§ 23-15-217 - Jurisdiction of Arkansas Public Service Commission over natural gas pipeline inspections. - Arkansas Statutes

23-15-217. Jurisdiction of Arkansas Public Service Commission over natural gas pipeline inspections.

(a) The Office of Pipeline Safety of the Arkansas Public Service Commission shall continue its administration of and shall continue to conduct safety inspections for any natural gas pipeline facilities which contain one hundred (100) or more parts per million of hydrogen sulfide which by this act or any other act of the General Assembly are transferred to or placed under the jurisdiction of the Oil and Gas Commission until the earlier of such time as:

(1) The Oil and Gas Commission receives certification from the United States Department of Transportation to administer and conduct the required safety inspections;

(2) The Oil and Gas Commission has obtained the appropriate equipment to conduct the required inspections; and

(3) The Oil and Gas Commission has established inspection criteria equal to, but not less stringent than, that currently in force for the facilities in question as set out in the Arkansas Gas Pipeline Code, or one (1) year from April 1, 1999.

(b) Prior to the Oil and Gas Commission's assuming exclusive jurisdiction over any natural gas pipeline facility which contains one hundred (100) or more parts per million of hydrogen sulfide transferred to it by this act or any other act of the General Assembly, there shall be a joint inspection by the Office of Pipeline Safety of the Arkansas Public Service Commission and the Oil and Gas Commission of all natural gas pipeline facilities which contain one hundred (100) or more parts per million of hydrogen sulfide, the exclusive jurisdiction over administration and safety inspections which is being transferred from the Office of Pipeline Safety of the Arkansas Public Service Commission to the Oil and Gas Commission to ensure that, at that point in time when transfer occurs, the compliance status of the pipelines is documented and the responsibility for bringing any pipeline code violations into compliance shall rest with the Oil and Gas Commission.