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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| HOUSE BILL |
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| INTRODUCED BY SONNEY, BOBACK, CALTAGIRONE, FABRIZIO, GABLER, GEIST, GOODMAN, HESS, LEVDANSKY, MAHER, METZGAR, MUNDY, MURT, OBERLANDER, SIPTROTH, VULAKOVICH, WAGNER, WATSON AND YOUNGBLOOD, OCTOBER 7, 2010 |
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| REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, OCTOBER 7, 2010 |
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| AN ACT |
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1 | Amending the act of December 19, 1984 (P.L.1140, No.223), |
2 | entitled "An act relating to the development of oil and gas |
3 | and coal; imposing duties and powers on the Department of |
4 | Environmental Resources; imposing notification requirements |
5 | to protect landowners; and providing for definitions, for |
6 | various requirements to regulate the drilling and operation |
7 | of oil and gas wells, for gas storage reservoirs, for various |
8 | reporting requirements, including certain requirements |
9 | concerning the operation of coal mines, for well permits, for |
10 | well registration, for distance requirements, for well casing |
11 | requirements, for safety device requirements, for storage |
12 | reservoir obligations, for well bonding requirements, for a |
13 | Well Plugging Restricted Revenue Account to enforce oil and |
14 | gas well plugging requirements, for the creation of an Oil |
15 | and Gas Technical Advisory Board, for oil and gas well |
16 | inspections, for enforcement and for penalties," in |
17 | preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions; |
18 | and, in general requirements, providing for the regulation of |
19 | compressor stations. |
20 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
21 | hereby enacts as follows: |
22 | Section 1. Section 103 of the act of December 19, 1984 |
23 | (P.L.1140, No.223), known as the Oil and Gas Act, is amended by |
24 | adding a definition to read: |
25 | Section 103. Definitions. |
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1 | The following words and phrases when used in this act shall |
2 | have the meanings given to them in this section unless the |
3 | context clearly indicates otherwise: |
4 | * * * |
5 | "Natural gas compressor station." A permanent facility |
6 | housing a mechanical device which increases the pressure of |
7 | natural gas by reducing its volume in order for the natural gas |
8 | to be moved into transmission lines or into storage. |
9 | * * * |
10 | Section 2. The act is amended by adding a section to read: |
11 | Section 217. Natural gas compressor stations. |
12 | (a) Each well operator shall provide to the department a |
13 | natural gas compressor station plan as part of the well |
14 | operator's permit application. The plan shall show the political |
15 | subdivision and county upon which tract of land the station will |
16 | be constructed, the name of all surface landowners within 2,500 |
17 | feet of the proposed station, the amount of acreage to be used |
18 | by the station and exact location of the station on the tract. |
19 | (b) (1) Any new, existing or expanded natural gas |
20 | compressor station constructed under this section shall not |
21 | exceed a noise threshold of a day-night level of 55 dBA. The |
22 | operator of each natural gas compressor station shall conduct |
23 | a noise survey and submit a report of its findings to the |
24 | department within 60 days of completing the survey. |
25 | (2) (i) If the initial survey demonstrates the station |
26 | exceeds the noise day-night level specified in paragraph |
27 | (1), the department shall direct the operator to take the |
28 | necessary actions to ensure compliance. |
29 | (ii) The operator shall ensure that the facility |
30 | complies with the requirements of this subsection within |
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1 | 45 days of being notified by the department. Upon |
2 | completion of all noise mediation actions, the operator |
3 | shall conduct a second noise survey and submit the |
4 | results to the department within 45 days of completing |
5 | the second noise survey. |
6 | (3) The department shall issue orders as are necessary |
7 | to aid in the enforcement of the provisions of this section. |
8 | An order issued under this section shall take effect upon |
9 | notice unless the order specifies otherwise. The department |
10 | may suspend or cease operation of a station, if the station |
11 | continues to violate this section. |
12 | (c) An operator of a natural gas compressor station shall |
13 | notify, in writing, all landowners owning property, with or |
14 | without a residence, and within 2,500 feet of a proposed natural |
15 | gas compressor station 60 days prior to commencing construction |
16 | of the station. The notification shall, at a minimum, include: |
17 | (1) A brief description of the station to be constructed |
18 | or replaced and the effect the construction activity will |
19 | have on the landowner's property. |
20 | (2) The name and telephone number of the company |
21 | representative who is knowledgeable about the project. |
22 | (3) A description of the operator's complaint resolution |
23 | procedure, which procedure shall, at a minimum, include |
24 | providing landowners with clear and simple directions for |
25 | identifying and resolving concerns or problems that may occur |
26 | during construction or upon completion of the station. |
27 | (4) A local or toll-free telephone number or Internet |
28 | website and a name of a specific person to be contacted with |
29 | the responsibility for responding to landowner concerns and |
30 | complaints. |
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1 | (5) Instructions to landowners regarding the right to |
2 | file a complaint with the department if the landowner |
3 | believes the operator's response is unsatisfactory. |
4 | Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately. |
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