SB 767: Energy: transportation fuels: supply: reportable pipelines.

Existing law establishes the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission. Existing law requires major oil producers, refiners, marketers, oil transporters, oil storers, pipeline operators, and ports to annually submit certain information to the commission, as provided.

This bill would require the commission to work with stakeholders to identify, on or before December 31, 2026, those pipelines that qualify as reportable pipelines, as defined. The bill would require, commencing March 30, 2027, and each month thereafter, the operators of reportable pipelines to submit specified information to the commission related to minimum and maximum operating volumes in a 24-hour period necessary to ensure safe operations, volume of crude oil delivered and number of hours in operation each day, and maximum nameplate capacity and available capacity, as provided.

Existing law subjects major oil producers, refiners, marketers, oil transporters, oil storers, pipeline operators, and ports, among others, to civil penalties for failing to provide specified information to the commission and other entities, as provided. Existing law authorizes the commission to petition a court for an order compelling a person to provide specified information, as provided. Existing law authorizes pipeline operators, among others, required to present to the commission certain information to request that certain submitted information be held in confidence. Existing law requires the commission to take certain actions if the commission receives a request to publicly disclose that information and to make a written determination as to whether the requested information should be publicly disclosed.

This bill would extend the above-described civil penalty provisions to a person who fails to provide information about reportable pipelines, as provided, and would authorize the commission to petition a court for an order compelling a person who has failed to notify the commission about a reportable pipeline to provide that information. The bill would also extend to a person required to submit information about reportable pipelines the above-described authorization to request that certain submitted information be held in confidence. The bill would also extend, as applied to requests that certain submitted information about reportable pipelines be held in confidence, the above-described requirement for the commission to take certain actions and make a written determination as to whether the requested information should be publicly disclosed.

Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest.

This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.