ESHB 1539 -
By Senators Poulsen, Morton
ADOPTED 04/11/2005
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"Sec. 1 RCW 19.122.020 and 2000 c 191 s 15 are each amended to
read as follows:
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in
this section apply throughout this chapter:
(1) "Business day" means any day other than Saturday, Sunday, or a
legal local, state, or federal holiday.
(2) "Damage" includes the substantial weakening of structural or
lateral support of an underground facility, penetration, impairment, or
destruction of any underground protective coating, housing, or other
protective device, or the severance, partial or complete, of any
underground facility to the extent that the project owner or the
affected utility owner determines that repairs are required.
(3) "Emergency" means any condition constituting a clear and
present danger to life or property, or a customer service outage.
(4) "Excavation" means any operation in which earth, rock, or other
material on or below the ground is moved or otherwise displaced by any
means, except the tilling of soil less than twelve inches in depth for
agricultural purposes, or road and ditch maintenance that does not
change the original road grade or ditch flowline.
(5) "Excavation confirmation code" means a code or ticket issued by
the one-number locator service for the site where an excavation is
planned. The code must include the date and time it was issued.
(6) "Excavator" means any person who engages directly in
excavation.
(((6))) (7) "Gas" means natural gas, flammable gas, or toxic or
corrosive gas.
(((7))) (8) "Hazardous liquid" means: (a) Petroleum, petroleum
products, or anhydrous ammonia as those terms are defined in 49 C.F.R.
Part 195 as in effect on March 1, 1998; and (b) carbon dioxide. The
utilities and transportation commission may by rule incorporate by
reference other substances designated as hazardous by the secretary of
transportation.
(((8))) (9) "Identified facility" means any underground facility
which is indicated in the project plans as being located within the
area of proposed excavation.
(((9))) (10) "Identified but unlocatable underground facility"
means an underground facility which has been identified but cannot be
located with reasonable accuracy.
(((10))) (11) "Locatable underground facility" means an underground
facility which can be field-marked with reasonable accuracy.
(((11))) (12) "Marking" means the use of stakes, paint, or other
clearly identifiable materials to show the field location of
underground facilities, in accordance with the current color code
standard of the American public works association. Markings shall
include identification letters indicating the specific type of the
underground facility.
(((12))) (13) "Notice" means contact in person or by telephone or
other electronic methods that results in the receipt of a valid
excavation confirmation code.
(14) "One-number locator service" means a service through which a
person can notify utilities and request field-marking of underground
facilities.
(15) "Person" means an individual, partnership, franchise holder,
association, corporation, a state, a city, a county, or any subdivision
or instrumentality of a state, and its employees, agents, or legal
representatives.
(((13))) (16) "Pipeline" or "pipeline system" means all or parts of
a pipeline facility through which hazardous liquid or gas moves in
transportation, including, but not limited to, line pipe, valves, and
other appurtenances connected to line pipe, pumping units, fabricated
assemblies associated with pumping units, metering and delivery
stations and fabricated assemblies therein, and breakout tanks.
"Pipeline" or "pipeline system" does not include process or transfer
pipelines as defined in RCW 81.88.010.
(((14))) (17) "Pipeline company" means a person or entity
constructing, owning, or operating a pipeline for transporting
hazardous liquid or gas. A pipeline company does not include: (a)
Distribution systems owned and operated under franchise for the sale,
delivery, or distribution of natural gas at retail; or (b) excavation
contractors or other contractors that contract with a pipeline company.
(((15))) (18) "Reasonable accuracy" means location within twenty-four inches of the outside dimensions of both sides of an underground
facility.
(((16))) (19) "Transmission pipeline" means a pipeline that
transports hazardous liquid or gas within a storage field, or
transports hazardous liquid or gas from an interstate pipeline or
storage facility to a distribution main or a large volume hazardous
liquid or gas user, or operates at a hoop stress of twenty percent or
more of the specified minimum yield strength.
(20) "Underground facility" means any item buried or placed below
ground for use in connection with the storage or conveyance of water,
sewage, electronic, telephonic or telegraphic communications,
cablevision, electric energy, petroleum products, gas, gaseous vapors,
hazardous liquids, or other substances and including but not limited to
pipes, sewers, conduits, cables, valves, lines, wires, manholes,
attachments, and those parts of poles or anchors below ground. This
definition does not include pipelines as defined in subsection (((13)))
(16) of this section, but does include distribution systems owned and
operated under franchise for the sale, delivery, or distribution of
natural gas at retail.
