Assembly Bill A2777

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  2777

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 20, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  BRENNAN,  RODRIGUEZ,  OTIS  -- read once and
  referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions

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  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  The public service law is amended by adding a new section
66-o to read as follows:
  S 66-O. 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 CORPO-
RATION 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  CORPO-
RATION'S  OPERATION  AND MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES RELATED TO GAS SAFETY, A
DESCRIPTION OF THE CORPORATION'S INSPECTIONS OF  ITS  INTRASTATE  TRANS-
MISSION AND DISTRIBUTION LINES, AND ANY OTHER INFORMATION THE DEPARTMENT
MAY  REQUIRE.  IF  THERE  HAS BEEN NO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN A GAS CORPO-
RATION'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.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD02512-02-5
              

A. 2777                             2

  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 CORPO-
RATION 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 REPLACE-
MENT 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  IMPROVE-
MENTS  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.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.