Natural Gas Pipelines Public Education and Liaison

(a)Liaison activities required. Each operator of a natural gas pipeline or natural gas pipeline facilities or the operator's designated representative shall communicate and conduct liaison activities at intervals not exceeding 15 months, but at least once each calendar year with fire, police, and other appropriate public emergency response officials. The liaison activities are those required by 49 CFR Part 192.615(c)(1) -#

(4). These liaison activities shall be conducted in person, except as provided by this section.#

(b)Meetings in person. The operator or the operator's representative may conduct the required community liaison activities as provided by subsection (c) of this section only if the operator or the operator's representative has made an effort to conduct a community liaison meeting in person with the officials by one of the following methods:#

(1)mailing a written request for a meeting in person to the appropriate officials by certified mail, return receipt requested;#

(2)sending a request for a meeting in person to the appropriate officials by facsimile transmission; or#

(3)making one or more telephone calls or e-mail message transmissions to the appropriate officials to request a meeting in person.#

(4)If a scheduled meeting does not take place, the operator or operator's representative shall make an effort to re-schedule the community liaison meeting in person with the officials using one of the methods in paragraphs (1) - (3) of this subsection before proceeding to arrange a conference call pursuant to subsection (c) of this section.#

(c)Alternative methods. If the operator or operator's representative cannot arrange a meeting in person after complying with subsection (b) of this section, the operator or the operator's representative shall conduct community liaison activities by one of the following methods:#

(1)holding a telephone conference with the appropriate officials; or#

(2)delivering the community liaison information requested to be conveyed by certified mail, return receipt requested.#

(d)Proximity to public school. Each owner or operator of a natural gas pipeline or natural gas pipeline facility any part of which is located within 1,000 feet of a public school building or public school recreational area shall maintain and upon request file with the Division the following information:#

(1)the name of the school;#

(2)the street address of the school; and#

(3)the identification (system name) of the pipeline.#

(e)Records. The operator shall maintain records documenting compliance with the liaison activities required by this section. Records of attendance and acknowledgment of receipt by the emergency response officials shall be retained for five years from the date of the event that is commemorated by the record. Records of certified mail and/or telephone transmissions undertaken in compliance with subsections (b) and (c) of this section satisfy the record- keeping requirements of this subsection.#

Source Note: The provisions of this §8.235 adopted to be effective July 28, 2003, 28 TexReg 5864; amended to be effective November 24, 2004, 29 TexReg 10733; amended to be effective February 4, 2009, 34 TexReg 582; amended to be effective August 30, 2010, 35 TexReg 7743; amended to be effective January 6, 2020, 45 TexReg 121#