Pipeline Safety Act of 1995

Summary

Pipeline Safety Act of 1995 - Amends Federal natural gas and hazardous liquid pipeline safety transportation law to prohibit the Secretary of Transportation from promulgating any significant gas or hazardous liquid transportation safety standard or regulatory requirement unless he or she: (1) certifies that an analysis of risk reduction benefits and costs has been conducted based on objective and unbiased scientific and economic evaluations; (2) certifies that the incremental risk reduction or other benefits of any option chosen will be likely to justify, and be reasonably related to, the incremental costs incurred by Federal, State, local, and tribal governments and other public and private citizens; and (3) explains why other options identified were found either to be less cost-effective at achieving a substantially equivalent reduction in risk, or to provide less flexibility to State, local, or tribal governments or regulated entities in achieving the otherwise applicable objectives of such standard or requirement. (Sec. 3) Requires the Secretary, with respect to any significant standard or regulatory requirement, to submit any risk assessment documents and cost-benefit analyses for review by the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee or the Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards Committee, or both, and make them available to the public. Requires the Secretary to review the Committees' reports and recommendations with respect to their review and take appropriate action. (Sec. 4) Excludes from the meaning of the term "transporting gas" the gathering of gas (other than gathering through regulated gathering lines) in rural locations which are outside the limits of any incorporated or unincorporated city, town, or village, or any other designated residential or commercial area. (Sec. 5) Requires Federal minimum safety standards for pipeline transportation and pipeline facilities to include a requirement that all individuals who operate pipeline facilities be qualified to recognize and react to abnormal operating conditions that may indicate a dangerous situation or condition exceeding design limits. Requires the Secretary, when prescribing such minimum safety standards, to consider, among other things, the comments and recommendations of the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards and the Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards Committees. Revises the prescriptions for minimum safety standards in new or replacement gas pipeline transmission facilities or hazardous liquid pipeline facilities or related equipment with respect to the accommodation of instrumented internal inspection devices ( "smart pigs"). Directs the Secretary, to the extent practicable, to update incorporated industry standards that have been adopted as part of the Federal pipeline safety regulatory program. (Sec. 6) Directs the Secretary to carry out a voluntary project under which owners and operators of pipeline facilities demonstrate applications of risk management. Authorizes the Secretary, during the demonstration period, to exempt owners and operators participating in the project from compliance with some or all of the safety standards that would otherwise apply under this Act. (Sec. 7) Eliminates the application of certain inspection and maintenance requirements to persons who transport gas or hazardous liquids. Repeals the requirement for pipeline facility inspections at least once every two years. Requires the Secretary to establish a mandatory, systematic, and, where appropriate, periodic inspection program of any pipeline facility crossing under, over, or through waters where a substantial likelihood of commercial navigation exists. (Currently this requirement applies to all navigable waters reardless of such likelihood.) (Sec. 8) Requires the Secretary to prescribe regulations that establish criteria by which operators of hazardous liquid pipeline facilities and gathering lines shall identify each hazardous liquid pipeline facility that crosses waters where a substantial likelihood of commercial navigation exits. (Currently this requirement applies to all navigable waters reardless of such likelihood.) Requires the Secretary, when identifying an area as unusually sensitive to environmental damage if there is a hazardous liquid pipeline accident, to consider including intake locations of community water systems. Repeals the requirement to consider earthquake, landslide, and other substantial ground movement zones as unusually sensitive to environmental damage if there is a hazardous liquid pipeline accident. (Sec. 9) Authorizes the Secretary to adopt industry accepted performance and manufacturing standards when developing standards for the performance of excess flow valves used to protect lines in a natural gas distribution system. (Sec. 11) Repeals the requirement for criminal penalties in regulations establishing a one-call notification system with respect to the safety of pipeline facilities. (Sec. 12) Requires the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee and the Technical Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards Committee to serve as peer review committees. Deems such service to be in compliance with the requirements of other applicable Federal statutes. Requires committee members to be experienced in risk management. Revises the composition of the committees. Requires at least one of the individuals selected for each committee from the natural gas or hazardous liquid industry and from the general public to have education, backgroud, or experience in risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis. Requires the Secretary, when giving each committee each standard proposed for transporting gas and hazardous liquid, and for gas and hazardous liquid pipeline facilities, to include a risk assessment document, cost-benefit, and other analyses supporting such standard. Requires each committee to meet with the Secretary at least four times (currently, twice) annually. (Sec. 13) Requires each owner or operator of a natural gas pipeline facility to provide a program for educating the public on, among other things, the use of damage prevention ("one-call") systems prior to excavation. Repeals the requirement for persons transporting gas to conduct public education programs. (Sec. 14) Authorizes the Secretary to enter into grants, cooperative agreements, and other transactions with any U.S. person, agency, or instrumentality, any State or local government, any educational institution, and any other entity to carry out pipeline safety programs, including the development, improvement, and promotion of "one-call" damage prevention programs, research, risk assessment, and mapping. (Sec. 15) Declares owners and operators of natural gas or hazardous liquid pipelines who have voluntarily participated in the risk management demonstration project to be in compliance with safety standards or regulatory requirements prescribed under such project. (Sec. 16) Subjects to civil and criminal penalties any person who knowingly and willfully excavates and subsequently damages a pipeline facility and does not report such damage promptly to the operator of the pipeline facility and other appropriate authorities. (Sec. 19) Authorizes appropriations.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

