Great Lakes Oil Spill Prevention Act 2018-01-12 Introduced in House Great Lakes Oil Spill Prevention Act

This bill establishes requirements for petroleum pipelines that cross the navigable waters of the Great Lakes system.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the Department of Transportation must meet certain reporting requirements regarding Great Lakes pipelines.

Owners and operators of Great Lakes pipelines must:

  • adhere to certain maintenance standards,
  • perform certain safety tests,
  • report on violations of the standards and correct violations by specified deadlines,
  • repair corroded pipelines and ensure that the pipelines cease to transmit petroleum until they are repaired, and
  • replace aging pipelines by specified deadlines.

The bill establishes civil penalties for a delay in correcting violations, a failure to report violations, and a failure to meet a deadline to replace aging pipes.

The bill increases the liability of pipeline operators or owners who are responsible for discharges of oil pollution from pipelines into the Great Lakes. Responsible parties must establish and maintain evidence of financial responsibility sufficient to meet the maximum amount of liability to which the party may be subjected.

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