I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4429 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Transpor-
tation to issue minimum uniform safety standards for underground nat-
ural gas storage facilities, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 2, 2016 
Mr. KNIGHT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined 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 Sec-
retary of Transportation to issue minimum uniform safe-
ty standards for underground natural gas storage facili-
ties, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Natural Gas Leak Pre-
vention Act of 2016’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:19 Feb 03, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4429.IH
H4429
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. UNDERGROUND NATURAL GAS STORAGE FACILI-
TIES. 
(a) DEFINED TERM.—Section 60101(a) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (21)(B), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting a semicolon; 
(2) in paragraph (24), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(3) in paragraph (25), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(26) ‘underground natural gas storage facility’ 
means a gas pipeline facility that stores gas in an 
underground facility, including— 
‘‘(A) a depleted hydrocarbon reservoir; 
‘‘(B) an aquifer reservoir; or 
‘‘(C) a solution mined salt cavern res-
ervoir.’’. 
(b) STANDARDS FOR UNDERGROUND NATURAL GAS 
STORAGE FACILITIES.—Chapter 601 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 60103 
the following: 
‘‘§ 60103A. Standards for underground natural gas 
storage facilities 
‘‘(a) MINIMUM UNIFORM SAFETY STANDARDS.—Not 
later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this sec-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:19 Feb 03, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4429.IH
H4429
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
tion, the Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with 
the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall issue 
minimum uniform safety standards, incorporating, to the 
extent practicable, consensus standards for the operation, 
environmental protection, and integrity management of 
underground natural gas storage facilities. 
‘‘(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—In developing uniform safe-
ty standards under subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) consider the economic impacts of the regu-
lations on individual gas customers to the extent 
practicable; 
‘‘(2) ensure that the regulations do not have a 
significant economic impact on end users to the ex-
tent practicable; and 
‘‘(3) consider existing consensus standards. 
‘‘(c) USER FEES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A fee shall be imposed on 
an entity operating an underground natural gas 
storage facility to which this section applies. Any 
such fee imposed shall be collected before the end of 
the fiscal year to which it applies. 
‘‘(2) MEANS OF COLLECTION.—The Secretary 
shall prescribe procedures to collect fees under this 
subsection. The Secretary may use a department, 
agency, or instrumentality of the United States Gov-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:19 Feb 03, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4429.IH
H4429
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
ernment or of a State or local government to collect 
the fee and may reimburse the department, agency, 
or instrumentality a reasonable amount for its serv-
ices. 
‘‘(3) USE OF FEES.— 
‘‘(A) ACCOUNT.—There is established an 
underground natural gas storage facility safety 
account in the Pipeline Safety Fund established 
under section 60301, in the Treasury of the 
United States. 
‘‘(B) USE OF FEES.—A fee collected under 
this subsection— 
‘‘(i) shall be deposited in the under-
ground natural gas storage facility safety 
account; and 
‘‘(ii) if the fee is related to an under-
ground natural gas storage facility, may be 
used only for an activity related to under-
ground natural gas storage safety under 
this section. 
‘‘(C) 
LIMITATION.—Amounts 
collected 
under this subsection shall be made available 
only to the extent provided in advance in an ap-
propriation law for an activity related to under-
ground natural gas storage safety. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:19 Feb 03, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4429.IH
H4429
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(d) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Nothing in this section 
may be construed to affect any Federal regulation 
relating to gas pipeline facilities that is in effect on 
the day before the date of enactment of this section. 
‘‘(2) LIMITATIONS.—Nothing in this section 
may be construed to authorize the Secretary— 
‘‘(A) to prescribe the location of an under-
ground natural gas storage facility; or 
‘‘(B) to require the Secretary’s permission 
to construct a facility referred to in subpara-
graph (A).’’. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for chapter 601 is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 60103 the following: 
‘‘60103A. Standards for underground natural gas storage facilities.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:19 Feb 03, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H4429.IH
H4429
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS