Public resources: transportation of carbon dioxide.

Assembly Member Petrie-Norris, joined by Senator McNerney and eight Assembly coauthors, proposes comprehensive safety regulations for intrastate pipelines transporting carbon dioxide. The legislation requires the State Fire Marshal to adopt regulations by July 1, 2026, that meet or exceed draft federal pipeline safety standards, with provisions for periodic updates as technology advances.

The bill prohibits the conversion of existing pipelines to transport carbon dioxide and mandates new construction standards, including a ban on using previously used pipes or components. Operators must demonstrate through computational fluid dynamics modeling that pipeline locations do not pose unacceptable risks to sensitive receptors - including schools, healthcare facilities, and residences - within a two-mile emergency planning zone on either side of the pipeline.

Pipeline operators must submit detailed emergency planning zone inventories and maps to the State Fire Marshal and relevant lead agencies, updating them every three years. These documents must identify all sensitive receptors within the zone, though personally identifiable information will be redacted from public versions. Local emergency response agencies must receive current copies of these materials, and operators must provide annual map updates to sensitive receptors within the zone.

The State Fire Marshal gains authority to order immediate pipeline shutdowns for safety violations or imminent dangers to health, welfare, or the environment. Following any rupture, pipelines must remain closed until investigations determine the cause. Civil penalties collected from violations will fund hazardous liquid and gas response training for local fire departments.