communities across our state,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement.  “By providing robust oversight, Damage Prevention Investigators help avert pipeline accidents, ensuring that our environment remains pristine and residents and businesses have access to low-cost energy.  We are pleased that the Department of Transportation will continue to support this critical safety position.”

Damage Prevention Investigators have enhanced Maine’s ability to effectively, consistently, and fairly enforce the state’s damage prevention law. These positions have allowed for better use of PHMSA’s program personnel to perform training and education and to maintain data for the state’s damage prevention program.  PHMSA awards grants to state pipeline safety programs to enhance public safety, protect the environment, minimize risks to excavators, and prevent disruption of vital public services by reducing the incidence of excavation damage to underground facilities.

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