BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1420
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 13, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
1420 (Salas) - As Amended April 21, 2015
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|Policy |Natural Resources |Vote:|9 - 0 |
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| |Environmental Safety and Toxic | |5 - 0 |
| |Materials | | |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable:
No
SUMMARY:
This bill establishes a process for assessing the risk of leaks
in gas pipelines and providing notification and assistance to
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residents affected by a leak. Specifically, this bill:
1)Provides when a local health officer is notified of a leak in
a pipeline regulated by the Division of Oil, Gas and
Geothermal Resources (DOGGR), and the officer makes a
determination that the leak poses a risk to public health, the
officer shall do all of the following:
a) Work collaboratively with DOGGR and the owner or
operator of the pipeline.
b) Direct the responsible party to test the soil, air, and
water in the affected area for contamination caused by the
leak and disclose the results of the tests to the public.
c) Make a determination, based on the result of the tests,
on whether the leak poses a serious threat to the public
health and safety of residents affected by the leak, and
provide assistance to those residents.
2)Requires DOGGR to prioritize the identification and testing of
all pipelines under its jurisdiction that are near sensitive
areas, such as residential areas and schools.
3)Requires the operator of the pipeline to promptly notify the
local health officer and DOGGR of a leak.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Increased initial costs of approximately $130,000 for DOGGR to
identify and test specified pipelines in sensitive areas;
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ongoing estimated annual costs of $120.000 (special fund).
COMMENTS:
1)Rationale. In early 2014, a gas leak was detected beneath the
community of Arvin, California. A total of 8 families were
evacuated from their homes and were unable to return for
several months. Affected residents claimed to have smelled
gas, and complained of nosebleeds, headaches, coughing and
dizziness. Once the leak was detected, affected residents were
unclear where to get resources and information.
According to the author, this incident demonstrated a lack of
clarity in the law regarding the role of all involved
entities. This bill establishes a clear process to follow to
protect the health, safety, and environment in the event of
gas leak.
2)Background. Under DOGGR's regulations governing pipeline
testing, operators are required to visually inspect all
aboveground pipelines for leaks and corrosion at least once a
year. For underground urban pipelines that are older than 10
years, over 4 inches in diameter, and are in environmentally
sensitive areas, testing every two years is required.
A county board of supervisors, a city council, or a state
agency may petition the Supervisor of DOGGR to include other
pipelines as environmentally sensitive. DOGGR regulations also
require an operator to promptly report significant gas leaks
to the appropriate DOGGR district office.
The pipeline leak in Arvin was in an environmentally sensitive
area, but the pipeline was less than four inches and therefore
thousands of feet of pipeline had never been checked for
leaks. According to DOGGR the last time the pipeline was
inspected was August 8, 2011.
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This bill requires DOGGR to prioritize the testing of all
pipelines under DOGGR's jurisdiction in sensitive places, such
as residents and schools.
Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081