Public safety is the top priority for Maritimes. The pipeline was designed and constructed and operates in accordance with the safety requirements mandated by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). According to National Transportation Safety Board statistics, the U.S. interstate pipeline system is the safest energy delivery system in the nation.

The pipeline is built of high-strength carbon steel and was coated with fusion-bonded epoxy, a corrosion resistant, non-conductive resin that provides cathodic protection and forms a waterproof seal around the pipe. Coating on the entire pipeline was electronically inspected before the pipeline was placed into the ground. Some pipe segments may have concrete coating for additional weight, as required. Additionally, the pipeline was hydrostatically tested at high pressure to ensure its structural integrity.

Monitoring the Pipeline

The Maritimes Gas Control Center in the U.S. is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to monitor the operations of the pipeline and respond in the unlikely event of an emergency. The Gas Control Center is the first number to call in the event of an emergency on any Maritimes facilities in the U.S.

The public may contact the 24-Hour Gas Control/Emergency Response Center toll-free at 1-888-576-4634.

An important key to public safety is continuing pipeline surveillance. Maritimes operating personnel conduct regular inspections of the right-of-way by air and on the ground.

Dig Safe: Using the Right-of-Way

Maritimes adheres to very strict guidelines regulating right-of-way use. Government statistics cite damage by a third party, someone other than the owner or operator of the line, as the leading cause of accidents on natural gas lines. For the protection of the public and the pipeline, Maritimes must approve any physical work conducted on the right-of-way.

Maritimes participates in the Dig Safe or One Call program for Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Dig Safe provides contractors and residents with accurate information about the location of the pipeline, informs Maritimes of planned excavations and allows Maritimes to monitor activities around the right-of-way. For more information on Dig Safe, go to www.digsafe.com

Before any type of excavation work may be done within the right-of-way, Dig Safe and M&N Operating Company must be contacted — see the telephone numbers below. Maritimes requires an inspector be present during excavation and will assign company personnel to monitor the work.

Safety Programs

Maritimes closely adheres to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and U.S. DOT procedures for emergency response planning and incident reporting. An Emergency Response Plan has been filed with the appropriate agencies and includes the names and phone numbers of agencies and persons to be contacted in the event of an emergency.

Maritimes staff has received extensive response training that incorporates information on how to deal with emergency situations. In the unlikely event of a pipeline rupture, natural gas in the pipeline can be isolated by activating remote control valves.

M&N Operating Company has established liaisons with state and municipal public safety officials and provided them with emergency response information and training. Simulated emergency drills are conducted periodically to prepare operators, personnel and community emergency services. Refresher courses are provided and all training programs are updated as new information and technology become available.