Plains All American faces scrutiny over spill response

• Plains All American Pipeline (NYSE:PAA) braces for intensified scrutiny over the "insufficient" response to the recent oil spill off the California coast, as U.S. Sens. Boxer and Feinstein question why the ruptured pipeline lacked an automatic shut-off valve and whether some workers were left on the sidelines while the leak spread.
• Among the concerns: According to disclosures so far, it took PAA 90 minutes after the spill was confirmed to notify the National Response Center, which coordinates responses to hazardous material releases.
• "The response was extremely tardy that allowed oil to get in the water," says Environmental Defense Center chief counsel Linda Krop.
• Also today, the ruptured section of pipeline was removed for analysis to determine what caused it to fail, and cleanup continued with nearly 1,000 people and 16 boats involved in the effort.
• PAA has been involved in a number of previous infractions in California, including a pipeline that spilled an ~10K gallons of oil near Los Angeles a year ago.