What's happening
This bill requires gas corporations in New York to file annual gas safety reports, detailing pipeline projects and safety activities for regulatory review.
Why it matters
Increased transparency on gas safety and spending. By requiring detailed annual reports, the bill ensures the public and regulators can see how gas corporations plan, prioritize, and spend funds on pipeline replacement and safety activities, making it easier to hold companies accountable.
Closer scrutiny of contractor vs. employee work. The law mandates disclosure of whether pipeline projects were completed by a corporation’s own employees or by outside contractors, and allows for independent cost-benefit analyses, which could impact labor practices, safety, and costs.
Regulatory authority to enforce improvements. If deficiencies are found in a company’s safety practices or project administration, the Public Service Commission is empowered to order corrective actions, potentially leading to safer operations and better service for customers.
Adaptability and efficiency in reporting. The bill allows corporations to file updated reports if there have been no substantial changes, reducing unnecessary paperwork while still ensuring important information is kept current.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Gas Safety Reports
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Print number 4715a
- Amend and recommit to energy and telecommunications
- Referred 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.
Require Gas Safety Reports
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Amy Paulin
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4715--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 24, 2017
Introduced by Sens. BROOKS, BAILEY, DILAN, HOYLMAN, PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommunications -- recommitted to the Committee on Energy and Telecommunications in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to filing gas safety reports
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public service law is amended by adding a new section 66-p to read as follows:
§ 66-p. Gas safety reports. 1. On or before March fifteenth of each year, each gas corporation shall file with the department a gas safety report. The department shall review the reports to monitor each gas corporation's pipeline replacement projects and all other activities related to providing safe and reliable gas service in order to determine whether the projects or activities are being carried out in a manner consistent with this chapter, the commission's rules, regulations and orders, and any practice the department has deemed necessary for the provision of safe and reliable service, and to track how each gas corporation is spending any funds allocated for pipeline replacement projects and all other activities related to providing safe and reliable gas service.
2. The gas safety report provided for in subdivision one of this section shall include a thorough description and explanation of the strategic planning and decision-making methodology used to determine and prioritize pipeline replacement projects, a description of the corporation's operation and maintenance activities related to gas safety, a description of the corporation's inspections of its intrastate transmission and distribution lines, and any other information the department
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02147-03-8
S. 4715--A 2
may require. If there has been no substantial change in a gas corporation's safety report since the gas safety report most recently filed with the department, the corporation, with consent of the department, may file an updated version of such report.
2-a. A gas corporation shall also include with its gas safety report a list of pipeline replacement projects completed by a gas corporation within the last year; such list shall indicate which projects were completed with a gas corporation's own employees and which were completed by contractors. The commission may also order a gas corporation to submit an independent cost benefit analysis which examines the gas corporation's use of its own employees and its use of contractors to complete pipeline replacement projects.
3. If the department determines that there is a deficiency in a gas corporation's prioritization or administration of its pipeline replacement projects or operation and maintenance activities related to gas safety, the department shall notify the commission at the next scheduled public session and shall provide a brief description of the facts and nature of the deficiency. The commission may order reasonable improvements that will best promote the public interest, preserve the public health and protect those using gas pursuant to those powers provided to the commission as provided in this chapter, including but not limited to those in section sixty-six of this article.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public service law, in relation to filing gas safety reports
Purpose or general idea of bill
To increase gas safety and promote the public interest.
Summary of specific provisions
* Paragraph one creates the requirement that each gas corporation must file an annual gas safety report with Department of Public Service. The Department would review to ensure each gas corporation is complying with Public Service Law, the Commission's rules, regulations, and orders, and any practice the Department has deemed necessary for providing safe and reliable service.
* Paragraph two sets the requirements for the gas safety report which shall include a thorough description and explanation of the strategic planning and decision-making methodology used to determine and prior- itize pipeline replacement projects, a description of the corporation's operations and maintenance activities related to gas safety, and a description of its inspection policies relating to its pipeline infras- tructure. It also requires a gas corporation to submit a list of pipe- line replacement projects completed by a gas corporation within the last year and to indicate which were completed by employees of the gas corpo- ration and which were completed by contractors. The Commission is also authorized to order a cost benefit analysis to further examine this practice.
* Paragraph three requires the Department to notify the Commission of any deficiencies in a gas corporation's prioritization of projects or administration of its pipeline infrastructure. The Commission may then order reasonable improvements under existing law to protect public safe- ty.
Justification
This bill would require gas corporations to produce an annual gas safety report for the purposes of increasing transparency, accountability, and public safety. Natural gas must be used and delivered in the safest possible manner. An annual gas safety report by each gas corporation will be an additional tool for the public, the Public Service Commis- sion, and the Legislature to ensure that every possible effort is being made to ensure the safe delivery and use of natural gas.
Prior legislative history
A.9722a of 2014 - Passed Assembly. S.5811/A.2777 of 2015 - Passed Assembly.
Fiscal implications
None to the state.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.