Community Protection and Preparedness Act of 2017

To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide for a rail spill preparedness fund, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Community Protection and Preparedness Act of 2017 2. Rail spill preparedness fund (a) In general Chapter 51 section 5110 5111. Rail spill preparedness fund (a) Establishment of Rail Account There is established in the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund a separate account to be known as the Rail Account (b) Fee for certain railroad tank cars transporting Class 3 flammable liquids Not later than October 1, 2017, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall impose a fee of $1,500 for each DOT–111 specification railroad tank car, including each CPC–1232 tank car, used to transport Class 3 flammable liquids during the previous fiscal year that, at the time such tank car was used, did not meet the DOT–117, DOT–117P, or DOT–117R specifications in part 179 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations. Such fee shall be— (1) paid by each person who causes such liquids to be transported by such a tank car in commerce; and (2) imposed regardless of— (A) train composition; or (B) the phase-out schedule under section 7304(b) of the FAST Act ( 49 U.S.C. 20155 (c) Limitation A fee imposed pursuant to subsection (b) may not be imposed on a railroad carrier that transports Class 3 flammable liquids. (d) Means of collection The Secretary shall prescribe procedures to collect the fees described in subsection (b). The Secretary may use a department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States Government or of a State or local government to collect the fee and may reimburse the department, agency, or instrumentality a reasonable amount for its services. (e) Deposits Amounts equivalent to the fees collected pursuant to subsection (b) shall be deposited into the Rail Account. (f) Expenditures Amounts deposited pursuant to subsection (e) shall be available to the Secretary, without need of further appropriation, only for the following purposes: (1) The payment of removal and remediation costs and other costs, expenses, claims, and damages related to an accident or incident involving the transportation of Class 3 flammable liquids by rail. (2) For the Secretary to make grants to States and Indian tribes to— (A) to develop, improve, and carry out emergency plans under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 ( 42 U.S.C. 11001 (B) to develop and train regional hazardous material emergency response teams to prepare for an accident or incident involving the transportation of Class 3 flammable liquids by rail; (C) to train public sector employees to respond to accidents and incidents involving the transportation of Class 3 flammable liquids by rail consistent with the requirements of section 5116; and (D) for any other measures that the Secretary, in consultation with States and Indian tribes, determines necessary to assist such States and Indian tribes in preparing for accidents and incidents involving the transportation of Class 3 flammable liquids by rail. (g) Public sector training standards To the extent that a grant under subsection (f) is used to train emergency responders, the State or Indian tribe shall ensure that the emergency responders who receive training under the grant have the ability to protect nearby persons, property, and the environment from the effects of accidents or incidents involving the transportation of hazardous material in accordance with existing regulations or National Fire Protection Association standards for competence of responders to accidents and incidents involving hazardous materials, including the transportation of Class 3 flammable liquids by rail. (h) No effect on compliance or liability under Federal or State law Nothing in this section may be construed to affect or limit the application of, obligation to comply with, or liability under any Federal or State law. (i) Definitions (1) Class 3 flammable liquid The term Class 3 flammable liquid (2) Railroad carrier The term railroad carrier . (b) Conforming amendment The analysis for chapter 51 section 5110 5111. Rail spill preparedness fund. . 3. Final rule on oil spill response plans Not later than 3 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration shall issue a final rule relating to the notice of proposed rulemaking issued on July 29, 2016, entitled Hazardous Materials: Oil Spill Response Plans and Information Sharing for High-Hazard Flammable Trains 4. Track safety specialists There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration to hire a minimum of 2 additional track safety specialists per region. 5. Study on the adequacy of certain track inspections and regulations Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall transmit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate— (1) an assessment of the adequacy of— (A) railroad track inspections, including the frequency of inspections; (B) training provided to railroad track inspectors and related railroad personnel; (C) railroad compliance with Federal track safety regulations; and (D) Federal oversight of railroads with respect to track safety; and (2) an evaluation on the leading causes of track defects, particularly along routes where passenger trains, high-hazardous flammable trains, or trains carrying poisonous or toxic-by-inhalation materials, explosives, or radioactive material traverse.

Summary: Community Protection and Preparedness Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT), annually, to impose a $1,500 fee for each DOT-111 specification railroad tank car used to transport Class 3 flammable liquids during the previous fiscal year that did not meet DOT-117, DOT-117P, or DOT-117R specifications at the time it was used. Such fee shall be paid by each person who causes such liquids to be transported by such car in commerce and not by the railroad carrier that transports such liquids. Collected fees shall be deposited into a Rail Account established within the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund and shall be available only for: the payment of removal and remediation costs and other costs, expenses, claims, and damages related to an accident or incident involving the transportation of Class 3 flammable liquids by rail; and DOT grants to states and Indian tribes to develop emergency plans and to train regional hazardous material emergency response teams and public employees responding to such an accident or incident. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration shall issue a final rule relating to the notice of proposed rulemaking issued on July 29, 2016, "Hazardous Materials: Oil Spill Response Plans and Information Sharing for High-Hazard Flammable Trains." Necessary amounts are authorized for the Federal Railroad Administration to hire at least two additional track safety specialists per region. DOT shall: assess the adequacy of railroad track inspections, training provided to railroad track inspectors and related personnel, railroad compliance with federal track safety regulations, and federal oversight of railroad track safety; and evaluate the leading causes of track defects, particularly along train routes traversed by passengers and hazardous materials.