Safety panel faults design of pipelines

Floodin in 1994 led to river blaze

by Chris Woodyard
Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau
September 5, 1996

WASHINGTON -- Pipeline operators never designed lines crossing Houston's San Jacinto River to withstand a flood, setting the stage for the 1994 disaster that sent hundreds of eople to hospitals and caused $16 million in damage, a federal safety panel ruled Wednesday.

Even as eight pipelines ruptured and an ensuing blaze lofted fireballs skyward, most pipeline operators continued o pmp petroleum products across the same river on other lines -- never stopping to evaluate hazards, the National Transportation Safety Board said.

Those lines too, could have snapped, and there were no automatic shutoff valves in place to stop the flow of hazardous liquids into the river, the NTSB said. The Transportation Department has never followed through on recommendationsby the NTSB to develop such system.

The big holdup is the Transportation Department and the industry, said NTSB chairman Jim Hall.

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist .. to do what is required," he said.

The NTSB ordered a special investigation in the wake of the October 1994 disaster that released 1.5 million gallons of gasolene and other petroleum products into the flood swollen river.

The accident occured after seven days of rain reached up to 20 inches in some places and caused the river to rise so high that 14,000 residents needed to be evacuated. 20 died from the floods alone.

Floodwaters ruptured 8 pipelines and undermined 29 others. A huge fire was touched off along the San Jacinto River when gasolene spewing from a Colonial Pipeline Co.'s 40 inch pipeline was sparked by a pilot light in a nearby home.

The fire caused burns and smoke inhalation to 547 who sought medicl treatment during the disaster.

The spill cost $7million to quell and resulted in property damage of $16 million, the NTSB said.

New standards are needed for pipelines that cross plains, the NTSB said. The board recommended that industry groups like the American Petroleum Institute take on the job.

The NTSB said that better preparation could have prevented the Houston disaster. Pipeline companies installed lines across the San Jacinto without ever studying flooding in a worst case scenario, the board said.

Another problems was that when many of thelines were constructed, few people lived near the site. But over time more people moved closer to the river and many of the 69 pipelines that cross it.

Even when the threat became apparent, only a few pipeline operators emptied their lines crossing the river as a precaution.

"Most operators of pipelines crossing the San Jacinto River flood plain continued operations without evaluating the capability of the pipeline design to withstand the threats presented by the flood." the NTSB reported. "Few pipeline operators took effective response actions to withstand the threats presented by the floods. "

While pipeline operators have made areful preparations for natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes, damages from floods haven't received the same level of attention. Yet NTSB officials pointout that 21 pipelines ruptured in floods over a 3 year period.

The NTSB recommendations do not single out any single pipeline company by name as having performed well or poorly during the disaster, though it was Colonial that received the most attention because the major explosion occured on it's lines.

Donald R. Brinkley, president of the Atlanta-based Colonial, attended the NTSB meeting. A spokesman said the company "approved of any actions that are taken to enhance safety" and that "we have always cooperated with the NTSB."

In the wake of several recent accidents along it's lines, Colonial was ordered by the Transportation Department's office of pipeline safety in July to make several safety improvements in it's Houston to New York main pipeline.

The company will need to make a special inspecion to check for cracks in 500 to 600 miles of the line, which are constructed of steel from two particular mills that could have a high rate of failure, Colonial spokesman Noel Griese said.

Repairs are being required at two specific places in South Carolina, he said. And switched that alert Colonial's control center to a sudden shift in pressure in the line will need to be upgraded throughout the system.



NTSB Criticizes Pipeline Companies

by Bobby Horn
Star-Courier Staff
September 12,1996

HIGHLANDS -- A federal court announced last Wednesday that inadequate pipeline design was the major contributing factor that led to a series of explosions on the San Jacinto River in 1994. It also criticized some of the companies that operate the pipelines for not shuttingoff the lines during the fire.

The report said that the lines were not built to withstand the flood. In addition, no shutdown procedures, either automatic or manual, were in effect for such an emergency.

From Oct 14 to Oct 21, 1994, an estimated 15 to 20 inches of rain fell in the area, resulting in heavy flooding of the San Jacinto River.

According to documents obtained by the Star-Courier from the National Transportation Safety Board, "due to the flooding, 8 pipelines ruptured and 29 others were undermined both at river crossings and new channels created in the flood plain.

