Massachusetts H 3533: An Act for field safety in gas infrastructure

Bill Text

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1900 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3533

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Frank A. Moran
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act for field safety in gas infrastructure.
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PETITION OF:

NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED:
Frank A. Moran 17th Essex 1/15/2025

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1900 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3533
By Representative Moran of Lawrence, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3533) of
Frank A. Moran for legislation to provide for field safety in gas infrastructure by requiring that
the Department of Public Utilities promulgate regulations establishing requirements for the
maintenance, timely updating, accuracy, and security of gas LDC maps and records.
Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act for field safety in gas infrastructure.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:

1 SECTION 1. Chapter 164 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking section
2 144, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, and inserting in its place the following:
3 Section 144. (a) There shall be uniform natural gas leaks classification for all gas
4 companies.
5 (b)(1) Gas companies shall assess a grade to all reported natural gas leaks based on the
6 system provided in this section.
7 (2) A Grade 1 leak shall be a leak that represents an existing or probable hazard to
8 persons or property. Grade 1 leaks require repair as immediately as possible and continuous
9 action until the conditions are no longer hazardous. The gas company shall immediately schedule
10 a completion of repairs and the condition shall be kept under continuous surveillance until the

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11 hazard or source of the leak is eliminated. Whenever appropriate and feasible, a gas company
12 shall notify the fire department and chief law enforcement officer in each city or town where a
13 Grade 1 leak is identified.
14 (3) A Grade 2 leak shall be a leak that is recognized as non-hazardous to persons or
15 property at the time of detection, but justifies scheduled repair based on probable future hazard.
16 The gas company shall repair Grade 2 leaks or replace the main within 6 months from the date
17 the leak was classified; provided, however, that said repair or replacement may take place later
18 than six months from the date the leak is classified, but no later than 12 months from the date the
19 leak is classified, if any required permits for such repair or replacement are temporarily withheld
20 consistent with a seasonal moratorium. All Grade 2 leaks shall be reevaluated by a gas company
21 at least once every 6 months until eliminated; provided, however, that the frequency of
22 reevaluation shall be determined by the location and magnitude of the leakage condition.
23 (4) A Grade 3 leak shall be a leak that is recognized as non-hazardous to persons or
24 property at the time of detection and can be reasonably expected to remain non-hazardous. The
25 gas company shall reevaluate Grade 3 leaks during the next scheduled survey, or within 12
26 months from the date last evaluated, whichever occurs first, until the leak is eliminated or the
27 main is replaced. A municipal or state public safety official may request a reevaluation of a
28 Grade 3 leak prior to the next scheduled survey, or sooner than 12 months of the date last
29 evaluated, if the official reasonably believes that the Grade 3 leak poses a threat to public safety.
30 (c)(1) Upon the undertaking of a significant project on a public way exposing confirmed
31 natural gas infrastructure, and with sufficient notice, a municipality or the commonwealth shall
32 submit written notification of the project to a gas company. The gas company shall survey the

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33 project area for the presence of Grade 1 or Grade 2 leaks and set repair and replacement
34 schedules for all known or newly detected Grade 1 or Grade 2 leaks. The gas company shall
35 ensure that any shut off valve in the significant project area has a gate box installed upon it or a
36 reasonable alternative that would otherwise ensure continued public safety and that any critical
37 valve that has not been inspected and tested within the past 12 months is verified to be
38 operational and accessible. The gas company shall provide the repair and replacement schedule
39 of gas leaks to the municipality or the commonwealth.
40 (2) Upon the undertaking of any planned project involving excavation for purposes of
41 performing maintenance on or co