S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1683--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
January 15, 2019
___________
Introduced by Sen. BROOKS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommuni-
cations -- recommitted to the Committee on Energy and Telecommuni-
cations 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 ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The public service law is amended by adding a new section
66-q to read as follows:
§ 66-Q. 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
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00764-03-0
S. 1683--A 2
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.
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.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.