An Act To Clarify the Regulation of Private Natural Gas Pipelines
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1883
Committee Amendment CA_A_S479 (Senate)
Amends: 35-A MRSA §4517

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 660, L.D. 1883, Bill, "An Act To 
Clarify the Regulation of Private Natural Gas Pipelines" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §4517, sub-§l, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 110, §1, is 
repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings. 
A. "Affiliated compression or liquefaction facility" means a facility that is used to 
liquefy or compress natural gas for sale or distribution to others by means other than 
a pipeline and that is owned or operated by an affiliate of the owner of a private 
natural gas pipeline. 
B. "Private natural gas pipeline" means a pipeline that is used solely for the transport 
of natural gas to a single customer and is owned by the customer and whose owner or 
operator is not otherwise regulated by the commission as a natural gas pipeline utility 
or gas utility. For purposes of this paragraph, "customer" includes an affiliate of a 
customer. 
Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §4517, sub-§§2 and 3, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 110, § 1, 
are amended to read: 
2. Safety regulation. The commission may exercise safety regulation over an entity 
that owns or operates a private natural gas pipeline on public land or land owned by a 3rd 
pat1y, notwithstanding that the entity is not a public utility. 
The commission may 
exercise safety regulation over the owner or operator of an affiliated compression or 
ligue[action facili!y~otwithstandiJ}Llh~i:!tthe owner or operatQr is nJ2LJLjJ_lJbli~~Jltilj~ 
Safety regulation under this subsection may be enforced as provided in sections 4515 and 
4516-A. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 660, L.D. 1883 
3. 
Approval of construction. 
A private natural gas pipeline or affiliated 
compression or liquefaction facility may not be constructed without approval of the 
commission. When requesting approval, the entity that owns or operates a private natural 
gas pipeline or affiliated compression or liquefaction facility shall submit to the 
commission information concerning the engineering design of the pipeline or affiliated 
compression or liquefaction facility and the standards of construction the entity proposes 
to follow and any other information the commission determines necessary to make a 
determination of whether to approve construction. The commission shall approve the 
construction if the commission determines that the standards of construction of the 
pipeline or affiliated compression or liquefaction facility adequately protect the safety of 
the public. 
Sec. 3. 35-A MRSA §4517, sub-§5 is enacted to read: 
5. Sale by affiliate of liquefied natural gas or compressed natural gas. The 
owner or operator of a private natural gas pipeline that delivers natural gas to its affiliate 
that 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. The owner or operator of an affiliated compression or liquefaction facility is not 
considered a public utility if the owner or operator is not otherwise regulated by the 
commission as a public utility.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment clarifies that the Public Utilities Commission has safety jurisdiction 
over facilities that are used to liquefy or compress natural gas for sale or distribution to 
others by means other than a pipeline and that are owned or operated by an affiliate of the 
owner of a private natural gas pipeline. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITJ'EE AMENDMEN'T 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Approved: 03/22112 
$'czc.. 
LD 1883 
LR 2839(02) 
An Act To Clarify the Regulation of Private Natural Gas Pipelines 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment" A" "S 419 
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
The bill provides that the Public Utlities Commission has safety jurisdiction over facilities that are used to liquify or 
compress natural gas for sale or distribution to others by means other than a pipeline and that are owned or operated 
by an affiliate of the owner of a natural gas pipeline. Any additional costs to the Public Utilities Commission can be 
absorbed within existing resources. 
LR2839(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1