How Old is Your Gas Pipeline?

Why do I ask? Oh, I don't know...

San Bruno, CA: 4 dead and counting

But here's another question - when was the last time your gas lines were evaluated by professionals?

Which is not to say this sort of thing should be on homeowners. It shouldn't. Unseen batallions of quiet professionals should be keeping this off your worry radar by making sure everything is maintained properly.

But here's something to jolt you out of that safe mental picture:

the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the federal agency that regulates 2.3 million miles of oil and natural gas pipelines, largely relies on standards written by the oil and gas industry. It has about 100 inspectors, leaving industry a great deal of latitude with inspections. (Even after the blast, state utility regulators ordered PG&E to inspect its own network of gas pipelines.)

And according to The Washington Independent, federal regulators are required to inspect only about 7 percent of the country’s natural gas pipelines. That percentage is based on how populated the surrounding area is, and not the actual conditions of the pipelines.

Regulating agency dependent on industry expertise? Check. Regulator's resources laughably inadequate to the task it is given? Check.

Now where have I seen that pattern before?