| Summary |
Current law requires the pipeline safety rules of the public utilities
commission (commission) to address the mapping of all pipelines within
the commission's jurisdiction. The bill clarifies current law by requiring
the commission's mapping requirements for all pipelines within its
jurisdiction to be available at a scale of 1 to 6,000 or greater.
On or before December 31, 2024, the commission must adopt rules
that require:
•
An owner or operator of a transmission line, a distribution
system, or a gathering line to use advanced leak detection
technology in accordance with certain requirements;
•
An owner or operator of a transmission line, a distribution
system, or a gathering line or an investor-owned natural gas
utility (owner or operator) to repair grade 1 gas leaks
immediately upon detection, grade 2 gas leaks no later than
60 days after detection, and grade 3 gas leaks no later than
one year after detection; and
•
That all pipeline road and railroad crossings are inspected
with advanced leak detection technology on a monthly
basis for damage caused from traffic.
The bill also requires a section of pipeline that has not been used
for 2 or more years to be removed or abandoned in place. An owner or
operator may abandon a section of pipeline in place only in certain
circumstances. If an owner or operator intends to remove a section of
pipeline or abandon a section of pipeline in place, the owner or operator
must notify the commission no less than 30 days before the owner or
operator commences the removal or abandonment in place. The
commission may review a notice of abandonment in place to determine
whether the proposed abandonment in place is less impactful than
removal.
The bill also requires the commission to develop a user-friendly,
public-facing website (website) for pipeline safety data in the state. The
website must include the location, date, and owner or operator for the
following data:
•
Reportable safety events;
•
Violations;
•
Compliance actions;
•
Pipeline inspection data; and
•
How to access the mapping of pipelines within the
commission's jurisdiction.
Current law provides that any person that violates certain pipeline
safety laws is subject to a penalty of up to $200,000 dollars per violation.
The bill changes this maximum penalty to $500,000 per violation. The
amount of the penalty must also be no less than $5,000 for each day of a
violation and, in the event that the commission deems that the penalty is
necessary for the protection of public health, safety, welfare, the
environment, or wildlife resources, no less than $15,000 per day of a
violation. Beginning in 2026, the commission is required to adjust the
penalty amounts for inflation every 2 years.
Current law allows the commission to reduce penalties based on
certain metrics and factors (factors). The bill changes current law to allow
the commission to also increase penalties based on the factors and adds
additional factors that the commission must consider. Except with respect
to an owner or operator of a distribution system serving fewer than 1,000
customers in the state, the commission is prohibited from reducing a
penalty based on the factors by more than 15% and the violator is
required to conduct certain compliance actions before a reduction occurs.
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