§60143 — Title 49 Transportation | U.S. Code

Summary

Requires the Secretary to issue rules within 2 years after the PIPES Act of 2020 about how safety rules apply to idled gas and hazardous liquid pipelines. An "idled" pipeline means it has stopped normal use and will stay out of service for at least 180 days, is shut off from any hazardous liquids or gases, and either has been cleaned out and kept under a low-pressure inert gas blanket or contains so little gas that the Secretary finds no hazard under a rule. Rules must be based on the risk to people, property, and the environment and must include steps to restart a pipeline. The Secretary or a state agency must inspect idled pipelines and check that cleaning was done when required. The Secretary will set how often reinspections happen. Before a pipeline can start up again, it must be inspected by hydrostatic testing, an internal inspection device, or another similar method if those are not possible, and it must meet all applicable safety rules, including any new rules made while it was idled.

Title 49, §60143

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In this section, the term “idled”, with respect to a pipeline, means that the pipeline—

(1)(A)has ceased normal operations; and

(B)will not resume service for a period of not less than 180 days;

(2)has been isolated from all sources of hazardous liquid, natural gas, or other gas; and

(3)(A)has been purged of combustibles and hazardous materials and maintains a blanket of inert, nonflammable gas at low pressure; or

(B)has not been purged as described in subparagraph (A), but the volume of gas is so small that there is no potential hazard, as determined by the Secretary pursuant to a rule.

(b)(1)Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the PIPES Act of 2020, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations prescribing the applicability of the pipeline safety requirements to idled natural or other gas transmission and hazardous liquid pipelines.

(2)(A)The applicability of the regulations under paragraph (1) shall be based on the risk that idled natural or other gas transmission and hazardous liquid pipelines pose to the public, property, and the environment, and shall include requirements to resume operation.

(B)The Secretary or an appropriate State agency shall inspect each idled pipeline and verify that the pipeline has been purged of combustibles and hazardous materials, if required under subsection (a).

(C)The Secretary shall determine the requirements for periodic reinspection of idled natural or other gas transmission and hazardous liquid pipelines.

(D)As a condition to allowing an idled pipeline to resume operations, the Secretary shall require that, prior to resuming operations, the pipeline shall be—

(i)inspected with—

(I)hydrostatic pressure testing;

(II)an internal inspection device; or

(III)if the use of hydrostatic pressure testing or an internal inspection device is not technologically feasible, another comparable technology or practice; and

(ii)in compliance with regulations promulgated under this chapter, including any regulations that became effective while the pipeline was idled.

References in Text

The date of enactment of the PIPES Act of 2020, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is the date of enactment of div. R of Pub. L. 116–260, which was approved Dec. 27, 2020.

§60143 Idled pipelines

Summary

Title 49, §60143

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

References in Text

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