Public Awareness

PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT

Protecting the environment and the health and safety of our employees, our neighbors and our contractors isn’t just a corporate responsibility; it’s also good business.

At HEP we adhere to comprehensive environmental, health and safety standards. We work hard to reduce our environmental footprint and plan every project in a manner that is mindful of people and wildlife as well as the land, water and air. We operate responsibly and are committed to leaving a project site better than we found it. This sort of good stewardship isn’t just an expense or an effort to comply with governmental regulations but rather an investment with a solid financial return.

We also believe in building strong relationships — not just with our customers and our employees but the landowners with whom we do business. We are dedicated to working closely with our neighbors to minimize the impact of our operations on people, buildings, fences, crops, water supplies, soil, air quality, and noise levels. We also restore the land as soon as construction is complete and weather permits.

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PIPELINE SAFETY

Public safety and education are important to us. Written agreements between landowners and pipeline companies allow pipeline and utility companies to construct and maintain pipeline rights-of-way across public and privately owned property. Your property may be one of the many in your community which contains an underground pipeline easement.

To determine if a pipeline runs through your property, we encourage you to check for pipeline markers posted on your property or in your neighborhood and check the National Pipeline Mapping System. For your safety, markers have been installed along the pipeline route to indicate the approximate location and provide vital emergency information. Take time to familiarize yourself with pipeline markers and write down the names and phone numbers of pipeline companies or operators listed on the markers in case of emergency.

Please review the 811 Pipeline Safety brochure for more information and resources on pipeline safety.

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WHAT IS AN EASEMENT?

An easement is a right to make use of another person’s property. If we are considering building a pipeline or a related facility on or adjacent to your property, we will reach out to you early in the process as we study the route and asses its environmental impact. We may ask you for an easement or an option to purchase some of your property to establish rights-of-way for construction and operation of a pipeline or other facilities.

WHAT IS A RIGHT OF WAY?

A right of way is a strip of land that contains the pipeline or facility and clear access area on either side for inspection and maintenance, as well as an unobstructed view for ongoing aerial surveillance. Generally, a pipeline right of way is 75 to 100 feet wide during construction. Permanent rights of way are usually 50 feet wide.

811 CALL BEFORE YOU DIG

Accidental “dig-ins” by property owners or contractors make up the majority of pipeline accidents. Dig-ins are preventable only if owners or excavators will contact pipeline companies BEFORE they attempt to dig. A pipeline marker will not necessarily indicate the exact location or direction of a pipeline.

You can help maintain the integrity of the pipeline system and prevent accidents by using the nationwide Call Before You Dig service, available by calling 811. Anyone who will be digging or excavating using mechanized equipment — commercial contractors, road maintenance crews, telephone pole installers, fence builders, landscape companies or homeowners who may be digging a drainage ditch, installing a fence or building an addition — can make one telephone call to give notice of their plans to dig in a specific area.

The 811 center then acts as a clearinghouse to inform the owners and operators of underground facilities so that they can go out and mark their facilities, usually within 48 or 72 hours. For more information about the Call-Before-You-Dig program, visit:

www.call811.com

How To Recognize A Leak?

Although not common, we do encourage you to understand the signs of a possible pipeline leak and how to respond:

Sight: A pool of liquid on the ground near a pipeline, a dense white cloud or fog over a pipeline, or discolored vegetation surrounding the pipeline may be signs of a possible leak.
Sound: An unusual noise coming from the pipeline, like a hissing or roaring sound, may be a possible sign of a leak.
Smell: An unusual smell will accompany a pipeline leak.

What To Do If A Leak Occurs?

Leave the area immediately; warn others.
Do not touch, breathe, or make contact with the leaking liquids or gases.
Do not attempt to stop the leak by operating pipeline equipment.
Do not light a match, start an engine, use a telephone, switch on/ off light switches, or do anything that might create a spark.
From a safe distance, call 911 or your local emergency response number and the pipeline company.
Do not drive a vehicle into a leak or vapor cloud area.
Warn others.

EXCAVATION SAFETY

Through our public awareness program, we educate on safe-digging practices to help protect the public, our employees and contractors, and the environment. Some general guidelines include:

CALL 811 BEFORE YOU DIG | WAIT FOR UTILITIES TO BE MARKED | RESPECT THE MARKS | DIG WITH CARE

Please review the HEP General Guidelines for Third-Party Construction, Maintenance Work and Crossing brochure for more information. For additional questions or for more information, please reach out to encroachments@howardep.com.

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Protecting the environment and the health and safety of our employees, the community and our contractors is one of the most important jobs we have at HEP. There are several organizations and resources dedicated to promoting and educating on pipeline and utility damage prevention and safety.

Resources