NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1979 SESSION

CHAPTER 269
HOUSE BILL 508

AN ACT TO AMEND G.S. 62-50 TO REVISE AND CLARIFY THE JURISDICTION AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE UTILITIES COMMISSION IN REGULATING SAFETY STANDARDS FOR PIPELINE FACILITIES AND TO INCLUDE MUNICIPALLY OWNED GAS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS, PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES, AND PERSONS OPERATING APARTMENT COMPLEXES OR MOBILE HOME PARKS IN THAT JURISDICTION.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  G.S. 62-50 is amended by rewriting subsections (a) and (g) as follows:
"§ 62-50.  Safety standards for gas pipeline facilities. — (a) The commission may promulgate and adopt safety standards for the operation of natural gas pipeline facilities in North Carolina. These safety standards shall apply to the pipeline facilities of gas utilities and pipeline carriers under franchise from the Utilities Commission and to pipeline facilities of other gas operators, as defined in subsection (g) of this section. The commission shall require that all gas operators file with the commission reports of all accidents occurring in connection with the operation of their gas pipeline facilities located in North Carolina. The commission may require that all gas operators file with the commission copies of their construction, operation, and maintenance standards and procedures, and any amendments thereto, and such other information as may be necessary to show compliance with the safety standards promulgated by the commission. Where the commission has reason to believe that any gas operator is not in compliance with the commission's safety standards, the commission may, after notice and hearing, order that gas operator to take such measures as may be necessary to comply with the standards. The commission may require all gas operators to furnish engineering reports showing that their pipeline facilities are in safe operating condition and are being operated in conformity with the commission's safety standards.
(g)	For the purpose of this section, 'gas operators' include gas utilities and gas pipeline carriers operating under a franchise from the Utilities Commission, municipal corporations operating municipally owned gas distribution systems, and public housing authorities and any person operating apartment complexes or mobile home parks that distribute or submeter natural gas to their tenants. This section does not confer any other jurisdiction over municipally owned gas distribution systems, public housing authorities or persons operating apartment complexes or mobile home parks."
Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective on July 1, 1979.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 3rd day of April, 1979.