Massachusetts SD 1559: An Act relative to natural gas shut-off valves, gate boxes and public safety

Bill Text

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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1559 FILED ON: 2/17/2021
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2177

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Paul R. Feeney
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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 relative to natural gas shut-off valves, gate boxes and public safety.
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PETITION OF:

NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS:
Paul R. Feeney Bristol and Norfolk
Walter F. Timilty Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth 3/30/2021
Maria Duaime Robinson 6th Middlesex 4/1/2021

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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1559 FILED ON: 2/17/2021
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2177
By Mr. Feeney, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2177) of Paul R. Feeney, Walter F.
Timilty and Maria Duaime Robinson for legislation relative to natural gas shut-off valves, gate
boxes and public safety. Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)
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An Act relative to natural gas shut-off valves, gate boxes and public safety.

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 144 of Chapter 164 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official
2 Edition, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (c) and inserting in place thereof the
3 following subsection:-
4 (c)(1) Upon the undertaking of a significant project on a public way exposing confirmed
5 natural gas infrastructure, and with sufficient notice, a municipality or the commonwealth shall
6 submit written notification of the project to a gas company. The gas company shall survey the
7 project area for the presence of Grade 1 or Grade 2 leaks and set repair and replacement
8 schedules for all known or newly detected Grade 1 or Grade 2 leaks. The gas company shall
9 ensure that any shut off valve in the significant project area has a gate box installed upon it or a
10 reasonable alternative that would otherwise ensure continued public safety and that any critical
11 valve that has not been inspected and tested within the past 12 months is verified to be

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12 operational and accessible. The gas company shall provide the repair and replacement schedule
13 of gas leaks to the municipality or the commonwealth.
14 (2) Upon the undertaking of any planned project involving excavation for purposes of
15 performing maintenance on or construction involving any gas mains or services by gas company
16 employees, or any blasting work, the gas company shall ensure that its employees first locate and
17 identify and mark all gas gates and valves, and verify that all are cleared, operational and
18 accessible in clear sight at ground level in advance of any excavation; and that said gas gates and
19 valves are left cleared, and operational following any such project.
20 (3) The gas company shall ensure that any shut off valve in the significant project area
21 has a gate box installed upon it by its employees to ensure continued public safety.
22 (4) The gas company shall provide the municipality or the commonwealth with written
23 confirmation that the gas gates and valves have been cleared, inspected and tested by its
24 employees and found to be capable of accepting a gate key; and, shall provide the municipality
25 or commonwealth with undated, correct information if the location of gates or valves is
26 determined to have been previously improperly located.
27 (5) Failure to undertake verification that gas gates and valves have been cleared, and are
28 both operational and accessible prior to the start of and following an excavation, or blasting
29 work, shall be subject to a fine of up to $10,000. Failure to submit written confirmation of such
30 verification shall be subject to a fine of $200 per day.