Bill Text: CA AB3227 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 3227 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 2011: intrastate transmission lines: safety valves.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-02-17 - From printer. May be heard in committee March 19. [AB3227 Detail]

Download: California-2017-AB3227-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 3227

Introduced by Assembly Member Burke

February 16, 2018

An act to amend Section 957 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to public utilities.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 3227, as introduced, Burke. Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 2011: intrastate transmission lines: safety valves.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including gas corporations. The Public Utilities Act authorizes the commission to ascertain and fix just and reasonable standards, classifications, regulations, practices, measurements, or services to be furnished, imposed, observed, and followed by specified public utilities, including gas corporations.

Existing law requires the installation of automatic shutoff or remote controlled sectionalized block valves on certain intrastate gas transmission lines that are located in a high consequence area, as defined, or that traverse an active seismic earthquake fault. Existing law requires the owner or operator of a commission-regulated gas pipeline facility that is an intrastate transmission line to provide the commission with a valve location plan, along with any recommendations for valve locations, and authorizes the commission to make modifications to the valve location plan.

This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to this provision.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NO

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

SECTION 1.

Section 957 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:

957.

(a) (1) Unless the commission determines that it is prohibited from doing so by subdivision (c) of Section 60104 of Title 49 of the United States Code, the commission shall require the installation of automatic shutoff or remote controlled sectionalized block valves on both of the following facilities, if it determines those valves are necessary for the protection of the public:

(A) Intrastate transmission lines that are located in a high consequence area.

(B) Intrastate transmission lines that traverse an active seismic earthquake fault.

(2) Each owner or operator of a commission-regulated gas pipeline facility that is an intrastate transmission line shall provide the commission with a valve location ~~plan, along with~~ plan and any recommendations for valve locations. The commission may make modifications to the valve location plan or provide for variations from any location requirements adopted by the commission pursuant to this section that it deems necessary or appropriate and consistent with protection of the public.

(3) The commission shall additionally establish action timelines, adopt standards for how to prioritize installation of automatic shutoff or remote controlled sectionalized block valves pursuant to paragraph (1), ensure that remote and automatic shutoff valves are installed as quickly as is reasonably possible, and establish ongoing procedures for monitoring progress in achieving the requirements of this section.

(b) The commission shall authorize recovery in rates for all reasonably incurred costs incurred for implementation of the requirements of this section.

(c) The commission, in consultation with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration of the United States Department of Transportation, shall adopt and enforce compatible safety standards for commission-regulated gas pipeline facilities that the commission determines should be adopted to implement the requirements of this section.