House Passes Utility, Natural Gas Pipeline Safety PA One Call Bill, Returns To Senate

The House Wednesday gave final approval to Senate Bill 242 (Baker-R-Luzerne) adding unconventional and larger conventional natural gas gathering lines to the PA One Call utility safety program.

There are now an estimated 100,000 miles of unmapped natural gas pipelines in Pennsylvania vulnerable to hits from construction and digging equipment.

Prime sponsor Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne) noted in a background memo on the bill there are more than 6,000 incidents of striking utility lines every year, with approximately half involving natural gas lines because facility owners do not join the PA One Call program or for other reasons.  Click Here for more.

The bill now returns to the Senate for a concurrence vote.  A House Fiscal Note and summary is available.