El Paso Natural Gas Agrees To Pipeline Monitoring, Remedies

ALBUQUERQUE (AP) – El Paso Natural Gas Company will monitor and remedy corrosion in its pipeline system.

That’s part of a settlement announced today that arose from a pipeline explosion that killed 12 members of an extended family camping near Carlsbad seven years ago.

The Department of Justice and the Department of Transportation say it covers the company’s entire 10,000 mile pipeline system.

The settlement also requires the company to spend at least $86-million dollars on widespread modifications of its pipeline system and to pay a $15.5-million dollar fine.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators determined the explosion on August 19th, 2000, was caused by water and other corrosives that pooled in the pipe and ate away the metal.

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