[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5782 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5782

 To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide for enhanced safety 
and environmental protection in pipeline transportation, to provide for 
   enhanced reliability in the transportation of the Nation's energy 
             products by pipeline, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 13, 2006

    Mr. Young of Alaska (for himself and Mr. Petri) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
  and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
   each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide for enhanced safety 
and environmental protection in pipeline transportation, to provide for 
   enhanced reliability in the transportation of the Nation's energy 
             products by pipeline, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; AMENDMENT OF TITLE 49, UNITED STATES CODE; 
              TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Pipeline Safety 
Improvement Act of 2006''.
    (b) Amendment of Title 49, United States Code.--Except as otherwise 
expressly provided, whenever in this Act an amendment or repeal is 
expressed in terms of an amendment to, or a repeal of, a section or 
other provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to a 
section or other provision of title 49, United States Code.
    (c) Table of Contents.--

Sec. 1. Short title; amendment of title 49, United States Code; table 
                            of contents.
Sec. 2. Pipeline safety and damage prevention.
Sec. 3. Distribution integrity management program rulemaking deadline.
Sec. 4. Pipeline control management.
Sec. 5. Low-stress pipelines.
Sec. 6. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 7. Standards to implement NTSB recommendations.

SEC. 2. PIPELINE SAFETY AND DAMAGE PREVENTION.

    (a) One-Call Civil Enforcement.--
            (1) In general.--Section 60114 is amended by adding at the 
        end the following:
    ``(d) Enforcement.--Any person who engages in excavation activity 
without first using an available one-call notification system to 
establish the location of underground pipeline facilities in the 
excavation area or who disregards location information or markings 
established by an operator of a pipeline facility, and any operator of 
a pipeline facility who fails to respond to a location request in order 
to prevent damage to the pipeline or fails to take reasonable steps, in 
response to such a request, to ensure accurate marking of the location 
of the pipeline in order to prevent damage to the pipeline, shall be 
subject to a civil action under section 60120 or assessment of a civil 
penalty under section 60122.
    ``(e) Limitation.--The Secretary may not conduct an enforcement 
proceeding under subsection (d) within the boundaries of a State that 
has the authority to impose penalties described in section 60134(b)(7) 
against persons who violate that State's damage prevention laws and is 
imposing such penalties.''.
            (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 60122(a)(1) is amended 
        in the first sentence by inserting ``, 60114(d),'' after 
        ``section 60114(b)''.
    (b) State Damage Prevention Programs.--
            (1) Certification.--Section 60105(b)(4) is amended to read 
        as follows:
            ``(4) has agreed to take actions toward establishing a 
        program designed to prevent damage by excavation, demolition, 
        tunneling, or construction activity to the pipeline facilities 
        to which the certification applies that subjects persons who 
        violate the applicable requirements of that program to civil 
        penalties and other enforcement actions that are substantially 
        the same as are provided under this chapter, and addresses the 
        elements in section 60134(b);''.
            (2) Requirement.--Chapter 601 is amended by adding at the 
        end the following new section:
``Sec. 60134. State damage prevention programs
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may make a grant to a State 
authority (including a municipality with respect to intrastate gas 
pipeline transportation) to assist in improving the overall quality and 
effectiveness of a damage prevention program of the State authority 
under subsection (e) if the State authority--
            ``(1)(A) has an annual certification in accordance with 
        section 60105 for such fiscal year; or
            ``(B) has an agreement with the Secretary in accordance 
        with section 60106; and
            ``(2) has agreed to take actions toward establishing an 
        effective damage prevention program that meets the requirements 
        of subsection (b).
    ``(b) Damage Prevention Program Elements.--An effective damage 
prevention program includes the following elements:
            ``(1) Participation by operators, excavators, and other 
        stakeholders in the development and implementation of methods 
        for establishing and maintaining effective communications 
        between stakeholders from receipt of an excavation notification 
        until successful completion of the excavation, as appropriate.
            ``(2) A process for fostering and ensuring the support and 
        partnership of stakeholders, including excavators, operators, 
        locators, designers, and local government in all phases of the 
        program.
            ``(3) A process for reviewing the adequacy of a pipeline 
        operator's internal performance measures regarding persons 
        performing locating services and quality assurance programs.
            ``(4) Participation by operators, excavators, and other 
        stakeholders in the development and implementation of effective 
        employee training programs to ensure that operators, the one-
        call center, the enforcing agency, and the excavators have 
        partnered to design and implement training for the employees of 
        operators, excavators, and locators.
            ``(5) A process for fostering and ensuring active 
        participation by all stakeholders in public education for 
        damage prevention activities.
            ``(6) A process for resolving disputes that defines the 
        State authority's role as a partner and facilitator to resolve 
        issues.
            ``(7) Enforcement of State damage prevention laws and 
        regulations for all aspects of the damage prevention process, 
        including public education, and the use of civil penalties for 
        violations assessable by the appropriate State authority.
            ``(8) A process for fostering and promoting the use, by all 
        appropriate stakeholders, of improving technologies that may 
        enhance communications, underground pipeline locating 
        capability, and gathering and analyzing information about the 
        accuracy and effectiveness of locating programs.
            ``(9) A process for review and analysis of the 
        effectiveness of each program element, including a means for 
        implementing improvements identified by such program reviews.
    ``(c) Factors To Consider.--In making grants under this section, 
the Secretary shall take into consideration the commitment of each 
State to ensuring the effectiveness of its damage prevention program, 
including legislative and regulatory actions taken by the State.
    ``(d) Application.--If a State authority files an application for a 
grant under this section not later than September 30 of a calendar year 
and demonstrates that the Governor (or chief executive) of the State 
has designated it as the appropriate State authority to receive the 
grant, the Secretary shall review the State's damage prevention program 
to determine its effectiveness.
    ``(e) Grants for Effective Programs.--For a program of a State 
authority the Secretary determines to be effective, the Secretary may 
make a grant to the State authority for the cost of the personnel, 
equipment, and activities the State authority reasonably requires 
during the next calendar year to carry out its damage prevention 
program in accordance with subsection (b).
    ``(f) Nonapplicability of Limitation.--A grant made under this 
section is not subject to the section 60107(a) limitation on the 
maximum percentage of funds to be paid by the Secretary.
    ``(g) Limitation on Use of Funds.--Funds provided under this 
section may not be used for lobbying or in direct support of 
litigation.
    ``(h) Funding.--To carry out this section, the Secretary shall make 
available (from amounts appropriated to the Secretary under section 
60125(b) for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012) the following 
respective amounts:
            ``(1) $1,500,000 for fiscal year 2008.
            ``(2) $1,750,000 for fiscal year 2009.
            ``(3) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.
            ``(4) $2,500,000 for fiscal year 2011.
            ``(5) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.
Such funds shall remain available until expended.''.
            (3) Clerical amendment.--The analysis for chapter 601 is 
        amended by adding at the end the following:

