I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2871 

To amend title 49, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish integrity verification requirements for pipeline facilities, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 8, 2011 

Ms. SPEIER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee 

on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by 

the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend title 49, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish integrity verification 

requirements for pipeline facilities, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pipeline Modernization 

5 for Safety Act of 2011’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. INTEGRITY VERIFICATION REQUIREMENTS. 

2 Section 60108 of title 49, United States Code, is 

3 amended by adding at the end the following: 

4 ‘‘(e) INTEGRITY VERIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.— 

5 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall estab6 lish integrity verification requirements for pipeline 

7 facilities. 

8 ‘‘(2) REQUIRED ACTIONS FOR PIPELINE SEG9 MENTS WITHOUT DOCUMENTED PRESSURE TESTS.— 

10 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—As part of the integ11 rity verification requirements, the Secretary 

12 shall require an operator of a pipeline facility 

13 that contains a pipeline segment without a doc14 umented pressure test to— 

15 ‘‘(i) hydro-test the pipeline segment; 

16 or 

17 ‘‘(ii) replace the pipeline segment. 

18 ‘‘(B) ADDITIONAL ACTIONS.—In addition 

19 to the actions described in subparagraph (A), 

20 the Secretary may require an operator de21 scribed in subparagraph (A) to undertake other 

22 actions determined necessary by the Secretary 

23 for public safety, including temporary reduc24 tions in pressure. 

25 ‘‘(3) REPORTING OF INCREASES IN PRESSURE

26 EXCEEDING MAOP.— 


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1 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—As part of the integ2 rity verification requirements, the Secretary 

3 shall require an operator of a pipeline facility 

4 that contains a pipeline segment without a doc5 umented pressure test to submit a written re6 port to the Secretary (or the Secretary’s des7 ignee) on any increase in pressure in the pipe8 line segment that exceeds the maximum allow9 able operating pressure for the pipeline seg10 ment. 

11 ‘‘(B) DEADLINE.—An operator shall report 

12 an increase in pressure under subparagraph (A) 

13 not later than 24 hours after the operator dis14 covers the increase in pressure. 

15 ‘‘(C) INFORMATION TO BE REPORTED.—A 

16 report on an increase in pressure under sub17 paragraph (A) shall contain, at a minimum, in18 formation on— 

19 ‘‘(i) the cause of the increase; and 

20 ‘‘(ii) any remedial action taken to ad21 dress the cause of the increase. 

22 ‘‘(4) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 2 years 

23 after the date of enactment of this subsection, the 

24 Secretary shall issue final regulations to carry out 

25 this subsection. Such regulations shall prioritize 


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1 pipeline facilities in high consequence areas (as de2 scribed in section 60109(a) of title 49, United States 

3 Code) for purposes of implementation of the require4 ments of this subsection.’’. 

Æ 


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