During a Senate Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee hearing on Wednesday, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) asked President Trump's nominee to be Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Paul Roberti about a pipeline that transports jet fuel that has been leaking in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
00:11Is it fair to say that we had a warm, cordial, and productive meeting yesterday in my office?
00:18Senator, yes, I really enjoyed meeting with you yesterday.
00:22Yeah, I thoroughly did, too.
00:24And yesterday, we talked about, you know, my real issue is, and my commitment is, that I wasn't here today to create theatrics, and I'm not looking for clipping or to make up on MSNBC or the thing.
00:39For me, I'm coming here because, and I know you are aware of a problem in my state, in a very specific county.
00:47And for me, now, in a minority situation as a Democrat, I'm very confident that you'll have all the votes necessary to be confirmed.
00:57So, for me, as a Democrat voting for nominees, for me, it's a statement saying, we want to find a relationship.
01:05We want to work together to look for wins, for wins for my state, for a constituent, or really a win in Pennsylvania ultimately is a win for the country.
01:16And today, and I made a promise with you not to turn this into confrontation or anything.
01:23And so, today, I'm here to discuss, for folks, it's a pipeline, 105 miles long, with jet fuel across, you know, southern eastern Pennsylvania.
01:36And then, essentially, there was, everybody agrees that there was a leak.
01:43And, you know, I am part of it because I fly 50 out of 52 weeks.
01:50So, we all need jet fuel, and we need to, you know, it's not a, I'm not condemning anyone that produces jet fuel.
01:58It's really that, the problem is that it actually got into someone's wells in Bucks County.
02:06And today, so, I'm here today, I'm here, I have, we have a constituent here from Upper Makeville, and her name is Christine.
02:15And she's here today.
02:16And now, she has water that was contaminated from jet fuel.
02:22And she brought, she actually brought a sample here.
02:25Where we have, and now, I'm not going to, you know, it's a, you can submit questions, or you can submit, you can submit testimony.
02:35And I am actually respectfully submitting this, and encouraging you, anybody, to just smell it, because it honestly feels just straight up like fuel.
02:46I wouldn't want to put a flame around it, honestly.
02:49And for me, it's like, I am really just welcoming, because I really, I just want to work together, together, you know, for a solution here.
03:00You're not responsible for any of this.
03:02You did participate in all of this stuff.
03:04You know, you just have a, you know, you'd be in a situation to actually work together to create that.
03:10So, you know, I really would like to work with my friend and colleague, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick.
03:17And we really are pushing to just, whether it's shutting it down or to do what's ever necessary, until we can figure out really what's happening.
03:26And now, for me today, it's like, as I said in my office, is if you're able to extend a commitment to work together in my office,
03:33then I'm here today to extend a commitment to vote for you, because, for me, it's about voting for you.
03:39It's about desiring a relationship to find a solution for this landowner, but also for my state.
03:49Mr. Mayor.
03:49Thank you, Senator.
03:52From what I have read, not being in the agency, but that was a serious incident.
03:58It's under investigation.
04:00A notice of proposed safety order was issued.
04:02I think it followed with a corrective action order, or a consent order, and that that matter remains under investigation.
04:13As I said to you yesterday in your office, if confirmed, I would like to go to the accident scene with you.
04:22I would like to visit that scene while the investigation is pending.
04:27I do want to see investigations like that proceed in the most expeditious manner so that we can get to the bottom of what happened
04:39and make those determinations as to the safety of that pipeline going forward, and that I commit to do.
04:45Yeah, well, so, again, now, it's becoming more and more politically difficult or punishing to vote and to want to work with the other side.
04:55But today, you know, you have extended your willingness to work together for a solution,
05:00and I'm to extend my desire to want to vote and support your candidacy for this.
