Sec. 303. Optimizing pipeline safety inspections
582 words·~3 min read·
/bill/119/s/2975/rs/section-303·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
In this section: The term office means a regional office, district office, and any other office of the Administration serving a particular region. The term region means a region for which a regional office of the Administration has been established. The term State partners means the State authorities described in subparagraphs
(B)and
(C)of subsection (b)(1). The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study to evaluate enforcement actions and the inspection scheduling and coordination practices and procedures used by— the Administration; State authorities certified under section 60105 of title 49, United States Code; and State authorities with which the Secretary has made an agreement under section 60106(a) of that title. The study under paragraph
(1)shall— identify ways in which the Administration and States may coordinate with each other for more effective inspections and enforcement; evaluate the extent of any— substantive overlap of inspections carried out by the Administration and the State partners, such that the Administration and the State partners are inspecting the same operator programs and procedures multiple times in the same annual or biennial period; substantive overlap of inspections carried out by offices in different regions, such that offices in multiple regions are inspecting the same operator programs and procedures multiple times in the same annual or biennial period; coordination among offices in different regions on inspection findings relating to an operator before the Administration decides to take any enforcement or other action against that operator; coordination among offices in different regions and between the Administration and State partners on the scheduling and scoping of inspections of operators to avoid substantive overlaps; resolution processes for operators in cases in which offices in different regions, or the Administration and State partners, take different interpretive positions on the same compliance issue or operator program; and opportunities— to reduce substantive unnecessary overlaps (in the process of which the Comptroller General of the United States shall identify and describe any overlaps that the Comptroller the believes are necessary); to avoid inconsistent interpretations— by offices in different regions; and between the Administration and State partners; to optimize inspection scheduling and coordination; and to improve compliance with Federal pipeline safety laws; and review the Federal enforcement process for its ability to fairly ensure compliance with Federal pipeline safety laws. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that describes the results of the study conducted under subsection (b), which shall include recommendations that the Administrator could adopt to better coordinate inspection practices and procedures with State partners, and between State partners, to address deficiencies identified under subsection (b)(2)— without compromising pipeline safety; and while improving the enforcement process. Not later than June 1 of each year beginning after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall make available to the public in an electronically accessible format a summary of Federal and State pipeline inspections conducted under direct or delegated authority under title 49, United States Code, during the previous calendar year, including— the date of the inspection; the name of the pipeline owner or operator; the pipeline system or segment inspected; the 1 or more regions of the Administration in which the inspected system or segment operates; the 1 or more States in which the inspected system or segment operates; any violations or proposed violations alleged as a result of the inspection; and any enforcement actions taken.