The
2006 PIPES ACT provided PHMSA the authority “to enforce excavation damage
laws in those states that have inadequate enforcement.” In order to do so,
PHMSA is expected to publish the final rule known as the “Pipeline Safety:
Enforcement of State Excavation Damage Laws” in August 2014. State
legislators have been busy updating and rewriting Damage Prevention and
One-Call laws this legislative session. Many updates and rewrites strengthen
penalties and enforcement, clarify excavation definitions, remove or limit
exemptions, and require new facilities to be locatable. States from coast to
coast have passed legislation that update part or all of their Damage
Prevention and One-Call Laws. Several states passed legislation earlier in the
2013-2014 sessions while others are conducting studies on various ways to
improve damage prevention and utility communication. Georgia, Iowa, and Rhode
Island passed updates which become effective July 1, 2014.
Georgia SB117:
Amends Chapter 9 of Title 25 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated
(O.C.G.A.), relating to blasting or excavating near utility facilities. These
changes revise in add definitions including providing clarification on the
locate request process and marking.
Iowa HF2408:
A bill modifying notification requirements applicable to underground facility
excavations where underground facilities are present including requiring
operators to update ticket status information in Iowa’s States Electronic
Positive Response System (EPRS).
Rhode Island
HB7714/SB2450: This legislation requires excavators to provide
additional specific information regarding any excavation location to the Public
Utilities Commission and also includes updated provisions for violations.
Is there uncertainty as to whether your Damage Prevention Procedures meet your
state’s new requirements? RCP can answer your questions regarding state
legislative changes regarding One-Call and Damage Prevention. Click
here to request more information on how RCP can help.
In This Issue
- Updated OQ Enforcement Guidance
- Need to Update Your Current Operator Qualification Program?
- RP 1172 Construction Parallel to Existing Underground Transmission Pipelines – FINAL
- Draft Pipeline Safety Management System Recommended Practice, API 1173, Available for API and ANSI Approval Ballot and Public Comment
- Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission – Risk-Based Inspections
- Pending Audits?
- Texas Proposed Change to Farm Tap Odorization Requirements
- State Damage Prevention Activities
- RCP’s Web-Based Compliance Management Systems
- DIMP Integration
- Key Features
- RCP in the News / Pipeline & Gas Journal June 2014 edition
- RCP Employee Receives ASME Old Guard Early Career Engineer Award
- Public Workshop on Managing Pipeline Cracking Challenges
- Pipeline Safety: Government/Industry Pipeline R&D Forum
- Summer / Fall Conference Schedule
- New RCP Pipeline Pressure Testing Workshop August 26 & 27
- DOT Pipeline Compliance Workshop – August 5 – 7, 2014
- API Damage Prevention Webinar – Save the Date!
- Send us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses of Pipeline Samples, yearning to breathe free.