S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
978
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 11, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring gas
corporations to file gas safety reports
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 66-s of the public service law, as added by a chap-
ter of the laws of 2022 amending the public service law relating to
filing gas safety reports, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S.
1380-A and A. 129-A, is renumbered section 66-u and amended to read as
follows:
§ 66-u. Gas safety reports. 1. On or before [March fifteenth] APRIL
THIRTIETH of each year, each gas corporation shall file with the depart-
ment 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 corporation 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, LEAK REPAIR INFORMATION, and any other
information the department may require. If there has been no substantial
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04308-01-3
A. 978 2
change in a gas corporation'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] THE COMMISSION MAY
TAKE ANY ACTION TO ADDRESS AND/OR PREVENT a deficiency in a gas corpo-
ration's prioritization or administration of its pipeline replacement
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] INCLUDING ORDERING reasonable
improvements 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 on the same date and in the same
manner as a chapter of the laws of 2022 amending the public service law
relating to filing gas safety reports, as proposed in legislative bills
numbers S. 1380-A and A. 129-A, takes effect.