Following the disaster, the National Transportation Safety Board investigated the incident and consulted with NSPE. The Society and NTSB staff spent several weeks discussing the engineering licensing process, its standards, and NSPE’s opposition to licensing law exemptions. NSPE shared several documents, including its industrial exemptions position statement and fact sheet, and public testimony from professional engineers.

Ultimately, this collaboration led to a new state law designed to better protect the public. On December 31, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed emergency legislation that requires a licensed professional engineer to approve plans for the construction, operation, and maintenance of natural gas infrastructure. The Society believes that Baker took an important step by heeding the call for PE oversight and signing the measure, which took effect immediately.