Pipeline Safety Act of 1992

Summary

Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 1991 - Amends the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 and the Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Act of 1979 (HLPSA) to authorize appropriations for FY 1992 through 1994 for implementation of Federal natural gas and hazardous liquids pipeline safety standards. Requires the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) to define environmentally sensitive areas to include: (1) earthquake zones and areas subject to substantial ground movements such as landslides; (2) areas where ground water contamination would be likely in the event of a pipeline rupture; (3) freshwater lakes, rivers, and waterways; and (4) river deltas and other areas subject to soil erosion or subsidence from flooding or other water action where pipeline facilities are likely to become exposed or undermined. Makes the Secretary responsible for protection of the environment in issuing Federal pipeline safety standards. Requires pipeline operators to report to the Secretary any conditions that could have a significant adverse impact on the natural environment. Requires pipeline maps to include: (1) all pipeline facilities in environmentally sensitive areas, or in or immediately adjacent to cities, towns, or villages; and (2) all pipelines built before 1971. Amends the HLPSA to direct the Secretary to survey and assess the effectiveness of procedures, systems, and equipment used to detect and locate hazardous liquid pipeline ruptures and minimize product releases from pipeline facilities. Requires the Secretary, within 12 months after completing the survey, to issue regulations to establish standards and require procedures and equipment for the rapid detection and location of pipeline ruptures and shutdown of pipeline facilities located in or adjacent to environmentally sensitive areas and cities, towns, and villages. Amends the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 to direct the Secretary to: (1) issue regulations requiring operators of natural gas distribution systems to install excess flow valves in new or renewed gas service lines; (2) evaluate the use of such valves to improve system safety; and (3) develop standards for the performance of excess flow valves used to protect service lines in natural gas distribution systems. Requires the Secretary to publish a notice as to the availability of industry guidelines for the replacement of cast iron pipelines. Directs the Secretary to ensure by rulemaking the safety of pipe owned by residential and small commercial non-operators of pipelines, including requirements that the distribution companies serving such customers assume responsibility for the operation and maintenance of such lines up to the outlet of the meter or the building wall, whichever is further downstream. Makes it unlawful for any person excavating with power-operated equipment to: (1) knowingly fail to use an appropriate one-call notification system to determine the location of underground pipeline facilities in the area being excavated; and (2) damage during such excavation a natural gas or hazardous liquid pipeline. Amends the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 and the HLPSA to require the Secretary to establish procedures to notify the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of any natural gas and hazardous liquids pipeline accidents caused by excavation.

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

Timeline

No timeline events have been ingested for this record yet.

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

10 official files

• Reported to Senate (text)

  Reported to Senate · EN

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Engrossed in Senate (text)

  Engrossed in Senate · EN

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Enrolled Bill (text)

  Enrolled Bill · EN

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Engrossed Amendment Senate (text)

  Engrossed Amendment Senate · EN

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Engrossed Amendment House (text)

  Engrossed Amendment House · EN

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Public Law (PDF)

  Public Law · EN · 25 October 1992

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Senate agreed to House amendment with amendment

  summary · EN · 5 October 1992

  Open at official source

• Passed Senate amended

  summary · EN · 7 October 1991

  Open at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 29 July 1991

  Open at official source

Sponsors

No sponsors or actors listed by the source.

Related records

No cross-record relationships stored yet.