``60134. State damage prevention programs.''.
    (c) State Pipeline Safety Grants.--Section 60107(a) is amended by 
striking ``not more than 50 percent'' and inserting ``not more than 80 
percent''.

SEC. 3. DISTRIBUTION INTEGRITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM RULEMAKING DEADLINE.

    Section 60109 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(e) Distribution Integrity Management Programs.--
            ``(1) Minimum standards.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall 
        prescribe minimum standards for integrity management programs 
        for distribution pipelines.
            ``(2) Additional authority of secretary.--In carrying out 
        this subsection, the Secretary may require operators of 
        distribution pipelines to continually identify and assess risks 
        on their distribution lines, to remediate conditions that 
        present a potential threat to line integrity, and to monitor 
        program effectiveness.
            ``(3) Excess flow valves.--The minimum standards shall 
        include criteria for requiring operators of natural gas 
        distribution systems--
                    ``(A) to install excess flow valves on single-
                family residential service lines that are installed or 
                replaced after the date of enactment of this subsection 
                on the basis of feasibility and risk analysis; and
                    ``(B) to report to the Secretary annually on the 
                number of excess flow valves installed on their systems 
                under subparagraph (A).
            ``(4) Applicability.--The Secretary shall determine which 
        distribution pipelines will be subject to the minimum 
        standards.
            ``(5) Development and implementation.--Each operator of a 
        distribution pipeline that Secretary determines is subject to 
        the minimum standards prescribed by the Secretary under this 
        subsection shall develop and implement an integrity management 
        program in accordance with those standards.''.

SEC. 4. PIPELINE CONTROL MANAGEMENT.

    (a) Standards.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall issue 
regulations establishing standards for managing gas and hazardous 
liquid pipelines to reduce risks associated with human factors, 
including fatigue.
    (b) Risk Evaluation.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary 
may require operators of gas and hazardous liquid pipelines to evaluate 
the risks associated with human factors, including fatigue, and take 
measures to reduce such risks with respect to their pipelines.
    (c) Applicability.--The Secretary shall determine which pipelines 
are subject to the standards issued under this section.
    (d) Risk Management.--Each operator of a pipeline that the 
Secretary determines is subject to the standards established by the 
Secretary under this section shall manage the control of the pipeline 
in accordance with those standards.

SEC. 5. LOW-STRESS PIPELINES.

