The State of Texas has proposed new regulations concerning community liaison and public awareness for gas and liquid pipelines. Each operator of a gas or liquid pipeline or pipeline facilities or the operator’s designated representative would be required to communicate and conduct liaison activities with fire, police, and other appropriate public emergency response officials in person except as provided elsewhere in the rules. If a personal meeting is not possible, a conference call should be arranged. If a conference call isn’t possible, the appropriate information should be mailed to the appropriate officials. In addition, the owner or operator of each interstate or intrastate hazardous liquid or carbon dioxide pipeline or pipeline facility any part of which is located within 1,000 feet of a public school would be required to develop an emergency response plan in consultation with the fire department in whose jurisdiction the school is located or with another local emergency response entity; and present the plan at the first annual budget meeting of the board of trustees of the school district in which the school is located after the plan is developed, with subsequent annual presentations as requested by the board.
Comments on the proposal may be submitted to Rules Coordinator, Office of General Counsel, Railroad Commission of Texas, P.O. Box 12967, Austin, Texas 78711-2967; online at www.rrc.state.tx.us/rules/commentform.html; or by electronic mail to rulescoordinator@rrc.state.tx.us. The Commission will accept comments for 30 days after publication in the Texas Register and should refer to Gas Utilities Docket No. 9330. For further information, call Mary McDaniel at (512) 463-7058. The status of Commission rulemakings in progress is available at www.rrc.state.tx.us/rules/proposed.html. The complete notice is available on RCP’s website here.