GATHERING LINES.

SEC. 208. GATHERING LINES. (a) Definition of Transportation of Hazardous Liquids.— (1) Amendments.— Section 202(3) of the Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Act of 1979 (49 U.S.C. App. 2001(3)) is amended— (A) by striking “any such”; (B) by inserting “, other than regulated gathering lines,” after “through gathering lines”; and (C) by inserting “, but such term shall include the movement of hazardous liquids through regulated gathering lines” after “any of such facilities”. (2) Effective date.— The amendments made by paragraph (1) shall take effect on the effective date of the regulations required under section 220 of the Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Act of 1979, as added by subsection (b) of this section. (b) Regulations Defining Gathering Lines.— Such Act is further amended by adding at the end the following new section: 106 STAT. 3304 “SEC. 220. GATHERING LINES. “(a) Gathering Lines Defined.— The Secretary shall, within 2 years after the date of the enactment of this section, define by regulation the term ‘gathering Unes’. “(b) Regulated Gathering Lines Defined.— The Secretary shall, within 3 years after the date of the enactment of this section, define by regulation the term ‘regulated gathering lines’. In defining such term, the Secretary shall consider such factors as location, length of line from the well site, operating pressure, throughput, diameter, and the composition of the transported hazardous liquid in determining the types of lines which are functionally gathering but which, due to specific physical characteristics, warrant regulation under this Act. Such definition shall not include crude oil gathering lines that are of a nominal diameter of 6 inches or less, are operated at low pressure, and are located in rural areas that are not unusually sensitive to environmental damage.”. (c) Conforming Amendment.— The table of contents contained in section 1(b) of the Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Act of 1979 is amended by adding at the end the following new item: “Sec. 220. Gathering tines.”.