| 1 | 1 | | 87R12469 JAM-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Rosenthal H.B. No. 3183 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the cold weather preparedness of gas wells and pipeline |
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| 8 | 8 | | facilities; authorizing a penalty. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 86, Natural Resources |
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| 11 | 11 | | Code, is amended by adding Section 86.044 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 86.044. COLD WEATHER PREPAREDNESS. (a) The |
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| 13 | 13 | | commission by rule shall require an operator of a gas well to: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (1) implement measures to prepare the well to operate |
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| 15 | 15 | | during sustained periods of cold weather; and |
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| 16 | 16 | | (2) provide to the commission a biannual report of the |
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| 17 | 17 | | efforts the operator has taken to implement the measures required |
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| 18 | 18 | | under Subdivision (1). |
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| 19 | 19 | | (b) A failure to submit a report under Subsection (a)(2) is |
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| 20 | 20 | | punishable by: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) for a first violation, a fine of $5,000; and |
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| 22 | 22 | | (2) for a subsequent or continuing violation of more |
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| 23 | 23 | | than four months: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (A) a fine of $7,500; or |
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| 25 | 25 | | (B) a revocation of each permit authorizing the |
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| 26 | 26 | | operation of a well for which a report has not been submitted. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (c) The commission shall submit an annual report to the |
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| 28 | 28 | | legislature regarding the implementation of rules adopted under |
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| 29 | 29 | | this section. |
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| 30 | 30 | | SECTION 2. Section 121.2015, Utilities Code, is amended by |
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| 31 | 31 | | amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (d), (e), (f), and |
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| 32 | 32 | | (g) to read as follows: |
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| 33 | 33 | | (a) The railroad commission shall adopt rules regarding: |
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| 34 | 34 | | (1) public education and awareness relating to gas |
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| 35 | 35 | | pipeline facilities; [and] |
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| 36 | 36 | | (2) community liaison for responding to an emergency |
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| 37 | 37 | | relating to a gas pipeline facility; and |
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| 38 | 38 | | (3) measures gas pipeline facility operators must |
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| 39 | 39 | | implement to prepare gas pipeline facilities to maintain service |
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| 40 | 40 | | quality and reliability during sustained periods of cold weather. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (d) Measures adopted under Subsection (a)(3) must require: |
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| 42 | 42 | | (1) the installation of condensate drains in |
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| 43 | 43 | | pipelines; |
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| 44 | 44 | | (2) that drains installed under Subdivision (1) be |
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| 45 | 45 | | installed in a manner that ensures the drains remain free of frost |
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| 46 | 46 | | at all times; and |
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| 47 | 47 | | (3) that valves, pumps, and other pressure-sensitive |
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| 48 | 48 | | equipment be protected from weather by insulation or heaters. |
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| 49 | 49 | | (e) A pipeline facility operator shall submit to the |
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| 50 | 50 | | railroad commission a biannual report of the efforts the operator |
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| 51 | 51 | | has taken to implement the measures required under Subsection |
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| 52 | 52 | | (a)(3). |
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| 53 | 53 | | (f) A failure to submit a report under Subsection (e) is |
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| 54 | 54 | | punishable by: |
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| 55 | 55 | | (1) for a first violation, a fine of $5,000; and |
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| 56 | 56 | | (2) for a subsequent or continuing violation of more |
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| 57 | 57 | | than four months: |
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| 58 | 58 | | (A) a fine of $7,500; or |
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| 59 | 59 | | (B) a revocation of the permit authorizing the |
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| 60 | 60 | | operation of the pipeline facility. |
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| 61 | 61 | | (g) The railroad commission shall submit an annual report to |
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| 62 | 62 | | the legislature regarding the implementation of rules adopted under |
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| 63 | 63 | | this section. |
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| 64 | 64 | | SECTION 3. (a) The first reports required under Sections |
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| 65 | 65 | | 86.044(a)(2), Natural Resources Code, and 121.2015(e), Utilities |
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| 66 | 66 | | Code, as added by this Act, must be submitted to the Railroad |
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| 67 | 67 | | Commission of Texas not later than March 1, 2022. |
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| 68 | 68 | | (b) In addition to the reports required under Sections |
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| 69 | 69 | | 86.044(c), Natural Resources Code, and 121.2015(g), Utilities |
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| 70 | 70 | | Code, as added by this Act, the Railroad Commission of Texas shall |
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| 71 | 71 | | submit to the legislature an interim report not later than March 1, |
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| 72 | 72 | | 2022, regarding the implementation of changes in law made by this |
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| 73 | 73 | | Act. |
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| 74 | 74 | | (c) Not later than September 1 of each year beginning in |
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| 75 | 75 | | 2022, the Railroad Commission of Texas shall submit to the |
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| 76 | 76 | | legislature the annual reports required by Sections 86.044(c), |
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| 77 | 77 | | Natural Resources Code, and 121.2015(g), Utilities Code, as added |
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| 78 | 78 | | by this Act. |
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| 79 | 79 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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