The report, presented at the NTSB Public meeting went on to say that as a result of ignition of petroleum products in the river, 547 eople suffered injuries and $16 million in damages occured. An estimated 35,000 barrels, or 1.4 million gallons of petroleum and petroleum products were released into the river.

In the report, which was the result of a special investigation by the NTSB, the board determined that, "the design bases of most pipelines undermined or ruptured during the flood did not include study of the flood plain to identiy potential threats."

The NTSB also said that once the flooding began, steps were not taken to reduce the likelyhood of an explosion. "Most operators of pipelines continued operations without evaluating the capability of the pipeline to withstand the threats presented by the floods."

The investigation also determined that "few operators took effective response actions during the San Jacinto flood to minimize the potential for product release."

The NTSB also targeted the Research and Special Programs Administration for failing to require operators to have plans to respond to substantial threats of a pipeline failure and product discharge.

After the pipeline leak and explosion, the safey board also found errors in the cleanup procedure.

"Risks to workers and the public were significantly increased," said the NTSB, "when the unified command conducted an in-situ burn without having in place the appropriate checks and balances to insure taht approved procedures and requirements were followed explicitly.

A group of residents from the Barrett station area have filed a lawsuit against Colonial Pipeline, owner of the pipeline that ruptured, claiming that after the explosion, a black cloud of chemicals settled over the area contaminating themselves and their house, as well as the contents inside.

Huey Carter, Jr, and attorney based in Barrett Station said that he was involved in the suit, but declined to comment on the NTSB's ruling, saying that he was just assisting another attorney, Andrew P. Griffin, of Galveston in the case.

Griffin refused to comment on the report as well.



River jurisdiction unclear

by Angela Barrs
North Channel Sun
August 8, 1996

Five boys have drowned in the San JAcinto River this summer.

However, no government agency regulates swimming in the river, though some people believe, erroniously that certain entities do.

Neither the U.S. Coast Guard, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Division or the San Jacinto River Authority monitor swimming in the river.

The U.S. Coast Guard only governs navigable waterways, which includes a small portion of the river from the Interstate 10-East Freeway bridge to 200 nautical miles offshore.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Division is not authorized to place a ban on swimming in a river, according to officials.

Blake Kellum, supervisor with the San Jacinto River Authority, notes that the river is out of his agency's coverage.

"We cover the waters 1000ft below Lake Conroe on down," he says. "And that does not include the river."

Kellum says the only work that the San JAcinto Rvier Authority does in the area deals witht he canal division.

Laura Riley is new to the Crosby area, but she feels frustrated at how "organizations are turning their backs on the problem."

"My kids haen't been hurt in the river," she says. "But I'm still a concerned mother."

"Everytime I call around to see who is in charge of the river, they refer me to another office. No one want's to take the blame."

So far this year, there have been a total of 15 drowning accidents in Harris County, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Division.

In June, two young boys, 12 year old Patrick Briones and 7 year old Mahoma Martinez, both of Houston, died in separate drowning accidents.

On July 25, two cousins, Paul Edward Bradley, 15 and Paul Londell Bradley,17, died in the river near Barret Station. And on July 29, 16 year old David Tenorio died while swimming with a group of friends.

The tragedies occured, respectively, at Love's Marina & Park, near Magnolia Gardens, the island near Barrett Station that is known as Jasso Lakes and at 1919 Gulf Pump Road and U.S. 90.

Since these locations border three county precincts -- Commissioner Jim Fonteno's Precinct 2, Commissioner El Franco Lee's Precinct 1, and Commissioner Jerry Eversole's Precinct 4 -- some residents seem to expect these officials to get involved. "The commissioners court has no jurisdction over the San Jacinto River," says Troy Hall, aide to Eversole.

Fonteno believes the drownings are unfortunate, but says some areas of the river are privately owned, making it impossible to impose restrictions. "It is the responsibility of the property owners to post danger signs or block off certain swimming areas," he said. "And teenagers need to know that they are not trained swimmers." The Harrs County Sherriff's Dept is the sole entity policing the waterways and handles emergenicies in the river, but stresses that it is the responsibility of a reserve unit that patrols weekends and holidays only.



Families Mourn loss of three boys in drownings

River continues to fool swimmers.

By Lewis Spearman
Star-Courier Staff

CROSBY -- Three youths went into the moody waters of the San Jacinto on two separate occasions and did not surface this past week. Each of the youths that drowned were with relatives that attempted to rescue the youths but were unable to find the victum.

