Rep Chatfield introduces legislation to strengthen pipeline safety
Categories: Chatfield News Under new legislation introduced by state Rep. Lee Chatfield, the state will play a more significant role in the oversight of interstate petroleum pipelines running through Michigan, including increased coordination with the federal government to ensure better preparedness and emergency response in the case of a spill.“The ultimate goal of this legislation is to protect the public health, safety and welfare of Michigan citizens, our natural resources and our economy,” said Rep. Chatfield, R-Levering. “Currently, the federal government is in the driver’s seat on our pipeline safety issues while Michigan officials are along for the ride stuffed in the trunk. My bill will see to it that we can play a greater role by establishing better coordination with the federal government to ensure our state agencies are fully informed and are better prepared to respond to emergencies.”Oil pipelines have requirements to meet under the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) of 1990 which requires the owners/operators of oil pipelines to develop detailed site-specific Spill Response Plans to detail chain of authority for spills, specify personnel and equipment capable of responding to a “worst case” spill from a pipeline or other facility, and describe training, testing, and unannounced drills.Neither the OPA nor the state of Michigan requires petroleum pipeline operators in Michigan to submit their spill response plans to the state for review and approval. Nor are they required to report spills directly to the state.“This legislation would not duplicate the existing planning process, although it will help to ensure that state and local agencies are in the loop as plans are tested and implemented,” concluded Rep. Chatfield.HB 5198 has been referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources for further consideration.### Bill ensures state agencies are fully informed and better prepared to respond in an emergency
01Feb Rep. Chatfield introduces legislation to strengthen pipeline safety
French pay TV operator Canal Plus has launched a companion screen app for rugby fans.The Canal Rugby App will allow viewers to watch Top 14 French rugby clubs’ matches from a range of different camera positions as they are broadcast live on Canal Plus on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.The app will also make available additional video content covering the arrival of players at the stadium, warm ups and other behind the scenes action, post-match interviews and complete coverage of press conferences. Viewers can also access highlights of all Top 14 matches, as well as interviews and analysis.Other features include the ability to take notes on the match and players and compare these with those of other subscribers and the ability to exchange and share commentary via Twitter.The launch of the app follows Canal Plus’s successful launch of similar service for football fans, which has been downloaded 700,000 times.
Didier BellensBelgian telco Belgacom has said it is searching for a new permanent CEO after the Belgian government, which is the majority owner of the firm, ousted current boss Didier Bellens at the end of last week.In a statement, Belgacom said it has “taken note of the Government’s decision to end the collaboration with Mr. Didier Bellens” and said it has handed over the CEO responsibilities on an interim basis to executive vice-president of finance and chief financial officer Ray Stewart, and Belgacom chairman of the board Stefaan De Clerck.The firm said it has immediately started its search for a full time CEO and has selected an external headhunting agency to draw up a list of potential candidates for the role. The government will make the final appointment decision.Prime Minister Elio di Rupo told reporters last week that the Belgian state, which has a 53.3% holding in Belgacom, had lost confidence in Bellens due to his “repeated criticism” of the authorities.Commenting on the changes, De Clerck said that Stewart, who has been at Belgacom since 1997, was “ideally placed to ensure a smooth transition period. For this he has the explicit support of the entire board of directors and the whole management team.”
‘Best of the web’ channel provider QYou Media has struck a deal with Ericsson to use the latter’s Unified Delivery Network (UDN) platform, designed to provide an alternative to traditional CDNs by enabling content providers to reach Ericsson’s customer base of service providers.Under the pair’s deal Ericsson will deliver QYou content over the UDN to existing customers while also introducing QYou’s millennial-focused programming to Ericsson’s service provider customer base. Ericsson said that the ad-supported content distribution model is designed to create new opportunities for QYou, Ericsson and service providers.In addition to delivering QYou’s content via the UDN, Ericsson will also distribute The QYou app on connected TVs and set-top boxes. There will also be provision for The QYou to add localised content to new connected devices and new markets.Marcus Bergström, Director of UDN programme and strategy at Ericsson, said: “Many of the world’s largest service providers and content providers use our UDN ecosystem to deliver content to connected customers around the world. With many millennials opting for skinny bundles or free short-form content online through social media, there is an opportunity to use our network, to add value, and to monetise the content that clearly appeals to this hard-to-reach market segment. QYou’s best-of-web content will provide our partner and customers with a ready means to attract and retain younger subscribers.”Curt Marvis, CEO and co-founder of QYou Media, said: “More and more TV providers are recognising the need to match millennial tastes with millennial programming. We strongly believe that digital-first content, expertly curated and packaged, has a home on television’s multiscreen landscape. Hot on the heels of our expanded distribution into 17 million homes with Tata Sky in India, comes this deal that has the potential to deliver QYou to hundreds of millions of subscribers globally. Partnering with Ericsson, one of the leading companies in the content-delivery industry and as part of a broader ecosystem that now encompasses 55 content providers and 40 service providers around the world, is another step to bringing web-first content to a wider audience, and showcasing its monetisation potential.”
