HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2241        FILED ON: 1/17/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2934

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Lori A. Ehrlich

_________________

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 to prevent unnecessary arboreal costs due to natural gas leaks.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Lori A. Ehrlich

8th Essex

1/17/2013

Martha M. Walz

8th Suffolk

1/29/2013

Cory Atkins

14th Middlesex

1/31/2013

James J. O'Day

14th Worcester

 

Frank I. Smizik

15th Norfolk

 

Denise Andrews

2nd Franklin

 

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

 

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

 

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

 

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

 

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

 

Chris Walsh

6th Middlesex

 

Paul R. Heroux

2nd Bristol

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2241        FILED ON: 1/17/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2934

By Ms. Ehrlich of Marblehead, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2934) of Lori A. Ehrlich and others relative to the detection and repair of natural gas leaks and reimbursements for damages.  Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

_______________

 

An Act to prevent unnecessary arboreal costs due to natural gas leaks.

 

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 21N of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding after section 9 the following section:-

Section 10. (a) Any potential hazard resulting from a natural gas leak to persons, property or the environment due to leaking natural gas shall be prescribed remedial actions. Each gas company shall promptly respond to any notification of a natural gas leak, gas odor or any notification of damage to facilities by excavators or other outside sources to protect persons and property and limit the amount of natural gas expelled to the atmosphere.

SECTION 2. Chapter 164 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section xx. (a) Any suspected damage to a tree due to a natural gas leak should be reported to the gas company for mandatory inspection by a qualified arborist.

(b) If a qualified arborist determines that a tree is damaged or killed by a natural gas leak, the gas company shall repair or replace the pipeline where the leak is present no later than 6 months from the date the leak was detected or before a tree is replaced.

(c) If a qualified arborist determines that a tree is damaged or killed by a natural gas leak, the gas company shall provide the entity which owns the tree with the funds to replace the compromised tree.

(c) The department shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement this section.