Pipeline Inspection, Protection, Enforcement, and Safety Act of 2006

Bill: 109-s-3961
Sponsor: Sen. Stevens, Ted [R-AK]
Introduced: 2006-09-27 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Accident prevention
Administrative procedure
Authorization
Collection of accounts
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Corrosion
Department of Transportation
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Energy
Energy prices
Energy supplies
Environmental Protection
Excavation
Federal aid to transportation
Fines (Penalties)
Gas pipelines
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Government trust funds
Governmental investigations
Hours of labor
Human engineering
Labor and Employment
Law
Liquefied natural gas
Navigation satellites
Oil pollution
Petroleum
Petroleum pipelines
Pipelines
Research and development
Risk
Science, Technology, Communications
Space activities
Standards
Technological innovations
Telephone
Transportation of hazardous substances
Transportation planning
Transportation research
Transportation safety

Summary:
action_date: 2006-09-27
text: 
Pipeline Inspection, Protection, Enforcement, and Safety Act of 2006 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) to issue regulations that subject low-stress hazardous liquid pipelines to the same standards as other hazardous liquid pipelines, with specified exceptions. Authorizes the Secretary to retain or remove such exceptions after such regulations become effective.
 
Revises certain one-call notification system minimum requirements to prohibit a person from: (1) excavating without first using the one-call notification system to establish the location of underground pipelines; (2) disregarding pipeline location information or markings; and (3) failing to take reasonable steps to prevent pipeline damage during excavation and to report damage caused by such excavation.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to make: (1) a grant to a state to improve its damage prevention program provided it has an annual pipeline safety program certification or a pipeline safety agreement, and a qualified damage prevention program; and (2) technology development grants to an organization to prevent pipeline damage caused by excavation activities.
 
Authorizes the Secretary: (1) after notice and opportunity for a hearing, to order corrective action for pipelines that pose a risk to public safety or the environment; and (2) to waive such notice and hearing requirements in emergency situations.
 
Sets forth requirements regarding: (1) risk analysis and integrity management program enforcement; (2) transparency of gas and hazardous liquid pipeline enforcement actions; (3) minimum standards for integrity management programs for gas distribution pipelines; (4) implementation of certain National Transportation Safety Board pipeline safety recommendations; (5) coordination of pipeline repairs and hazardous liquid pipeline construction projects; (6) reduction of gas and hazardous liquid pipeline accidents due to human risks factors; (7) waiver of pipeline safety standards; (8) the 811 national excavation damage prevention phone number; (9) certification of pipeline integrity management program performance reports; (10) a Pipeline Security and Incident Recovery Protocols Plan; and (11) pipeline safety and security assistance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-11-16
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Hearings held.
action_date: 2006-09-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2006-09-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10306)
action_date: 2006-09-27
text: Introduced in Senate