Rep. Tim Griffin (R-Ark.) called for relocation of ExxonMobil’s Pegasus Pipeline from the Lake Maumelle watershed in central Arkansas on Thursday in response to a crude oil leak earlier this year that led to evacuations and unsafe drinking water.
Griffin reiterated his opposition to the Pegasus Pipeline in a letter to President Barack Obama and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
“I remain opposed to restarting the pipeline and have expressed the absolute need to relocate the over 13-mile section of the pipeline along the Lake Maumelle watershed to ensure the safety of the drinking water of more than 400,000 Arkansans,” Griffin said.
Griffin also called for access to reports and records on the pipeline rupture that spilled more than 5,000 barrels of crude oil in March.
To help with investigation of the oil spill and enforcement of pipeline regulations, Griffin requested that ExxonMobil be forced to address every point of a corrective action order and notice of probable violations.
Griffin said the NOPV report issued by the PHMSA earlier this month raised questions about possible deficiencies in ExxonMobil’s integrity management plan for the Pegasus Pipeline.
PHMSA’s report, which was recently sent to ExxonMobil, lists nine probable violations of federal regulations and proposes a penalty of more than $2.6 million.