**GAO-04-801**                      Published: Jul 23, 2004. Publicly Released: Jul 23, 2004.                  

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## Highlights

While pipelines are inherently safer to the public than other modes of freight transportation, pipeline accidents involving natural gas and hazardous liquids (such as gasoline) can have serious consequences. For example, a natural gas pipeline ruptured near Carlsbad, New Mexico, in 2000, killed 12 people, and resulted in $1 million in damages or losses. The Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) administers the national regulatory program to ensure safe pipeline transportation. OPS uses its enforcement program, when safety problems are found, as one means to do so. This study reports on (1) the effectiveness of OPS's enforcement strategy and (2) OPS's actions for assessing monetary sanctions (civil penalties), among other things.

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## Topics

Transportation

Accident preventionCollection proceduresFines (penalties)Gas pipeline operationsGovernment collectionsHazardous substancesInternal controlsPerformance measuresPetroleum productsSafety regulationSafety standardsTransportation safetyPipeline operationsPolicies and procedures