Cal. PUC § 975 — California Code / Code puc / Division 1 / Part 1 / Chapter 4.5 / Article 3 / Section 975
Section 975
Status: in_force

(a) For purposes of this chapter, “commission-regulated gas pipeline facility” has the same meaning as defined in Section 950.

(b) With priority given to safety, reliability, and affordability of service, the commission shall adopt rules and procedures governing the operation, maintenance, repair, and replacement of those commission-regulated gas pipeline facilities that are intrastate transmission and distribution lines, as described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 950, to achieve both of the following:

(1) Minimize leaks as a hazard to be mitigated pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 961, consistent with the requirements of Section 192.703(c) of Subpart M of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the commission’s General Order 112-E, and their successors.

(2) While giving due consideration to the cost considerations of Section 977, reduce emissions of natural gas from those commission-regulated gas pipeline facilities that are intrastate transmission and distribution lines to the maximum extent feasible in order to advance the state’s goals in reducing emissions of greenhouse gases pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code).

(c) As soon as practicable, the commission shall require gas corporations to file a report that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:

(1) A summary of utility leak management practices.

(2) A list of new methane leaks in 2013 by grade.

(3) A list of open leaks that are being monitored or are scheduled to be repaired.

(4) A best estimate of gas loss due to leaks.

(d) Not later than January 15, 2015, the commission, in consultation with the State Air Resources Board, shall commence a proceeding to adopt rules and procedures for those commission-regulated pipeline facilities that are intrastate transmission and distribution lines, as respectively described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 950, to achieve the goals of subdivision (b).

(e) The rules and procedures adopted pursuant to subdivision (d) shall accomplish all of the following:

(1) Provide for the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective avoidance, reduction, and repair of leaks and leaking components in those commission-regulated gas pipeline facilities that are intrastate transmission and distribution lines within a reasonable time after discovery, consistent with the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code) to achieve the goals in subdivision (b).

(2) Provide for the repair of leaks as soon as reasonably possible after discovery, consistent with established safety requirements and the goals of reducing air pollution and the climate change impacts of methane emissions.

(3) Evaluate the operations, maintenance, and repair practices of those commission-regulated gas pipeline facilities that are intrastate transmission and distribution lines to determine whether existing practices are effective at reducing methane leaks and promoting public safety, consistent with Section 961, achieve the goals of subdivision (b), and whether alternative practices may be more effective at achieving the goals of subdivision (b).

(4) Establish and require the use of best practices for leak surveys, patrols, leak survey technology, leak prevention, and leak reduction. The commission shall consider in the development of best practices the quality of materials and equipment. Collected leak data shall remain the property of the utility and shall be available to the commission and parties in commission proceedings as determined by the commission or specified by statute.

(5) Establish protocols and procedures for the development and use of metrics to quantify the volume of emissions from leaking gas pipeline facilities, and for evaluating and tracking leaks geographically and over time, that may be incorporated into the plans required by Section 961, or into other state emissions tracking systems, or both, including the regulations for the reporting of greenhouse gases of the State Air Resources Board. The quantification of emissions shall provide operators, the commission, and the public with accurate information about the number and severity of leaks and about the quantity of natural gas that is emitted into the atmosphere over time.

(6) To the extent feasible, require the owner of each commission-regulated gas pipeline facility that is an intrastate transmission or distribution line to calculate and report to the commission and the State Air Resources Board a baseline systemwide leak rate, along with any data and computer models used in making that calculation, to periodically update that systemwide leak rate calculation, and to annually report on measures that will be taken in the following year to reduce the systemwide leak rate to achieve the goals of subdivision (b).

(f) The rules and procedures, including best practices and repair standards, shall be incorporated into the safety plans required by Section 961 and the applicable general orders adopted by the commission.

(g) Consistent with subdivision (e) of Section 961, the commission shall facilitate robust ongoing participation of the workforce of gas corporations and those state and federal entities that have regulatory roles of relevance in all aspects of the proceeding to ensure that the rules and procedures it adopts are not inconsistent with the regulations and procedures adopted by those agencies. Nothing in this section affects the commission’s authority to determine eligibility for intervenor compensation.

(h) Nothing in this article shall affect or shall be interpreted to affect the existing authority of the State Air Resources Board to adopt rules and regulations to achieve the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective greenhouse gas emission reductions and to maintain and continue emission reductions under the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code).