SB 812

The bill increases the maximum penalties for persons who fail to operate and

maintain gas production, transmission, and distribution facilities in a reasonably

adequate and safe manner. Current law requires gas production, transmission, and

distribution facilities to be operated and maintained in a reasonably adequate and

safe manner and authorizes the PSC to issue orders and rules to promote safety of

those facilities. Under current law, a person who violates one of these PSC orders

or rules or fails to operate and maintain gas production, transmission, and

distribution facilities in a reasonably adequate and safe manner is subject to a

forfeiture of up $25,000 per day and a total forfeiture of up to $500,000 for a single

persisting violation. Under the bill, a violator is subject to a forfeiture of up to the

maximum applicable penalty for such violations under federal regulations

promulgated by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Currently, those federal

regulations provide a maximum forfeiture of up to $257,664 per day and a total

forfeiture of up to $2,576,627 for a related series of violations.