Requiring an environmental impact assessment under specified circumstances prior to the granting of a permit to construct, maintain, or operate a hazardous liquid pipeline, and including effective date provisions

The bill provides that, in addition to other factors, a permit shall not be granted to a pipeline company unless the environmental impact assessment, if required, estimates that the environmental impact resulting from constructing, maintaining, and operating the pipeline will be minimal. The bill provides that an environmental impact assessment shall be required under specified circumstances for permits for a pipeline to be constructed on or after the effective date of the bill. The bill provides that an assessment shall be required if requested by the board upon review of the petition for a permit submitted by an applicant or if the board receives a request for an assessment from any combination of three or more counties or soil and water conservation districts through which the pipeline is proposed to pass, which may include one or more counties or districts through which the pipeline is not proposed to pass but which are part of a watershed management authority within a county or district through which the pipeline is proposed to pass. Requests from a county and a soil and water conservation district that share geographical jurisdiction shall be considered one request. The bill provides that an assessment shall be conducted by a third party contracted with by the applicant and submitted to the board for approval prior to the assessment taking place, and that the applicant shall pay all costs of the assessment. The bill takes effect upon enactment.