Pipeline Integrity, Safety, and Reliability Research and Development Act of 2000

Summary: Requires the Secretary to: (1) arrange with the National Academy of Sciences for the establishment of a Pipeline Integrity Technical Advisory Committee; and (2) prepare, along with the Committee, in coordination with the Secretary of Energy, and submit to Congress a five-year research and development program plan.
Authorizes appropriations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Pipeline Integrity, Safety, and 
Reliability Research and Development Act of 2000''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines are a 
        critical element of our nation's energy infrastructure;
            (2) pipeline transportation of natural gas and liquid fuels 
        is a cost-effective means of delivering energy;
            (3) the Nation's reliance on pipelines is increasing, 
        especially for delivery of fuel to densely populated areas;
            (4) a number of the Nation's pipelines have been in service 
        for more than 50 years;
            (5) ensuring pipelines are constructed and maintained to 
        minimize the risks to safety and the environment is a national 
        priority;
            (6) early detection of serious defects in a pipeline 
        reduces the risk of accidents;
            (7) pipeline operators and Federal and State inspectors 
        need advanced technologies to locate defects and monitor 
        pipelines before failures occur;
            (8) the many benefits of pipeline transportation are in the 
        national interest and it is appropriate for the Federal 
        Government to provide investment in fundamental and research-
        driven innovation in the areas of pipeline materials, 
        operations, and inspections techniques; and
            (9) Federal contributions to promoting pipeline safety 
        should be part of a coordinated research and development 
        program under the Department of Transportation and in 
        coordination with the Department of Energy, the national 
        laboratories, universities, the private sector, and other 
        research institutes.

