Bill Text: NJ ACR164 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges President and Congress to require interstate natural gas pipelines constructed in N.J. to conform with N.J. regulations for intrastate natural gas pipelines.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-12-06 - Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading [ACR164 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-ACR164-Introduced.html
ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 164
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
218th LEGISLATURE
INTRODUCED MARCH 26, 2018
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman REED GUSCIORA
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
Urges President and Congress to require interstate natural gas pipelines constructed in N.J. to conform with N.J. regulations for intrastate natural gas pipelines.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Concurrent Resolution urging the President and Congress of the United States to require adherence to New Jersey regulations for certain pipelines.
Whereas, The Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), a division of the United States Department of Transportation, is charged with regulating interstate pipelines, and in doing so, has established a classification system which distinguishes between pipeline location types and compels higher safety standards in locations with greater population numbers; and
Whereas, The pipeline location classes established by the PHMSA are: Class 1 - an offshore area or any location that has 10 or fewer residential buildings; Class 2 - any location with between 11 and 46 residential buildings; Class 3 - any location with more than 46 residential buildings or an area where the pipeline lies or would lie within 100 yards of either a building or a small, well-defined outside area regularly occupied by more than 20 people; and Class 4 - any location in which buildings with four stories or more are prevalent; and
Whereas, The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) has established standards which govern the construction, operation, and maintenance of natural gas pipelines within the State, and these standards require, in part, that all pipelines constructed in New Jersey after March 2, 2009 meet the most stringent PHMSA safety standards by adhering to Class 4 design standards regardless of the particular attributes of the location; and
Whereas, The BPU's authority extends only to pipelines built completely within the State; therefore, interstate pipelines, such as the proposed PennEast pipeline, are subject to federal law and need not adhere to the more-stringent Class 4 standards if the location qualifies as a lower-class location; and
Whereas, New Jersey's proximity to the Marcellus Formation, the largest source of natural gas in the United States, has recently led to an increase in proposals for the construction of major interstate transmission pipelines which would run through the State and adhere to lower safety standards than those required by New Jersey regulations for intrastate pipelines; and
Whereas, As New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the country, with 1,215.4 people per square mile as of 2014, the BPU has determined that adherence to the highest safety standards in the construction, operation, and maintenance of natural gas pipelines in the State is necessary to ensure public safety and promote environmental health throughout the State; and
Whereas, Protecting the people and the environment of New Jersey is of paramount importance and warrants adherence to the highest possible safety standards, and though higher standards may result in increased costs for pipeline operators, these costs are necessary and justified; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):
1. The Legislature of this State respectfully urges the President and Congress of the United States to require that all interstate natural gas pipelines constructed in New Jersey conform to New Jersey regulations concerning the construction, operation, and maintenance of natural gas pipelines.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the President of the United States, the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority leader of the United States House of Representatives, and every member of Congress elected from the State of New Jersey.
STATEMENT
This concurrent resolution respectfully urges the President and Congress of the United States to require that all interstate gas pipelines constructed in New Jersey conform to New Jersey regulations concerning the construction, operation, and maintenance of natural gas pipelines in the State.
As New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the country, the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) has determined that adherence to the highest possible safety standards in the construction, operation, and maintenance of natural gas pipelines in the State is necessary to ensure public safety and to promote environmental health throughout the State. In order to accomplish this, the BPU has adopted safety standards for intrastate pipelines which are more stringent than those adopted for interstate pipelines by the federal Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. This resolution seeks to ensure that interstate pipelines constructed and operated in New Jersey adhere to safety standards which are appropriate for the unique characteristics of this State.