1. 14 March 1995

   Committee

   Hearings Held by the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation Prior to Introduction and Referral.

   Source: Committee

2. 24 March 1995

   Introduced

   Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 24 March 1995

   Introduced

   Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

   Source: IntroReferral

4. 24 March 1995

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

5. 24 March 1995

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

6. 27 March 1995

   Referred

   Referred to the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation.

   Source: Committee

7. 28 March 1995

   Committee

   Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.

   Source: Committee

8. 28 March 1995

   Committee

   Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

   Source: Committee

9. 5 April 1995

   Reported

   Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

   Source: Committee

10. 5 April 1995

    Committee

    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Source: Committee

11. 10 April 1995

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.

    Source: Committee

12. 1 May 1995

    Introduced

    House Committee on Commerce Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than June 1, 1995.

    Source: IntroReferral

13. 1 May 1995

    Reported

    Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation. H. Rept. 104-110, Part I.

    Source: Committee

14. 1 May 1995

    Reported

    Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation. H. Rept. 104-110, Part I.

    Source: Committee

15. 16 May 1995

    Committee

    Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.

    Source: Committee

16. 16 May 1995

    Committee

    Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Source: Committee

17. 24 May 1995

    Vote

    Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 29 - 13.

    Source: Committee

18. 24 May 1995

    Committee

    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Source: Committee

19. 1 June 1995

    Reported

    Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Commerce. H. Rept. 104-110, Part II.

    Source: Committee

20. 1 June 1995

    Reported

    Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Commerce. H. Rept. 104-110, Part II.

    Source: Committee

21. 1 June 1995

    Calendars

    Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 58.

    Source: Calendars

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

• Reported in House · 1 June 1995 · Official file
• Introduced in House · 24 March 1995 · Official file

Documents

7 official files

• Reported in House (text)

  Reported in House · EN · 1 June 1995

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Reported in House (PDF)

  Reported in House · EN · 1 June 1995

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Reported to House amended, Part II

  summary · EN · 1 June 1995

  Open at official source

• Reported to House amended, Part I

  summary · EN · 1 May 1995

  Open at official source

• Introduced in House (text)

  Introduced in House · EN · 24 March 1995

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in House (PDF)

  Introduced in House · EN · 24 March 1995

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 24 March 1995

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Rep. Shuster, Bud [R-PA-9] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Petri, Thomas E. [R-WI-6] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Laughlin, Greg [D-TX-14] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Brewster, Bill K. [D-OK-3] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Emerson, Bill [R-MO-8] · R · Cosponsor
• Rep. Bachus, Spencer [R-AL-6] · R · Cosponsor
• · hsif00 · Standing
• · hspw00 · Standing

Related records

• related to → Comprehensive One-Call Notification Act of 1995
• related to → Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 1995
• related to → Pipeline Safety Act of 1995
• related to ← Pipeline Safety Act of 1995
• related to ← Accountable Pipeline Safety and Partnership Act of 1996