The commission must adopt safety standards for underground natural gas storage and storage facilities, including device testing, emergency notification, fire response, employee training, and other reasonable safety measures.
Sec. 91.255. SAFETY STANDARDS AND PRACTICES. (a) The commission by rule shall adopt safety standards and practices for natural gas underground storage and storage facilities. The standards and practices must: (1) require the installation and periodic testing of safety devices; (2) establish emergency notification procedures for the operator of a facility in the event of a release of a hazardous substance that poses a substantial risk to the public; (3) establish fire prevention and response procedures; (4) require training for the employees of the storage facility on the safe operation of the storage facility; and (5) establish any other safety standard or practice that is reasonable and necessary for underground natural gas storage and the safe construction, operation, and maintenance of a storage facility. (b) The commission may adopt different standards and practices for different types of storage facilities and may distinguish among natural gas underground storage in salt dome caverns, depleted reservoirs, and embedded salt formations. (c) The commission may grant an exception to a standard or practice adopted under this section in a permit or amended permit issued to a storage facility if the exception will not constitute an unreasonable danger to the public. (d) The commission may impose an additional standard or practice in a permit or amended permit issued to a storage facility. (e) A safety standard or practice adopted by the commission for a storage facility that is part of an intrastate gas pipeline facility must be compatible with federal minimum standards. (f) The commission shall require that records of safety device tests required by Subsection (a)(1) be: (1) filed with the commission; or (2) maintained by the owner or operator and made available for inspection by the commission. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 166, Sec. 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.