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No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.778
- Print number 5206c
- Amend and recommit to energy and telecommunications
- Referred to energy and telecommunications
- Print number 5206b
- Amend and recommit to energy and telecommunications
- Print number 5206a
- Amend and recommit to energy and telecommunications
- Referred to energy and telecommunications
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Relates to reporting requirements for various classifications of gas leaks by utility corporations
In Senate Committee · Energy And Telecommunications · Sponsor Amy Paulin
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public service law, in relation to reporting of natural gas leaks by gas corporations
Purpose
The bill would (a) require the classification by gas companies of all reported leaks of natural gas; (b) require that each gas company report annually to the Department of Public Service (the "department") the location and classification of each reported leak, the date each such leak was classified and the date each such leak is repaired; (c) require that the department make such information available upon request to any municipal or state public safety official and to members of the legislature; and (d) require the Public Service Commission (the "commission") to commence a proceeding to investigate the need for additional winter. surveillance of gas pipelines due to extended frost.
Summary of provisions
This bill would amend the Public Service Law by adding a new section 67-b to require the Department of Public Service (DPS) to establish a uniform system for classifying natural gas leaks. This system would be used to classify the leaks according to the level of hazard presented to buildings or the public, based on location and/or relative magnitude. Leaks would be classified Type 1, which constitutes a potentially hazardous condition to the public or buildings; Type 2A, which does not present an immediately hazardous condition to the public or buildings, but is of a nature that requires frequent surveillance and scheduled repair, Type 2, which does not present an immediately hazardous condition to the public or buildings, but is of a nature requiring scheduled repair, or Type 3, which is not immediately hazardous at the time of detection and can be reasonably expected to remain that way.
Read the full memo (658 words)
The bill also directs that each gas corporation would be required to report annually to the DPS, beginning March 1, 2017: the location of each Type 1, Type 2A, Type 2 and Type 3 leak; the date of classification of each such leak, and the date of repair performed on each such leak as required under such gas corporation's approved operations and maintenance programs. Such gas leak information would be made available to any municipal or state public safety official and any member of the legislature upon request to the DPS. Under the bill, DPS would promulgate regulation necessary to implement the uniform leak classification standards and to oversee and monitor gas company response and reporting.
Finally, this bill would require the Public Service Commission to commence a proceeding to investigate whether New York State should require winter surveillance and patrol of cast iron or ductile iron pipelines and to determine the effect on such pipelines of extended frost cap conditions.
Justification
Under current regulations, gas companies are required to classify leaks of natural gas according to severity, which is determined by location and the magnitude of the leak. They maintain records the leaks but are not required to report them to the DPS, which relies on periodic audits of the companies to ensure compliance with existing regulations. Because the DPS maintains no records, none are available to public safety officials.
The proposed changes to current law in this bill would lead to a new level of transparency regarding the locations and classifications of leaks, which would accomplish several important. public safety goals. Knowledge of existing leaks would facilitate safe, rapid response by local first responders to accidents and other emergencies that might occur at or near the locations of known gas leaks. Further, members of the public would be more likely to call 911 or their local gas company about suspected gas leaks if they believed that the information would be included in a readily accessible database that would be used to help prevent property damage, injuries or even loss of life.
Legislative history
2014: S.7430 committed to Rules
Fiscal implications
Minimal administrative costs to the Department of Public Service.
Effective date
90th day.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.