Bill Text: TX HB1124 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to safety requirements applicable to gas pipelines in certain counties.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-16 - Left pending in committee [HB1124 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HB1124-Introduced.html
| 82R4756 TRH-D | ||
| By: Burnam | H.B. No. 1124 | |
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| relating to safety requirements applicable to gas pipelines in | ||
| certain counties. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 121, Utilities Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 121.2017 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 121.2017. SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN PORTIONS OF | ||
| PIPELINES IN CERTAIN POPULOUS COUNTIES. (a) This section applies | ||
| only to that portion of a gas pipeline that is located or proposed | ||
| to be located in: | ||
| (1) a Class 3 or 4 location as defined by 49 C.F.R. | ||
| Section 192.5; and | ||
| (2) a county that is located wholly or partly above a | ||
| hydrocarbon-producing geological formation that underlies all or | ||
| part of two counties: | ||
| (A) that are adjacent to one another; and | ||
| (B) each of which has a population of more than | ||
| 1.4 million. | ||
| (b) A gathering or transmission pipeline may not be | ||
| constructed within 50 feet of an established permanent structure | ||
| that is used by human beings on a regular basis unless: | ||
| (1) the owner of the structure consents in writing to | ||
| the construction of the pipeline; or | ||
| (2) the pipeline: | ||
| (A) operates at a pressure that does not exceed | ||
| 50 percent of the pipeline's specified minimum yield strength; | ||
| (B) is equipped with automatic shutoff valves; | ||
| and | ||
| (C) is buried at least 12 inches deeper than | ||
| required by all other applicable state and federal regulations. | ||
| (c) The operator of a gathering or transmission pipeline | ||
| shall monitor the pipeline with a supervisory control and data | ||
| acquisition system unless: | ||
| (1) the operator demonstrates to the railroad | ||
| commission that use of the system would be infeasible or | ||
| economically impractical; and | ||
| (2) the operator conducts a leak survey of the | ||
| pipeline at least once every three months. | ||
| (d) The pipe used in a gathering or transmission pipeline | ||
| must be constructed of materials that meet the requirements of 49 | ||
| C.F.R. Part 192. The railroad commission may not issue a permit | ||
| that exempts a pipeline from the requirements of this subsection. | ||
| (e) A gathering or transmission pipeline must be protected | ||
| from corrosion in the manner required by 49 C.F.R. Part 192. A | ||
| pipeline integrity assessment by in-line inspection, a pressure | ||
| test, or a direct assessment as defined by railroad commission | ||
| rules of a gathering or transmission pipeline must be conducted | ||
| every three years. | ||
| (f) The railroad commission shall adopt rules to implement | ||
| this section. | ||
| (g) This section and railroad commission rules adopted to | ||
| implement this section shall be enforced in the same manner as | ||
| Section 121.201 and safety standards or other rules prescribed or | ||
| adopted under that section. | ||
| SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective | ||
| date of this Act, the Railroad Commission of Texas shall adopt rules | ||
| to implement Section 121.2017, Utilities Code, as added by this | ||
| Act. | ||
| (b) Sections 121.2017(b) and (d), Utilities Code, as added | ||
| by this Act, apply only to a pipeline constructed on or after the | ||
| effective date of this Act. | ||
| (c) A pipeline subject to this Act that is in existence on | ||
| the effective date of this Act is not required to be brought into | ||
| compliance with Section 121.2017(e), Utilities Code, as added by | ||
| this Act, until January 1, 2014. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect January 1, 2012. | ||
