Underground Gas Storage Safety Act
This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to prescribe minimum safety standards, meeting specified requirements, for underground gas storage facilities.
A state authority may, however, adopt additional or more stringent safety standards for intrastate underground gas storage facilities.
Until final standards are prescribed, all underground natural gas storage facilities shall comply with certain minimum requirements, including those in depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs and aquifer reservoirs and those in solution-mined salt caverns.
DOT shall make grants for research and development activities relating to: (1) improved underground gas storage safety, or (2) an odorant additive for gas that is both detectable and nontoxic.
A user fee shall be imposed on each operator of an underground gas storage facility to which specified safety requirements apply.