Fixing Our Pipes: Coordinating Natural Gas Main Replacement between Local Governments & Gas Companies is a study that was carried out by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) and Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET) in 2015. This work was funded by a 2015 Technical Assistance Grant from the Federal Department of Transportation’s Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

Massachusetts’ 2014 An Act Relative to Natural Gas Leaks, set the State on an accelerated course to replace its thousands of miles of leaking and leak-prone pipe within 20 to 25 years. Accomplishing the replacement - while coordinating to minimize damage to municipal streets, inconvenience of construction, and overall cost to ratepayers - will stretch the abilities of gas companies and local municipalities alike. Even then, the State faces more than a decade with substantial amounts of leak-prone pipe. MAPC and HEET's study sought to identify mechanisms to help gas companies and municipalities replace pipe more efficiently and possibly accelerate the 20 to 25 year timetable.

Check out and interact with the results of the study at www.fixourpipes.org.