    Section 60102(k) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to 
read as follows:
    ``(k) Low-Stress Hazardous Liquid Pipelines.--
            ``(1) Minimum standards.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall issue 
        minimum standards for the transportation of hazardous liquids 
        by low-stress pipelines located in proximity to areas unusually 
        sensitive to environmental damage as defined by the Secretary 
        under section 60109(b) and by regulation.
            ``(2) Low-stress pipeline defined.--For purposes of this 
        subsection, a `low-stress pipeline' means a hazardous liquid 
        pipeline that is operated in its entirety at a stress level of 
        20 percent or less of the specified minimum yield strength of 
        the line pipe of the pipeline and has a diameter of greater 
        than 8\5/8\ inches.
            ``(3) Applicability.--The Secretary shall determine which 
        low-stress pipelines are subject to the minimum standards 
        issued under this subsection.
            ``(4) Requirement.--Each operator of a low-stress pipeline 
        that the Secretary determines is subject to the minimum 
        standards issued by the Secretary under this subsection shall 
        operate the pipeline in accordance with those standards.''.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Gas and Hazardous Liquid.--Section 60125(a) is amended to read 
as follows:
    ``(a) Gas and Hazardous Liquid.--To carry out this chapter (except 
for section 60107) related to gas and hazardous liquid, the following 
amounts are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of 
Transportation:
            ``(1) For fiscal year 2007, $55,497,000, of which 
        $39,872,000 is to be derived from user fees collected under 
        section 60301 and $15,625,000 is to be derived from the Oil 
        Spill Liability Trust Fund established by section 9509 of the 
        Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
            ``(2) For fiscal year 2008, $57,997,000, of which 
        $42,651,000 is to be derived from such fees and $15,346,000 is 
        to be derived from the Fund.
            ``(3) For fiscal year 2009, $60,482,000, of which 
        $44,839,000 is to be derived from such fees and $16,003,000 is 
        to be derived from the Fund.
            ``(4) For fiscal year 2010, $62,375,000, of which 
        $46,444,000 is to be derived from such fees and $15,931,000 is 
        to be derived from the Fund.
            ``(5) For fiscal year 2011, $62,375,000, of which 
        $46,444,000 is to be derived from such fees and $15,931,000 is 
        to be derived from the Fund.
            ``(6) For fiscal year 2012, $62,375,000, of which 
        $46,444,000 is to be derived from such fees and $15,931,000 is 
        to be derived from the Fund.''.
    (b) State Grants.--Section 60125(b)(1) is amended to read as 
follows:
    ``(1) To carry out section 60107, the following amounts are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Transportation:
            ``(A) For fiscal year 2007, $20,238,000, of which 
        $17,053,000 is to be derived from user fees collected under 
        section 60301 and $3,185,000 is to be derived from the Oil 
        Spill Liability Trust Fund.
            ``(B) For fiscal year 2008, $23,221,000, of which 
        $19,567,000 is to be derived from such fees and $3,654,000 is 
        to be derived from the Fund. Of the amounts so appropriated, 
        $1,500,000 shall be available for grants to States under 
        section 60134.
            ``(C) For fiscal year 2009, $24,513,000, of which 
        $20,656,000 is to be derived from such fees and $3,857,000 is 
        to be derived from the Fund. Of the amount so appropriated, 
        $1,750,000 shall be available for grants to States under 
        section 60134.
            ``(D) For fiscal year 2010, $25,855,000, of which 
        $21,786,000 is to be derived from such fees and $4,069,000 is 
        to be derived from the Fund. Of the amount so appropriated, 
        $2,000,000 shall be available for grants to States under 
        section 60134.
            ``(E) For fiscal year 2011, $25,855,000, of which 
        $21,786,000 is to be derived from such fees and $4,069,000 is 
        to be derived from the Fund. Of the amount so appropriated, 
        $2,000,000 shall be available for grants to States under 
        section 60134.
            ``(F) For fiscal year 2012, $25,855,000, of which 
        $21,786,000 is to be derived from such fees and $4,069,000 is 
        to be derived from the Fund. Of the amount so appropriated, 
        $2,000,000 shall be available for grants to States under 
        section 60134.''.
    (c) Conforming Amendments.--Section 60125 is amended--
            (1) by striking subsection (c); and
            (2) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections 
        (c) and (d), respectively.
    (d) Emergency Response Grants.--Section 60125(c)(2) (as 
redesignated by subsection (c)(2) of this section) is amended by 
striking ``2003 through 2006'' and inserting ``2007 through 2012''.
    (e) One-Call Notification Programs.--Section 6107 is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a) by striking ``fiscal years 2003 
        through 2006'' and inserting ``fiscal years 2007 through 
        2012''; and
            (2) in subsection (b) by striking ``for fiscal years 2003 
        through 2006'' and inserting ``for fiscal years 2007 through 
        2012''.

SEC. 7. STANDARDS TO IMPLEMENT NTSB RECOMMENDATIONS.

    Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Transportation shall issue standards that implement 
the following recommendations contained in the National Transportation 
Safety Board's report entitled ``Supervisory Control and Data 
Acquisition (SCADA) in Liquid Pipelines'' and adopted November 29, 
2005:
            (1) Implementation of the American Petroleum Institute's 
        Recommended Practice 165 for the use of graphics on the 
        supervisory control and data acquisition screens.
            (2) Implementation of a standard for pipeline companies to 
        review and audit alarms on monitoring equipment.
            (3) Implementation of standards for pipeline controller 
        training that include simulator or noncomputerized simulations 
        for controller recognition of abnormal pipeline operating 
        conditions, in particular, leak events.
                                 <all>