Senate Bill No. 1206

Introduced by Senator Morrell

February 18, 2016

An act to amend Section 956 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to natural gas.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 1206, as introduced, Morrell. Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 2011.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including gas corporations, as defined. The Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 2011 designates the commission as the state authority responsible for regulating and enforcing intrastate gas pipeline transportation and pipeline facilities pursuant to federal law, including the development, submission, and administration of a state pipeline safety program certification for natural gas pipelines. The act requires the commission, by July 1, 2012, to open an appropriate proceeding or expand the scope of an existing proceeding to establish compatible emergency response standards that owners or operators of certain commission-regulated gas pipeline facilities, as defined, are required to follow and requires the commission to report to the Legislature on the status of establishing the compatible emergency response standards on or before January 1, 2013.

This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change to the compatible emergency response standards requirements.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 956 of the Public Utilities Code is
amended to read:

956.  

(a)  On or before July 1, 2012, the commission shall open
an appropriate proceeding or expand the scope of an existing
proceeding to establish compatible emergency response standards
that owners or operators of commission-regulated gas pipeline
facilities shall be required to follow for intrastate transmission and
distribution lines. The commission shall establish the standards to
ensure that intrastate transmission and distribution lines have
emergency response plans that adequately prepare them for a
natural disaster or malfunction that could cause injury to human
life or property, with the purpose of minimizing the occurrence of
both.

(b) The commission shall establish the compatible emergency
response standards in consultation with the California Emergency
Management Agency, the State Fire Marshal, and members of
California’s first responder community including, but not limited
to, members of the California Fire Chiefs Association.

(c) The compatible emergency response standards shall require
owners or operators of intrastate transmission and distribution lines
to implement emergency response plans that are compatible with
the United States Department of Transportation Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s regulations
concerning emergency plans contained in Section 192.615 of Title
49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and those plans shall
include, but not be limited to, all of the following requirements:

(1) Emergency shutdown and pressure reduction shall be utilized
whenever deemed necessary and appropriate by the owners or
operators to minimize hazards to life or property. begin delete An end delete begin insert The end insert owner
or operator shall notify appropriate first responders of emergency
shutdown and pressure reduction.

(2) During an emergency response effort, the incident
commander may direct coordination between first responders and
owners or operators to ensure timely and ongoing communication
on decisions for emergency shutdown and pressure reduction.

(3) Owners or operators of intrastate transmission and
distribution lines shall establish and maintain liaison with
appropriate fire, police, and other public officials to do all of the
following:

(A) Learn the responsibility and resources of each government
organization that may respond to a gas pipeline emergency,
including, but not limited to, the role of the incident commander
in an emergency.

(B) Acquaint the officials with the owner’s or operator’s ability
in responding to a gas pipeline emergency.

(C) Identify the types of gas pipeline emergencies of which the
owner or operator notifies the officials.

(D) Plan how the owner or operator and officials can engage in
mutual assistance to minimize hazards to life or property.

(E) Identify and update information on individual personnel
responsible for the liaison with the appropriate first responder
organizations.

(4) Owners and operators of intrastate transmission lines shall
provide the State Fire Marshal and the chief fire official of the
applicable city, county, city and county, or fire protection district
with instructions on how to access and utilize the National Pipeline
Mapping System developed by the United States Department of
Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration, utilizing data submitted pursuant to Section 60132
of Title 49 of the United States Code, to improve local response
capabilities for pipeline emergencies.

(d) (1) The commission shall report to the Legislature on the
status of establishing the compatible emergency response standards
on or before January 1, 2013.

(2) A report to be submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government
Code.