§60124 — Title 49 Transportation | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary of Transportation must send Congress a report by August 15, 1997, and then every 2 years after that. There should be one report about gas pipelines and one about hazardous liquid pipelines. Each report covers the 2 calendar years just before the report. The Secretary may send a single combined report instead of two separate ones. Each report must give plain information about the prior year for that pipeline type. It must describe leak repairs, accidents, and causes found by the National Transportation Safety Board. It must list safety rules, including new ones, and explain any waivers under section 60118(c) and (d). It must show how well companies followed the rules and list enforcement actions and settlements by location and company. It must list outstanding problems in order of priority. It must review research and technology progress, including policy effects and a summary of each R&D project done under Section 12 of the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002 and how those projects affect safety. It must list finished or pending court cases with the main issues. It must say how technical information was shared with scientists and how consumer information was made public. It must compile certifications filed under section 60105 that were in effect or partly rejected, and give reasons for rejections. It must compile agreements under section 60106 that were in effect or ended, with reasons for ending them. It must describe the number and qualifications of State pipeline safety inspectors where a certification or agreement is in effect and say how many and what qualifications the Secretary recommends. Finally, it must include recommendations for laws to help States cooperate on gas and hazardous liquid pipeline safety and to strengthen the national gas pipeline safety program.

Title 49, §60124

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than August 15, 1997, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary of Transportation shall submit to Congress a report on carrying out this chapter for the 2 immediately preceding calendar years for gas and a report on carrying out this chapter for such period for hazardous liquid. Each report shall include the following information about the prior year for gas or hazardous liquid, as appropriate:

(1)a thorough compilation of the leak repairs, accidents, and casualties and a statement of cause when investigated and established by the National Transportation Safety Board.

(2)a list of applicable pipeline safety standards prescribed under this chapter including identification of standards prescribed during the year.

(3)a summary of the reasons for each waiver granted under section 60118(c) and (d) of this title.

(4)an evaluation of the degree of compliance with applicable safety standards, including a list of enforcement actions and compromises of alleged violations by location and company name.

(5)a summary of outstanding problems in carrying out this chapter, in order of priority.

(6)an analysis and evaluation of—

(A)research activities, including their policy implications, completed as a result of the United States Government and private sponsorship;

(B)technological progress in safety achieved; and

(C)a summary of each research and development project carried out with Federal and non-Federal entities pursuant to section 12 of the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002 and a review of how the project affects safety.

(7)a list, with a brief statement of the issues, of completed or pending judicial actions under this chapter.

(8)the extent to which technical information was distributed to the scientific community and consumer-oriented information was made available to the public.

(9)a compilation of certifications filed under section 60105 of this title that were—

(A)in effect; or

(B)rejected in any part by the Secretary and a summary of the reasons for each rejection.

(10)a compilation of agreements made under section 60106 of this title that were—

(A)in effect; or

(B)ended in any part by the Secretary and a summary of the reasons for ending each agreement.

(11)a description of the number and qualifications of State pipeline safety inspectors in each State for which a certification under section 60105 of this title or an agreement under section 60106 of this title is in effect and the number and qualifications of inspectors the Secretary recommends for that State.

(12)recommendations for legislation the Secretary considers necessary—

(A)to promote cooperation among the States in improving—

(i)gas pipeline safety; or

(ii)hazardous liquid pipeline safety programs; and

(B)to strengthen the national gas pipeline safety program.

(b)The Secretary may submit one report to carry out subsection (a) of this section.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 60124(a)49 App.:1683(a).Aug. 12, 1968, Pub. L. 90–481, § 16(a), 82 Stat. 728; Oct. 11, 1976, Pub. L. 94–477, § 7, 90 Stat. 2075; Nov. 30, 1979, Pub. L. 96–129, §§ 104(b), 107, 109(l), (m), 93 Stat. 992, 995, 997; Oct. 11, 1984, Pub. L. 98–464, § 3(a), 98 Stat. 1821; Oct. 24, 1992, Pub. L. 102–508, § 110(b), 106 Stat. 3295. 49 App.:1683(b).Aug. 12, 1968, Pub. L. 90–481, § 16(b), 82 Stat. 728; Nov. 30, 1979, Pub. L. 96–129, § 104(b), 93 Stat. 992. 49 App.:2012(a).Nov. 30, 1979, Pub. L. 96–129, § 213(a), 93 Stat. 1013; Oct. 11, 1984, Pub. L. 98–464, § 3(b), 98 Stat. 1821; Oct. 24, 1992, Pub. L. 102–508, § 209(b), 106 Stat. 3304. 49 App.:2012(b).Nov. 30, 1979, Pub. L. 96–129, § 213(b), (c), 93 Stat. 1014. 60124(b)49 App.:2012(c). In subsection (a), before clause (1), the words “prepare and” and “comprehensive” are omitted as surplus. The words “the following information” are added for clarity. The words “about the prior year” are substituted for “occurring in such year”, “established or in effect in such year”, “during such year”, and “during the preceding calendar year” to eliminate unnecessary words. In clause (2), the word “Federal” is omitted as surplus. The word “prescribed” is substituted for “established or in effect” and “established” for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code and to eliminate unnecessary words. The word “newly” is omitted as surplus. In clause (4), the words “for the transportation of gas and pipeline facilities” in 49 App.:1683(a)(4) and “for the transportation of hazardous liquids and pipeline facilities” in 49 App.:2012(a)(4) are omitted because of the restatement. In clause (5), the words “in carrying out” are substituted for “confronting the administration of” for consistency. In clause (9), before subclause (A), the words “by State agencies (including municipalities)” are omitted as surplus. In clauses (9)(B) and (10)(B), the words “in any part” are added for clarity. In clause (10), before subclause (A), the words “with State agencies (including municipalities)” are omitted as surplus. In clause (12), before subclause (A), the word “additional” is omitted as surplus. In subclause (A), the word “several” is omitted as surplus. In subsection (b), the words “annual” and “the report requirements of” are omitted as surplus.

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 12 of the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002, referred to in subsec. (a)(6)(C), is section 12 of Pub. L. 107–355, which is set out as a note under section 60101 of this title.

Amendments

2016—Subsec. (a)(6)(C). Pub. L. 114–183 added subpar. (C). 1996—Pub. L. 104–304, § 15(a)(1), substituted “Biennial” for “Annual” in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–304, § 15(a)(2), inserted first sentence and struck out former first sentence which read as follows: “The Secretary of Transportation shall submit to Congress not later than August 15 of each odd-numbered year a report on carrying out this chapter for the prior calendar year for gas and a report on carrying out this chapter for the prior calendar year for hazardous liquid.” 1995—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–66 substituted “of each odd-numbered year” for “of each year” in first sentence of introductory provisions.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Termination of Reporting RequirementsFor termination, effective May 15, 2000, of provisions of law requiring submittal to Congress of any annual, semiannual, or other regular periodic report listed in House Document No. 103–7 (in which the 7th and 9th items on page 135 identify reporting provisions which, as subsequently amended, are contained in this section), see section 3003 of Pub. L. 104–66, as amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and Finance.

§60124 Biennial Reports