(((17) "One-number locator service" means a service through which
a person can notify utilities and request field-marking of underground
facilities.))
Sec. 2 RCW 19.122.027 and 2000 c 191 s 16 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) ((By December 31, 2000,)) The utilities and transportation
commission shall cause to be established a single statewide toll-free
telephone number to be used for referring excavators to the appropriate
one-number locator service.
(2) The utilities and transportation commission, in consultation
with the Washington utilities coordinating council, shall establish
minimum standards and best management practices for one-number locator
services ((consistent with the recommendations of the governor's fuel
accident prevention and response team issued in December 1999. By
December 31, 2000, the commission shall provide its recommendations to
the appropriate standing committees of the house of representatives and
the senate)).
(3) One-number locator services shall be operated by
nongovernmental agencies.
Sec. 3 RCW 19.122.030 and 2000 c 191 s 17 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) Before commencing any excavation, excluding agriculture tilling
less than twelve inches in depth, ((the excavator shall provide))
notice shall be provided of the scheduled commencement of excavation to
all owners of underground facilities through a one-number locator
service.
(2) All owners of underground facilities within a one-number
locator service area shall subscribe to the service. One-number
locator service rates for cable television companies will be based on
the amount of their underground facilities. If no one-number locator
service is available, notice shall be provided individually to those
owners of underground facilities known to or suspected of having
underground facilities within the area of proposed excavation. The
notice shall be communicated to the owners of underground facilities
not less than two business days or more than ten business days before
the scheduled date for commencement of excavation, unless otherwise
agreed by the parties.
(3) Upon receipt of the notice provided for in this section, the
owner of the underground facility shall provide the excavator with
reasonably accurate information as to its locatable underground
facilities by surface-marking the location of the facilities. If there
are identified but unlocatable underground facilities, the owner of
such facilities shall provide the excavator with the best available
information as to their locations. The owner of the underground
facility providing the information shall respond no later than two
business days after the receipt of the notice or before the excavation
time, at the option of the owner, unless otherwise agreed by the
parties.
(4) Excavators shall not excavate until notice has been provided
under subsection (1) of this section and all known facilities have been
marked. Once marked by the owner of the underground facility, the
excavator is responsible for maintaining the markings. Excavators
shall have the right to receive compensation from the owner of the
underground facility for costs incurred if the owner of the underground
facility does not locate its facilities in accordance with this
section.
(((4))) (5) The owner of the underground facility shall have the
right to receive compensation for costs incurred in responding to
excavation notices given less than two business days prior to the
excavation from the excavator.
(((5))) (6) An owner of underground facilities is not required to
indicate the presence of existing service laterals or appurtenances if
the presence of existing service laterals or appurtenances on the site
of the construction project can be determined from the presence of
other visible facilities, such as buildings, manholes, or meter and
junction boxes on or adjacent to the construction site.
(((6))) (7) Emergency excavations are exempt from the time
requirements for notification provided in this section.
(((7))) (8) If the excavator, while performing the contract,
discovers underground facilities which are not identified, the
excavator shall cease excavating in the vicinity of the facility and
immediately notify the owner or operator of such facilities, or the
one-number locator service.
Sec. 4 RCW 19.122.033 and 2000 c 191 s 18 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) Before commencing any excavation, excluding agricultural
tilling less than twelve inches in depth, ((an excavator shall notify))
notice shall be provided to pipeline companies of the scheduled
commencement of excavation through a one-number locator service in the
same manner as is required for notifying owners of underground
facilities of excavation work under RCW 19.122.030. Pipeline companies
shall have the same rights and responsibilities as owners of
underground facilities under RCW 19.122.030 regarding excavation work.
Excavators have the same rights and responsibilities under this section
as they have under RCW 19.122.030.
(2) Project owners, excavators, and pipeline companies have the
same rights and responsibilities relating to excavation near pipelines
that they have for excavation near underground facilities as provided
in RCW 19.122.040.
Sec. 5 RCW 19.122.035 and 2000 c 191 s 19 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) After a pipeline company has been notified ((by an excavator))
pursuant to RCW 19.122.033 that excavation work will uncover any
portion of the pipeline, the pipeline company shall ensure that the
pipeline section in the vicinity of the excavation is examined for
damage prior to being reburied.
