Support widespread for giving PUC pipeline oversight

REGION

Amid all the disputes over hydrofracking, severance taxes, local impacts and other aspects of Pennsylvania's rapidly developing natural gas drilling industry, at least one Marcellus Shaleinspired policy change is garnering broad support from all quarters.

House Bill 344 would authorize the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to enforce federal safety standards for gas pipelines.

Companies in Pennsylvania are embarking on a major build-out of so-called midstream or gathering pipelines to transport natural gas from Marcellus Shale wellheads to major interstate networks. The bill would help ensure proper oversight of that process, proponents …