(a) The State Fire Marshal shall establish and maintain a centralized database containing information and data regarding the following intrastate pipelines:
(1) Pipelines, as defined in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 51010.5, used for the transportation of crude oil that operate by gravity or at a stress level of 20 percent or less of the specified minimum yield strength of the pipe.
(2) Pipelines, as defined in paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 51010.5, used for the transportation of petroleum in onshore gathering lines located in rural areas.
(b) The database shall include, but is not limited to, an inventory of the pipelines described in subdivision (a), including pipeline locations, ownership, ages, and inspection histories, that are in the possession of the owner or operator of the oil field or other gas facility.
(c) The State Fire Marshal shall regularly update the database and shall make the information in the database available to the public, and to all local, state, and federal agencies.
(d) Any state or local governmental agency that regulates, supervises, or exerts authority over any pipeline described in subdivision (a) shall report any information or data specified in subdivision (b) in its possession to the State Fire Marshal. That information shall be submitted to the State Fire Marshal in a computer compatible format.
(e) The State Fire Marshal shall conduct a study of the fitness and safety of all pipelines described in subdivision (a), and investigate incentive options that would encourage pipeline replacement or improvements, including, but not limited to, a review of existing regulatory, permit, and environmental impact report requirements and other existing public policies, as may be identified by the Pipeline Safety Advisory Committee and adopted by the State Fire Marshal, that could act as barriers to the replacement or improvement of those pipelines.
(f) The costs of this section shall be funded from federal block grant funds. This section shall become operative only upon receipt of these federal block grant funds as determined by the State Fire Marshal. Upon receipt of these funds the State Fire Marshal shall provide written notice to both houses of the Legislature for publication in their respective journals.
(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 193, Sec. 57. Effective January 1, 2005.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018