(2) Immediately upon receiving information of third-party damage to
a hazardous liquid pipeline, the company that operates the pipeline
shall terminate the flow of hazardous liquid in that pipeline until it
has visually inspected the pipeline. After visual inspection, the
operator of the hazardous liquid pipeline shall determine whether the
damaged pipeline section should be replaced or repaired, or whether it
is safe to resume pipeline operation. Immediately upon receiving
information of third-party damage to a gas pipeline, the company that
operates the pipeline shall conduct a visual inspection of the pipeline
to determine whether the flow of gas through that pipeline should be
terminated, and whether the damaged pipeline should be replaced or
repaired. A record of the pipeline company's inspection report and
test results shall be provided to the utilities and transportation
commission consistent with reporting requirements under 49 C.F.R. 195
Subpart B.
(3) Pipeline companies shall immediately notify local first
responders and the department of any reportable release of a hazardous
liquid from a pipeline. Pipeline companies shall immediately notify
local first responders and the commission of any blowing gas leak from
a gas pipeline that has ignited or represents a probable hazard to
persons or property. Pipeline companies shall take all appropriate
steps to ensure the public safety in the event of a release of
hazardous liquid or gas under this subsection.
(4) No damaged pipeline may be buried until it is repaired or
relocated. The pipeline company shall arrange for repairs or
relocation of a damaged pipeline as soon as is practical or may permit
the excavator to do necessary repairs or relocation at a mutually
acceptable price.
Sec. 6 RCW 19.122.055 and 2001 c 238 s 5 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1)(a) Any person who ((fails to notify)) excavates without first
obtaining a valid excavation confirmation code from the one-number
locator service and causes damage to a hazardous liquid or gas pipeline
is subject to a civil penalty of not more than ten thousand dollars for
each violation.
(b) The civil penalty in this subsection may also be imposed on any
person who violates section 8 or 9 of this act.
(2) All civil penalties recovered under this section shall be
deposited into the pipeline safety account created in RCW 81.88.050.
Sec. 7 RCW 19.122.070 and 1984 c 144 s 7 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) Any person who violates any provision of this chapter not
amounting to a violation of RCW 19.122.055, and which violation results
in damage to underground facilities, is subject to a civil penalty of
not more than one thousand dollars for each violation. All penalties
recovered in such actions shall be deposited in the general fund.
(2) Any excavator who willfully or maliciously damages a field-marked underground facility shall be liable for treble the costs
incurred in repairing or relocating the facility. In those cases in
which ((an excavator)) a person fails to notify known underground
facility owners or excavates without first obtaining a valid excavation
confirmation code from the one-number locator service, any damage to
the underground facility shall be deemed willful and malicious and
shall be subject to treble damages for costs incurred in repairing or
relocating the facility.
(3) This chapter does not affect any civil remedies for personal
injury or for property damage, including that to underground
facilities, nor does this chapter create any new civil remedies for
such damage.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8 A new section is added to chapter 19.122 RCW
to read as follows:
Any person who excavates, without a valid excavation confirmation
code when required under this chapter, within thirty-five feet of a
transmission pipeline, and causes damage to the transmission pipeline,
is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 9 A new section is added to chapter 19.122 RCW
to read as follows:
Any person who excavates, without a valid excavation confirmation
code when required under this chapter, within thirty-five feet of a
transmission pipeline is guilty of a misdemeanor.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10 A new section is added to chapter 19.122
RCW to read as follows:
If charged with a violation of section 8 or 9 of this act, an
excavator will be deemed to have established an affirmative defense to
such charges if:
(1) The excavator was provided a valid excavation confirmation
code;
(2) The excavation was performed in an emergency situation;
(3) The excavator was provided a false confirmation code by an
identifiable third party; or
(4) Notice of the excavation was not required under this chapter.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 11 A new section is added to chapter 19.122
RCW to read as follows:
Any person who intentionally provides an excavator with a false
excavation confirmation code is guilty of a misdemeanor.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 12 A new section is added to chapter 19.122
RCW to read as follows:
Upon receipt, during normal business hours, of notice of an
intended excavation, the one-number locator service shall provide an
excavation confirmation code."
ESHB 1539 -
By Senators Poulsen, Morton
ADOPTED 04/11/2005
On page 1, line 2 of the title, after "pipeline;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 19.122.020, 19.122.027, 19.122.030, 19.122.033, 19.122.035, 19.122.055, and 19.122.070; adding new sections to chapter 19.122 RCW; and prescribing penalties."