A TransCanada natural gas pipeline exploded in Ontario, Canada this month and another line ruptured. The explosion knocked a father and son across their yard and flames shot hundreds of feet into the air.

TransCanada is in the process of building an oil pipeline in South Dakota and some people say there needs to be heavier regulation.

The explosion in Canada has fueled the debate over whether a pipeline accident is likely in South Dakota.

Gary Gilbert is a member of the Spink County Planning and Zoning board. The board recently passed an ordinance requiring pipelines to be thicker and further away from homes.

"Undetected leaks could contaminate a lot of groundwater and ruin a lot of soil. That is one of our major concerns."

Gilbert and others point to the explosions in Canada as an example of what could happen in South Dakota. PUC commissioner Steve Colbeck has issued a statement.

"There is a difference between a natural gas pipeline and a crude oil pipeline. There is a difference between compression and pressure. The concern that some people may have we definitely pay attention to but we need to compare apples to apples."

Gary adamantly disagrees with the PUC.

"Unfortunately, it seems to me that the PUC is the spokesperson for TransCanada. I guess I would like to see them address some of these issues the concerned citizens have brought up. The job of the PUC is to protect the people of our counties and our state and I think they are neglecting that obligation."

TransCanada states "TransCanada owns and operates 36,000 miles of pipeline, delivering twenty percent of the gas consumed in North America each day. Despite the recent events in Ontario, leaks are very rare. For both Keystone and the TransCanada gas system, the safety of the public and our employees is the top priority. Keystone utilizes industry best practices to ensure the safety of this system and our neighbors in South Dakota."