Colonial Pipeline swept the top awards for environmental stewardship and worker safety at the API (American Petroleum Institute) Pipeline Conference in San Antonio, and was presented a special Distinguished Performance Award for distinguished performance among the nation's larger pipeline companies. Atlanta-based Colonial operates 5,500 miles of liquid petroleum pipelines from Houston to New York. "Colonial's performance and this award epitomizes the finest in pipeline company operations," said George M. Rootes, chairman of API's Pipeline Committee. "It is particularly noteworthy that Colonial won both the safety and environment awards. It shows consistency and that the company is an across-the-board performer."

API is the largest oil and gas industry trade association, representing more that 400 companies. In judging the Distinguished Performance Award, API compared companies' safety and environmental records as well as their record of accomplishment in proactively enhancing public safety, environmental and safety performance, and in community outreach. The occupational safety award recognizes that Colonial, which carries 20 percent of all liquid petroleum product consumed in the United States, has worked more than two million hours without an accident that caused a lost workday. In capturing the environmental award, Colonial experienced no product releases during 2000 that met the Department of Transportation's minimum volume requirements for reporting.

"Our first priority, everyday, is being safe," said Dave Lemmon, Colonial's President and CEO. "We have made this commitment to the public, to our owners and to the government regulators who share our goal of protecting workers' safety and the environment." Bill Scott, Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer said Colonial derives its safety and environmental goals from the commitment the company has to spill-free error-free operations. "We are honored by the recognition," Scott said. "We measure ourselves by whether we meet public expectations for environmental protection and safe operations. This responsibility required constant vigilance on the part of every Colonial employee to sustain this level of safety."

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