Bill Text: TX SB749 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the detection and repair of natural gas pipeline leaks.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-02-26 - Referred to Natural Resources [SB749 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-SB749-Introduced.html
| 83R1148 JAM-F | ||
| By: Davis | S.B. No. 749 | |
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| relating to the detection and repair of natural gas pipeline leaks. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Chapter 91, Natural Resources Code, is amended | ||
| by adding Subchapter I to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER I. GAS LEAKS | ||
| Sec. 91.301. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
| (1) "Grade 1 leak" includes a gas leak: | ||
| (A) that is determined by personnel present at | ||
| the scene of the leak to be an immediate hazard to property or the | ||
| public; | ||
| (B) that results in the ignition of escaping gas; | ||
| (C) in which gas may have migrated into or under a | ||
| building or tunnel; | ||
| (D) in which gas is present or may be present at | ||
| the outside wall of a building; | ||
| (E) that presents at least an 80 percent lower | ||
| explosive limit in: | ||
| (i) a confined space; or | ||
| (ii) a small substructure, other than a | ||
| gas-associated substructure, from which gas is likely to migrate to | ||
| the outside wall of a building; or | ||
| (F) that can be seen, heard, or felt, and that is | ||
| in a location that may endanger property or the public. | ||
| (2) "Operator" means a person who operates: | ||
| (A) a gas distribution system; | ||
| (B) a regulated plastic gas gathering line; or | ||
| (C) a plastic gas transmission line. | ||
| Sec. 91.302. OPERATOR RESPONSE TO GAS LEAK. An operator | ||
| shall: | ||
| (1) promptly respond to any notification received by | ||
| the operator relating to: | ||
| (A) a gas leak or gas odor emanating from any of | ||
| the operator's pipeline facilities; or | ||
| (B) damage to any of the operator's pipeline | ||
| facilities caused by an excavator or other outside source; and | ||
| (2) ensure that the operator's leak detection | ||
| equipment is properly calibrated. | ||
| Sec. 91.303. RESPONSE TO GRADE 1 LEAK. (a) In responding to | ||
| a gas leak under Section 91.302, an operator shall determine | ||
| whether the leak is a grade 1 leak. The determination must be made | ||
| by a person with training, experience, and knowledge in the field of | ||
| leak classification and investigation, and must be based on all | ||
| pertinent information and a complete investigation by the person at | ||
| the scene of the leak. | ||
| (b) On a determination that a leak is a grade 1 leak, the | ||
| operator shall make necessary repairs and take immediate action to | ||
| eliminate hazardous conditions, including: | ||
| (1) implementing an emergency plan described by 49 | ||
| C.F.R. Section 192.615; | ||
| (2) evacuating premises; | ||
| (3) blocking off an area; | ||
| (4) rerouting traffic; | ||
| (5) eliminating any source of ignition; | ||
| (6) venting the area; | ||
| (7) stopping the flow of gas; or | ||
| (8) notifying emergency responders. | ||
| Sec. 91.304. REPORTING OF GRADE 1 LEAK. (a) Not later than | ||
| January 15 and July 15 of each year, each operator shall submit to | ||
| the commission through the commission's online reporting system a | ||
| list of all gas leaks identified and repaired in any of the | ||
| operator's pipeline facilities. The report to be submitted by July | ||
| 15 must include leaks that occurred on or after the previous January | ||
| 1, but not later than the previous June 30. The report to be | ||
| submitted by January 15 must include leaks that occurred on or after | ||
| the previous July 1, but not later than the previous December 31. | ||
| (b) Each report required by Subsection (a) must include: | ||
| (1) the location of each leak; | ||
| (2) the facility type affected by each leak; | ||
| (3) the size and type of the pipe in which each leak | ||
| occurred; | ||
| (4) the cause of each leak; and | ||
| (5) the method used to repair each leak. | ||
| Sec. 91.305. VERIFICATION OF GRADE 1 LEAK REPAIR. (a) | ||
| Within a reasonable time after a report is submitted under Section | ||
| 91.304, the commission shall verify that each repair of a grade 1 | ||
| leak was performed as stated in the report. The commission shall | ||
| adopt rules regarding the scheduling of verifications under this | ||
| section. | ||
| (b) For each grade 1 leak, the commission shall report its | ||
| findings regarding its verification of repairs under Subsection (a) | ||
| to: | ||
| (1) the member or members of a municipality's | ||
| governing body and county commissioner who represent the area in | ||
| which the leak occurred; and | ||
| (2) the operator of the pipeline facility in which the | ||
| leak occurred. | ||
| SECTION 2. The Railroad Commission of Texas shall adopt | ||
| rules as necessary to implement this Act as soon as practicable | ||
| after this Act takes effect. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. | ||
