---
kind: "section"
citation: "49 U.S.C. § 60140"
title: "49"
title_heading: "Transportation"
number: "60140"
heading: "Cover over buried pipelines"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/49/60140"
units:
  - "Subtitle VIII — Pipelines"
  - "Chapter 601 — Safety"
---

# §60140. Cover over buried pipelines

- (a) **Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Incidents Involving Buried Pipelines.—**
  - (1) **Study.—** The [Secretary](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-25) of [Transportation](/usc/49/13907.md?p=e-2) shall conduct a study of [hazardous liquid](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-4) pipeline incidents at crossings of inland bodies of water with a width of at least 100 feet from high water mark to high water mark to determine if the depth of cover over the buried pipeline was a factor in any accidental release of [hazardous liquids](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-4).
  - (2) **Report.—** Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the [Secretary](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-25) shall transmit to the Committee on [Transportation](/usc/49/13907.md?p=e-2) and Infrastructure and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and [Transportation](/usc/49/13907.md?p=e-2) of the Senate a report on the results of the study.
- (b) **Assessment of Current Requirements for Depth of Cover Over Buried Pipelines.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** If, following completion of the study under [subsection (a)](#a), the [Secretary](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-25) finds that the depth of cover over buried pipelines is a contributing factor in the accidental release of [hazardous liquids](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-4) from the pipelines, the [Secretary](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-25), not later than 1 year after the date of completion of the study, shall review and determine the sufficiency of current requirements for the depth of cover over buried pipelines.
  - (2) **Legislative recommendations.—**
    - (A) **Development.—** If the [Secretary](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-25) determines under [paragraph (1)](#b-1) that the current requirements for the depth of cover over buried pipelines are insufficient, the [Secretary](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-25) shall develop legislative recommendations for improving the safety of buried pipelines at crossings of inland bodies of water with a width of at least 100 feet from high water mark to high water mark.
    - (B) **Consideration of factors.—** In developing legislative recommendations under [subparagraph (A)](#b-2-A), the [Secretary](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-25) shall consider the factors specified in [section 60102(b)(2)](/usc/49/60102.md?p=b-2).
    - (C) **Report to congress.—** If the [Secretary](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-25) develops legislative recommendations under [subparagraph (A)](#b-2-A), the [Secretary](/usc/49/60101.md?p=a-25) shall submit to the committees referred to in [subsection (a)(2)](#a-2) a report containing the legislative recommendations.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 112–90, § 28(a), Jan. 3, 2012, 125 Stat. 1920.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The date of enactment of this section, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 112–90, which was approved Jan. 3, 2012.