49 U.S.C. § 60103 — Standards for liquefied natural gas pipeline facilities

(a) Location Standards. The Secretary of Transportation must set minimum safety standards for choosing where a new LNG pipeline facility can go. In writing these, the Secretary must weigh: the facility's kind and use; existing and expected population nearby; existing and planned land use nearby; the location's natural features; nearby medical, police, and fire capabilities; the value of encouraging remote siting; and national security.

(b) Design, Installation, Construction, Inspection, and Testing Standards. The Secretary must also set minimum standards for designing, installing, building, and doing the first inspection and testing of a new LNG facility, weighing: the materials used (and alternatives); design factors; the properties of the LNG being stored, converted, or moved; and public-safety factors of the design, especially its ability to prevent and contain a spill.

(c) Nonapplication. Except as paragraph (2) allows, a design, location, installation, construction, or initial inspection or testing standard adopted after March 1, 1978 does not apply to an existing LNG facility, even if authority to apply it comes from this chapter or another law, unless the standard already existed when that authority was used. A standard may apply to a replacement part of an LNG facility if that part goes into service after the standard is set and applying it does not make the part incompatible with the rest of the facility, or is otherwise practical — but a location standard adopted after March 1, 1978 never applies to a replacement part of an existing facility. A design, installation, construction, or initial inspection or testing standard never applies to a facility that already existed when the standard was adopted.

(d) Operation and Maintenance Standards. The Secretary must set minimum operating and maintenance standards, weighing: the facility's conditions, features, and equipment; its fire-prevention and containment equipment; security measures against intentional acts that could cause an LNG accident; maintenance procedures and equipment; staff training; and other factors related to safely handling LNG.

(e) Effective Dates. A standard under this section takes effect 30 days after the Secretary sets it, unless the Secretary, for good cause, sets a different date because more time is needed to comply — stated in the regulation itself.

(f) Contingency Plans. A new LNG facility may only operate after its operator submits an adequate plan describing what to do if an LNG accident happens. The Secretary of Energy or the right state or local authority decides if that plan is good enough.

(g) Effect on Other Standards. This section does not stop the Secretary from applying a section 60102 standard to a gas pipeline facility, other than an LNG facility, that is associated with an LNG facility.