U.S. Code > Title 49 Transportation > SUBTITLE VIII—PIPELINES (§§ 60101—60503) > CHAPTER 601—SAFETY (§§ 60101—60137) > § 60117. Administrative

§ 60117. Administrative

(a) General Authority.— To carry out this chapter, the Secretary of Transportation may conduct investigations, make reports, issue subpenas, conduct hearings, require the production of records, take depositions, and conduct research, testing, development, demonstration, and training activities and promotional activities relating to prevention of damage to pipeline facilities. The Secretary may not charge a tuition-type fee for training State or local government personnel in the enforcement of regulations prescribed under this chapter.
(b) Records, Reports, and Information.— To enable the Secretary to decide whether a person owning or operating a pipeline facility is complying with this chapter and standards prescribed or orders issued under this chapter, the person shall—
(1) maintain records, make reports, and provide information the Secretary requires; and
(2) make the records, reports, and information available when the Secretary requests.
The Secretary may require owners and operators of gathering lines to provide the Secretary information pertinent to the Secretary’s ability to make a determination as to whether and to what extent to regulate gathering lines.
(c) Entry and Inspection.— An officer, employee, or agent of the Department of Transportation designated by the Secretary, on display of proper credentials to the individual in charge, may enter premises to inspect the records and property of a person at a reasonable time and in a reasonable way to decide whether a person is complying with this chapter and standards prescribed or orders issued under this chapter.
(d) Confidentiality of Information.— Information related to a confidential matter referred to in section 1905 of title 18 that is obtained by the Secretary or an officer, employee, or agent in carrying out this section may be disclosed only to another officer or employee concerned with carrying out this chapter or in a proceeding under this chapter.
(e) Use of Accident Reports.—
(1) Each accident report made by an officer, employee, or agent of the Department may be used in a judicial proceeding resulting from the accident. The officer, employee, or agent may be required to testify in the proceeding about the facts developed in investigating the accident. The report shall be made available to the public in a way that does not identify an individual.
(2) Each report related to research and demonstration projects and related activities is public information.
(f) Testing Facilities Involved in Accidents.— The Secretary may require testing of a part of a pipeline facility subject to this chapter that has been involved in or affected by an accident only after—
(1) notifying the appropriate State official in the State in which the facility is located; and
(2) attempting to negotiate a mutually acceptable plan for testing with the owner of the facility and, when the Secretary considers appropriate, the National Transportation Safety Board.
(g) Providing Safety Information.— On request, the Secretary shall provide the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or appropriate State authority with information the Secretary has on the safety of material, operations, devices, or processes related to pipeline transportation or operating a pipeline facility.
(h) Cooperation.— The Secretary may—
(1) advise, assist, and cooperate with other departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States Government, the States, and public and private agencies and persons in planning and developing safety standards and ways to inspect and test to decide whether those standards have been complied with;
(2) consult with and make recommendations to other departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Government, State and local governments, and public and private agencies and persons to develop and encourage activities, including the enactment of legislation, that will assist in carrying out this chapter and improve State and local pipeline safety programs; and
(3) participate in a proceeding involving safety requirements related to a liquefied natural gas facility before the Commission or a State authority.
(i) Promoting Coordination.—
(1) After consulting with appropriate State officials, the Secretary shall establish procedures to promote more effective coordination between departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Government and State authorities with regulatory authority over pipeline facilities about responses to a pipeline accident.
(2) In consultation with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Secretary shall establish procedures to notify the Administration of any pipeline accident in which an excavator that has caused damage to a pipeline may have violated a regulation of the Administration.
(j) Withholding Information From Congress.— This section does not authorize information to be withheld from a committee of Congress authorized to have the information.
(k) Authority for Cooperative Agreements.— To carry out this chapter, the Secretary may enter into grants, cooperative agreements, and other transactions with any person, agency, or instrumentality of the United States, any unit of State or local government, any educational institution, or any other entity to further the objectives of this chapter. The objectives of this chapter include the development, improvement, and promotion of one-call damage prevention programs, research, risk assessment, and mapping.
(l) Safety Orders.—
(1) In general.— Not later than December 31, 2007, the Secretary shall issue regulations providing that, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, if the Secretary determines that a pipeline facility has a condition that poses a pipeline integrity risk to public safety, property, or the environment, the Secretary may order the operator of the facility to take necessary corrective action, including physical inspection, testing, repair, or other appropriate action, to remedy that condition.
(2) Considerations.— In making a determination under paragraph (1), the Secretary, if relevant and pursuant to the regulations issued under paragraph (1), shall consider—
(A) the considerations specified in paragraphs (1) through (6) of section 60112 (b);
(B) the likelihood that the condition will impair the serviceability of a pipeline;
(C) the likelihood that the condition will worsen over time; and
(D) the likelihood that the condition is present or could develop on other areas of the pipeline.
(m) Restoration of Operations.—
(1) In general.— The Secretary may advise, assist, and cooperate with the heads of other departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States Government, the States, and public and private agencies and persons to facilitate the restoration of pipeline operations that have been or are anticipated to become disrupted by manmade or natural disasters.
(2) Savings clause.— Nothing in this section alters or amends the authorities and responsibilities of any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States Government, other than the Department of Transportation.
(n) Cost Recovery for Design Reviews.—
(1) In general.— If the Secretary conducts facility design safety reviews in connection with a proposal to construct, expand, or operate a liquefied natural gas pipeline facility, the Secretary may require the person requesting such reviews to pay the associated staff costs relating to such reviews incurred by the Secretary in section 60301 (d). The Secretary may assess such costs in any reasonable manner.
(2) Deposit.— The Secretary shall deposit all funds paid to the Secretary under this subsection into the Department of Treasury account 69–5172–0–2–407 or its successor account.
(3) Authorization of appropriations.— Funds deposited pursuant to this subsection are authorized to be appropriated for the purposes set forth in section 60301 (d).