Bill Text: IL HB0705 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Underground Natural Gas Storage Safety Act. Provides that, in the case of a verified facility leak, the owner and operator of the underground natural gas storage facility is responsible for specified actions. Defines "verified facility leak". Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-03-04 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB0705 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-HB0705-Introduced.html

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102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2021 and 2022 HB0705 Introduced , by Rep. Bob Morgan SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
415 ILCS 160/5
415 ILCS 160/27 new
Amends the Underground Natural Gas Storage Safety Act. Provides that, in the case of a verified facility leak, the owner and operator of the underground natural gas storage facility is responsible for specified actions. Defines "verified facility leak". Effective immediately.
LRB102 10392 CPF 15719 b
A BILL FOR
HB0705 LRB102 10392 CPF 15719 b
AN ACT concerning safety.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Illinois Underground Natural Gas Storage
Safety Act is amended by changing Section 5 and by adding
Section 27 as follows:
(415 ILCS 160/5)
Sec. 5. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the
context otherwise requires:
"Commission" means the Illinois Commerce Commission.
"Contaminant" means gas, salt water, or any other
deleterious substance released from an underground natural gas
storage facility.
"Department" means the Department of Natural Resources.
"Director" means the Director of Natural Resources.
"Downhole" means the portion of the underground natural
gas storage facility from the first flange attaching the
wellhead to the pipeline equipment and continuing down the
well casing to and including the storage reservoir.
"Federal Act" has the meaning given to that term in the
Illinois Gas Pipeline Safety Act.
"Gas" means natural gas.
"Notice of probable violation" means a written notice,

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satisfying the criteria set forth in Section 35, given by the
underground natural gas storage safety manager to a person who
operates an underground natural gas storage facility that
identifies a failure of such person to comply with the
provisions of this Act or the provisions of 49 U.S.C. Chapter
601 concerning underground natural gas storage facilities, or
any Department order or rule issued under this Act, and may
include recommendations for a penalty in connection therewith,
subject to the terms of this Act.
"Person" means an individual, firm, joint venture,
partnership, corporation, company, limited liability company,
firm, association, municipality, cooperative association, or
joint stock association. "Person" includes a trustee,
receiver, assignee, or personal representative thereof.
"Underground natural gas storage facility" means a gas
pipeline facility that stores natural gas in an underground
facility, including a depleted hydrocarbon reservoir, an
aquifer reservoir, and a solution-mined salt cavern reservoir.
"Underground natural gas storage safety manager" means the
manager of the Department's Underground Natural Gas Storage
Safety Program or other staff of the Department assigned to
underground natural gas storage safety issues.
"Verified facility leak" means:
(1) there is a gas leak that originates near an
underground natural gas storage facility;
(2) the gases from the leak are collected and tested

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using gas chromatography or isotopic analysis; and
(3) the gases' composition has markers of thermogenic
origins that are indicative of pipeline gas.
(Source: P.A. 100-1172, eff. 1-4-19.)
(415 ILCS 160/27 new)
Sec. 27. Verified facility leaks. In the case of a
verified facility leak, the owner and operator of the
underground natural gas storage facility is responsible for
the following:
(1) Installation and maintenance of monitors in
affected areas, including homes.
(2) Offering and maintaining gas-water separators in
affected areas, including homes.
(3) Providing lodging accommodations when alerts from
gas detectors are active and levels are explosive.
(4) Undertaking a comprehensive inspection of the
underground natural gas storage facility's wells that
shall be completed by a licensed engineering firm.
(5) Setting routine scheduled testing of property
within the contamination area.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.