HB 5198 Summary

• Requires owners and operators of oil transportation pipelines to immediately report releases to the Department of Environmental Quality and submit initial written reports within 10 days detailing the cause, discovery, and response measures.

• Mandates oil pipeline owners and operators to prepare and submit spill prevention plans and contingency plans for departmental approval, with initial submissions due within 180 days of enactment and plans valid for 5 years.

• Establishes civil and criminal penalties including fines up to $37,500 per day for oil releases, up to $5,300 per barrel for gross negligence or willful misconduct releases, and up to $1,000 daily fines for failure to submit required plans.

• Creates the Oil Transportation Fund to receive review fees ($12,500 per geographic plan area), civil fines, and other revenues, which may be used for department enforcement activities and state agency activities to prevent or mitigate oil releases.

• Requires persons reporting releases under existing rules to simultaneously notify the primary public safety answering point and local health departments, with the Department of Environmental Quality responsible for biennial evaluation of the reporting system.