Lietenant Lucas of the Harris County Sherriff's Dept. warns " A lot of people drown near Love's Marina each year."

Officials had warned of sudden eddies that may form on deep and slag filled, non cleared sections. The Texas Bureau of Parks and Wildlife had told Dickie Woods that 9 people has drown in the San Jacinto River in 1995 and before this week, only 3 had drown this year.

Two Cousins

Four cousins slipped off from their grandmother's house for a swim in the San Jacinto River on a humid Thursday morning, July 25, according to relatives. Two of them would drown after attempting to swim to an island, near Jasso Lake at about 10:30 am according to the Harris County Sherriff's Dept.

Paul Edward Bradley, 15, of Houston, attemtped to swim to the island with his cousin, Eric Johnson,17. The youth suddenly began to fight the water and inadverently made rescue attempts by Eric Johnson dangerous by pushing him under. P.E. Bradley went under the water and came up once. Paul Londell Bradley leaped from the bank to aid the rescue but was apparently dragged under by his cousins desparate fight to stay afloat. PL Bradly never resurfaced after he was dunked during his ill fated rescue attempt of Paul Edward.

Eric had returned to the bank and egan to call for help. Cousin Jonathan Bradley had gone to get help minutes after the P. Edwards had began to struggle. There was nothing anyone could do to rescue the pair when the grandmother arrived at the scene. Crosby Volunteer Fire and Crosby EMS arrived about 10 minutes after they were called.

He said his cousin never resurfaced until Harris County Sherriff's Marine Division deputies recovered the bodies at 1:50 p.m. about 15 minutes after the divers began to probe into the murky waters. Witnesses allude to "tired" and "gave out" concerning the cause of the drownings.

The victims's aunt had stated taht the youths were told not to go anywhere without informing someone of their location.



From the office of Congressman Ken Bentsen..... (D-25th district)

Bentsen announces agreement to provide $1.5 million for barge removal

September 13, 1996

The final transportation budget for the coming year includes $1.5 million to remove abandoned barges from the San Jacinto River, U.S. Representative Ken Bentsen (D-Texas) announced Friday.

Budget negociators from the House and Senate agreed on the $1.5 million figure when they finalized the transporation appropriations bill on Thursday. The House and Senate are expected to approve the bill overwhelmingly next week, and President Clinton is expected to sign it into law.

"Removing these abandoned barges has been one of my highest priorities, and I am pleased to report that necessary funding is now a done deal. This is a tremendous victory for public safety and the environment," Bentsen said. "I want to thank everyone who has worked so hard on this issue, including Baytown Mayor Pete Alfaro, State Representative Fred Bosse, Harris County Coimmissioner Jim Fonteno, and representatives from the San Jacinto River Association and the Banana Bend Civic Club. We would not have succeeded without a united community effort."

The final bill directs the U.S. Cost Guard to fund barge removal out of their Fiscal Year 1997 budget. These barges pose a serious threat to public safety, navigation, and the environment. They could drift into commercial shipping lanes or smash into riverfront homes, as some did in the 1994 floods, or they could leak hazardous materials into the river.

After local leaders and residents brought this problem to his attention, Congressman Bentsen toured the san Jacinto River and appeared before the House of Representatives' Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation in February to request funding to remove the barges. The House approved $2 million for barge removal, but the Senate did not include any funding in its transportation budget. Budget negociators compromised at $1.5 million.

"It is a major accomplishment that we have obtained any funding at all given ongoing efforts to balance the budget," Bentsen said. "Now that we have the money, I am committed to getting teh job done as quickly as possible."





Bentsen Pledges help with barge problems

by Maike van Wijk and Christian Messa
The Baytown Sun

Highlands residents expressed excitement when 25th district Congressman Ken Bentsen announced the approval of $1.5 million to remove abandoned barges from the San Jacinto River Friday.

"After a week of hard negociations with the U.S. Senate, I am pleased to report the transportation appropriations bill will include $1.5 million for the removal of the barges in the San Jacinto River."

The transportation appropriations bill, which was finalized Thursday, is expected to be approved next week, and Bill Clinton is to sign it into law afterwards. The bill is expected to go into effect Oct. 1, Bentsent said.

