TRRC Increase in Service Line Assessment Fees

The Texas Railroad Commission (TRRC) proposes to amend §8.201(b) to increase the assessment rate from $0.50 to $0.70 annually for each service line reported to be in service at the end of each calendar year in order meet the requirements of the pipeline safety program. The proposed increase of this fee to $0.70 will fund the Commission's hiring of additional personnel within the Safety Division. Federal funding for the pipeline safety program is tied to the Commission's staffing levels and the Commission's program has been adversely affected by under-staffing. The Commission will use the additional funds to add 11.5 new full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) for the pipeline safety program.

The pipeline safety inspection fee was created in 2003 to support the pipeline safety program, which is funded partially by federal funds; the remainder is funded by state general revenue dollars. The fee was originally set in 2003, at $0.37 annually for each service line reported by a natural gas distribution system; in 2007, the fee was increased to $0.50.

The effective date of Senate Bill 1658 and of this proposed rule amendment will be September 1, 2009.

Gas Distribution Leak Management System

Do you know what leak surveys are pending in the next 30 days and which ones are overdue?

Do you know exactly how many and what type of leaks are active on your system?

Do you know what leaks are scheduled for repair or re-survey next week?

Do you have a tool that manages and analyzes the data you will need for DIMP implementation?

Does your GIS system maintain survey, leak & repair history attributes?

How long will it take you to aggregate the leak data for the DOT Annual Report or Texas PS-95?

If you are interested in a tool that can give you the answers to these questions, contact Jessica Roger to schedule an online demonstration.