Comprehensive Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2000

Comprehensive Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2000 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) implement the oil and gas pipeline safety improvement recommendations provided for in the Department of Transportation (DOT) Inspector General's Report (RT-2000-069); and (2) report every 90 days to specified congressional committees on the specific actions taken to implement them. Requires the DOT Inspector General to assess periodically for the same committees the Secretary's progress in doing so.(Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary, the Administrator of Research and Special Program Administration, and the Director of the Office of Pipeline Safety to: (1) comply fully with certain Federal transportation law requirements to ensure timely responsiveness to National Transportation Safety Board recommendations about pipeline safety; (2) make a copy of each recommendation on pipeline safety and response available to the public over the Internet without charge or otherwise at a reasonable cost; and (3) review and publish the results of General Accounting Office report number GAO-RCED-00-128.(Sec. 4) Requires each pipeline operator, or, in the case of an intrastate pipeline facility operator, the appropriate State regulatory agency, to submit to the Secretary a plan designed to enhance the qualifications of pipeline personnel and reduce the likelihood of accidents and injuries.(Sec. 5) Requires the Secretary to issue regulations requiring: (1) natural gas pipeline operators to conduct periodic assessment of facility integrity; and (2) hazardous liquid pipeline operators to periodically determine the adequacy of pipelines to operate safely in unusually sensitive areas and high-density population areas; and (3) perform periodic inspections or tests capable of identifying corrosion, mechanical damage, or other structural or operational defects that could be detrimental to safety and the environment.(Sec. 6) Amends Federal transportation law to grant shutdown authority to the Secretary, or, in the case of an intrastate pipeline facility operator, to the appropriate State regulatory agency, to take necessary action to prevent the operation for 30 days (including additional 30-day periods) of any hazardous liquid or natural gas pipeline whose continuing operation creates an imminent safety hazard to persons, property, or the environment.(Sec. 7) Revises the public education program requirements for gas pipeline facility owners or operators, including specified items. Applies such requirements to owners or operators of a hazardous liquid pipeline facility.Requires an operator of a gas transmission or hazardous liquid pipeline facility to initiate and maintain liaison with the State emergency response commissions, and local emergency planning committees (or local fire, police, and other emergency response agencies in the absence of a committee) in the areas of pipeline right-of-way, established under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 in each State in which it operates.Requires the owner or operator of each gas or hazardous liquid pipeline facility to provide annually to the governing body of each municipality in which the pipeline facility is located a map identifying the facility's location. Requires the Secretary to designate the Regional Emergency Transportation Coordinator with the responsibility of defining the in-vehicle navigation mapping standards and contracting the outsource mapping vendor, which can provide the most cost effective first responder mapping tool, for coordinated emergency responses, in the geographic area.Requires the owner or operator of each gas or hazardous liquid pipeline facility to: (1) provide a public safety and public education program annually to the governing body of each municipality in which the pipeline facility is located; and (2) notify annually all residents within 1,000 yards (or other appropriate distance) of the facility of its general location and certain other information, including appropriate procedures for such residents to follow in response to accidents concerning such facilities.(Sec. 8) Increases from $25,000 to $100,000 the civil penalty for each facility operator failure to: (1) mark accurately the location of pipeline facilities in the vicinity of a demolition, excavation, tunneling, or construction; or (2) comply with safety standards, prepare and carry out an inspection and maintenance plan, allow access to records, or allow required entries or inspections. Increases the maximum civil penalty for a related series of violations to $1 million.Authorizes a court to award temporary or permanent injunctive relief and to assess civil penalties in a civil action brought by the Attorney General to enforce pipeline safety law.Establishes civil penalties for hazardous liquid pipeline discharges, including gross negligence or willful misconduct.(Sec. 9) Authorizes the Secretary, if a State pipeline safety program certification is accepted, to make an agreement with a State authority authorizing it to participate in the activities of interstate pipeline transportation, including a plan for the State authority to participate in additional inspections and special investigations involving new construction or incidents, as well as (subject to specified requirements) other activities involving interstate pipeline transportation consistent with the Secretary's program and that address issues of local concern.Allows the Secretary to end an agreement for the oversight of interstate pipeline transportation when the State authority has not complied with any provision of the agreement. Requires the Secretary to end such an agreement when: (1) significant gaps are found in the State authority's responsibilities for oversight of intrastate pipeline transportation; (2) the State actions under the agreement have failed to meet certain requirements; or (3) continued oversight participation by the State authority is not promoting pipeline safety.Requires the Secretary to continue specified interstate agent agreements.(Sec. 10) Directs the Secretary to develop and implement a comprehensive plan for the collection and use of gas and hazardous liquid pipeline data to revise the causal categories on the accident report forms to eliminate overlapping and confusing categories and include subcategories. Requires the plan to include components to provide the capability to perform sound accident trend analysis and evaluations of pipeline operator performance using normalized accident data.Requires any owner or operator of a hazardous liquid pipeline facility to report to the Secretary each release to the environment greater than five gallons of the hazardous liquid or carbon dioxide.(Sec. 11) Requires the Secretary, as part of the DOT research and development program, to direct research attention to the development of alternative technologies: (1) to expand the defect detection capabilities of internal inspection devices; (2) to inspect pipelines that cannot accommodate internal inspection devices available on the date of enactment; and (3) to develop innovative techniques measuring the structural integrity of pipelines.(Sec. 12) Authorizes appropriations with respect to gas and hazardous liquid and State grants. Requires the transfer of specified amounts from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to carry out authorized programs.(Sec. 13) Authorizes the Secretary to study how best to preserve environmental resources in conjunction with maintaining pipeline rights-of-way.(Sec. 14) Directs the Secretary to designate one or more States the Governor of each of which may establish a self-governing Regional Advisory Council to: (1) advise the Secretary and the Governor on policies, permits, regulations, and standards relating to hazardous liquid pipeline facilities which affect or may affect that State's environment; (2) monitor the environmental impacts of the facility operations; (3) review the adequacy of the integrity management plan and spill prevention and contingency plans developed by each hazardous liquid pipeline operator; (4) monitor developments in pipeline spill prevention, leak detection, pipeline inspection, operator training, spill containment, response, and cleanup technology; and (5) perform other specified related duties.(Sec. 15) Sets forth whistle blower protections prohibiting discrimination against facility employees who: (1) perform or refuse to perform certain acts related to pipeline safety or environmental protection; or (2) testify in Federal or State proceedings regarding compliance with pipeline safety or environmental protection requirements.