"Mayor Pete Alfaro is one of the first people who brought this up. He deserves a lot of credit for this," Bentsen said. He also thanked the Banana Bend Civic Association and the San JAcinto River Association, State Rep. Fred Bosse and Harris County Commissioner Jim Fonteno for their support.

"It is my hope and desire that we get to work right away," Bentsen said. He added that the next step is to involve the Coast Guard and determine what else needs to be done. The removal of one barge could cost between $20,000 and $100,000, depending on if they are intact enough to be towed, or if they have to be removed piece by piece.

Bentsen had originally asked for $2 million in funding, but he said the funds are "most definitely a start in the right direction."

"I will work to see that all the barges are removed," said Bentsen.

Highlands residents were pleased with the decision. "I think it will improve the quality and image of rivers as a recreational place. Finally something is going to be done about this," said Dickie Woods, owner of Banana Bend Beach Park.

"We're very pleased to have this happen," said Brad Christiensen. "It's been a concern for a long time. A lot of barges are barely under water. People who didn't know the waters would run into them after a flood. They'd receive bodily injury and damage to their boats and equipment."

Jeni Taylor also focused on the bright side, but expressed concern as well. "We feel very fortunate," she said. "The unfortunate is that the offender got off free."

Although Cedar Bayou does not lie in his district, Bentsen also said Friday that he was willing to work with U.S. Rep Steve Stockman (R-District 9), in whose district the commercial waterway lies, to get it back on the list of projects maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Such reclassification would allow desparately needed dredging work to begin.

"It affects the whole area... I will increase our activity on (reclassification)," Bentsen said.



Congress sends $1.5 million down San Jacinto River to move barges.

by Bill Broun
Editor
North Channel Sun
September 19,1996

When Ken Bentsen's aids put his lecturn in front of a group of fishermen Friday at the Lynchburg Ferry Landing, they unintentionally greated a powerful set piece.

The anglers would remind the gathered reporters, photographers and camera operators -- and through them, the public -- that recreation still plays a big role in the San Jacinto River.

It all seemed a perfect sendup for Bentsen's (25th district -D) announcement Friday that House and Senate budget negociators had agreed to channel $1.5 million toward the removal of an estimated 30 barges from the San Jacinto River.

Abandoned barges have been a longtime irritation, if not a deadly threat for local water bikers, boaters and beach owners on the lower San Jacinto River.

"Removing these barges has been one of my highest priorities, and I amm pleased to report that the necessary funding is now a done deal," says Bentsen. "This is a tremendous victory for public safety and the environment."

For Highlands residents Michael and Jeni Taylor, Bentsen's help in removing the barges has made him a sort of local hero.

"He's got an environmental as well as a community conscience," says Jeni Taylor.

Along with her husband, Michael, Banana Bend's Jeni Taylor has been fighting since 1992 to get something done about the barges.

"Everybody just kept passing the buck," says JEni Taylor

In August 1995, Jeni Taylor and Patsy Goss, both members of the pro- river resident San Jacinto River Association, asked Bentsen for help during a visit to Washington,DC.

"It took a lot of figuring just to find out who was responsible for them (the barges) in the position that they were in with no owner," recounts Taylor.

But when many efforts -- on the part of the U.S. Coast Guard, Bentsen and state officials such as State Senator Fred Bosse -- to find the barges' owners proved fruitless, the focus shifted to getting the danger out of the way.

On summer weekends the Taylors say their shoreline yard on the San Jacinto River has become a regular theater of nerves.

The Taylors watch scores of water bikers buzzing back and forth on Mule's Lake (Muleshoe Lake), swerving and swiveling around the barges and each other -- and they worry sick.

"Sometimes well just stand their and hold our breath," says Jeni Taylor.

"One of these days, they say, a water biker is going to smash into one of four abandoned barges jutting up from the brown grey river waters and die.

Taylor believes that about 10-15 barges lie in the Mule's Lake "barge graveyard" most beneath the surface.

"The thing that upsets me the most ," says Michael Taylor, "is that the people who did it (left the barges) got away with it."

The funding is part of an overall transportation appropriations bill Congress was expected to pass this week.

President Bill Clinton will likely sign the bill into law, says officials.

"It is a major accomplishment that we have obtained any funding at all given the ongoing efforts to balance the budget," says Bentsen. "Now that we have the money, I am committed to getting the job done as quickly as possible."