An Act To Clarify the Regulation of Private Natural Gas Pipelines

Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §4517, sub-§1,  as enacted by PL 2011, c. 110, §1, is amended to read:

Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §4517, sub-§5  is enacted to read:

summary

This bill:

1. Specifies that only private natural gas pipelines whose owners and operators are not otherwise regulated by the Public Utilities Commission as a utility are private natural gas pipelines, and specifies that the term "customer" includes the affiliate of a customer, for the purposes of the laws governing such pipelines;

2. Provides that a private natural gas pipeline that delivers natural gas to its affiliate who then liquefies or compresses the natural gas for sale or distribution to others by means other than by a pipeline is not, as a result of the delivery, considered a public utility; and

3. Provides that the owner or operator of an affiliate of a private natural gas pipeline that receives deliveries of natural gas that it liquefies or compresses for sale or distribution to others by means other than by a pipeline is not considered a public utility if the owner or operator of the affiliate is not otherwise regulated by the commission as a public utility.