SEC. 3. COOPERATION AND COORDINATION PROGRAM FOR PIPELINE INTEGRITY 
              RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation, in coordination 
with the Secretary of Energy, shall develop and implement an 
accelerated cooperative program of research and development to ensure 
the integrity of natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines. This 
research and development program shall include materials inspection 
techniques, risk assessment methodology, and information systems 
surety.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the cooperative research program shall 
be to promote research and development to--
            (1) ensure long-term safety, reliability and service life 
        for existing pipelines;
            (2) expand capabilities of internal inspection devices to 
        identify and accurately measure defects and anomalies;
            (3) develop inspection techniques for pipelines that cannot 
        accommodate the internal inspection devices available on the 
        date of enactment;
            (4) develop innovative techniques to measure the structural 
        integrity of pipelines to prevent pipeline failures;
            (5) develop improved materials and coatings for use in 
        pipelines;
            (6) improve the capability, reliability, and practicality 
        of external leak detection devices;
            (7) identify underground environments that might lead to 
        shortened service life;
            (8) enhance safety in pipeline siting and land use;
            (9) minimize the environmental impact of pipelines;
            (10) demonstrate technologies that improve pipeline safety, 
        reliability, and integrity;
            (11) provide risk assessment tools for optimizing risk 
        mitigation strategies; and
            (12) provide highly secure information systems for 
        controlling the operation of pipelines.
        (c) Areas.--In carrying out this Act, the Secretary of 
Transportation, in coordination with the Secretary of Energy, shall 
consider research and development on natural gas, crude oil, and 
petroleum product pipelines for--
            (1) early crack, defect, and damage detection, including 
        real-time damage monitoring;
            (2) automated internal pipeline inspection sensor systems;
            (3) land use guidance and set back management along 
        pipeline rights-of-way for communities;
            (4) internal corrosion control;
            (5) corrosion-resistant coatings;
            (6) improved cathodic protection;
            (7) inspection techniques where internal inspection is not 
        feasible, including measurement of structural integrity;
            (8) external leak detection, including portable real-time 
        video imaging technology, and the advancement of computerized 
        control center leak detection systems utilizing real-time 
        remote field data input;
            (9) longer life, high strength, non-corrosive pipeline 
        materials;
            (10) assessing the remaining strength of existing pipes;
            (11) risk and reliability analysis models, to be used to 
        identify safety improvements that could be realized in the near 
        term resulting from analysis of data obtained from a pipeline 
        performance tracking initiative.
            (12) identification, monitoring, and prevention of outside 
        force damage, including satellite surveillance; and
            (13) any other areas necessary to ensuring the public 
        safety and protecting the environment.
    (d) Points of Contact.--
            (1) In general.--To coordinate and implement the research 
        and development programs and activities authorized under this 
        Act--
                    (A) the Secretary of Transportation shall 
                designate, as the point of contact for the Department 
                of Transportation, an officer of the Department of 
                Transportation who has been appointed by the President 
                and confirmed by the Senate; and
                    (B) the Secretary of Energy shall designate, as the 
                point of contact for the Department of Energy, an 
                officer of the Department of Energy who has been 
                appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
            (2) Duties.--(A) The point of contact for the Department of 
        Transportation shall have the primary responsibility for 
        coordinating and overseeing the implementation of the research, 
        development, and demonstration program plan, as defined in 
        subsections (e) and (f).
            (B) The points of contact shall jointly assist in arranging 
        cooperative agreements for research, development, and 
        demonstration involving their respective Departments, national 
        laboratories, universities, and industry research 
        organizations.
    (e) Research and Development Program Plan.--Within 240 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation, in 
coordination with the Secretary of Energy and the Pipeline Integrity 
Technical Advisory Committee, shall prepare and submit to the Congress 
a 5-year program plan to guide activities under this Act. In preparing 
the program plan, the Secretary shall consult with appropriate 
representatives of the natural gas, crude oil, and petroleum product 
pipeline industries to select and prioritize appropriate project 
proposals. The Secretary may also seek the advice of utilities, 
manufacturers, institutions of higher learning, Federal agencies, the 
pipeline research institutions, national laboratories, State pipeline 
safety officials, environmental organizations, pipeline safety 
advocates, and professional and technical societies.
    (f) Implementation.--The Secretary of Transportation shall have 
primary responsibility for ensuring the five-year plan provided for in 
subsection (e) is implemented as intended by this Act. In carrying out 
the research, development, and demonstration activities under this Act, 
the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Energy may use, to 
the extent authorized under applicable provisions of law, contracts, 
cooperative agreements, cooperative research and development agreements 
under the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 
3701 et seq.), grants, joint ventures, other transactions, and any 
other form of agreement available to the Secretary consistent with the 
recommendations of the Advisory Committee.
    (g) Reports to Congress.--The Secretary of Transportation shall 
report to the Congress annually as to the status and results to date of 
the implementation of the research and development program plan. The 
report shall include the activities of the Departments of 
Transportation and Energy, the national laboratories, universities, and 
any other research organizations, including industry research 
organizations.

SEC. 4. PIPELINE INTEGRITY TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Transportation shall enter 
into appropriate arrangements with the National Academy of Sciences to 
establish and manage the Pipeline Integrity Technical Advisory 
Committee for the purpose of advising the Secretary of Transportation 
and the Secretary of Energy on the development and implementation of 
the five-year research, development, and demonstration program plan as 
defined in Sec. 3(e). The Advisory Committee shall have an ongoing role 
in evaluating the progress and results of the research, development, 
and demonstration carried out under this Act.
    (b) Membership.--The National Academy of Sciences shall appoint the 
members of the Pipeline Integrity Technical Advisory Committee after 
consultation with the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of 
Energy. Members appointed to the Advisory Committee should have the 
necessary qualifications to provide technical contributions to the 
purposes of the Advisory Committee.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION.

    (a) There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
Transportation for carrying out this Act $3,000,000, which is to be 
derived from user fees (49 U.S.C. Sec. 60125), for each of the fiscal 
years 2001 through 2005.
    (b) Of the amounts available in the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund 
(26 U.S.C. Sec. 9509), $3,000,000 shall be transferred to the Secretary 
of Transportation to carry out programs for detection, prevention, and 
mitigation of oil spills authorized in this Act for each of the fiscal 
years 2001 through 2005.
    (c) There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
Energy for carrying out this Act such sums as may be necessary for each 
of the fiscal years 2001 through 2005.