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Minutes for HB2329 - Committee on Utilities
Short Title
Updating the entities who are subject to the pipeline safety program of the state corporation commission.
Minutes Content for Wed, Mar 2, 2022
Nick Myers, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, gave an overview of the bill. HB 2329, as amended, would modify the list of entities that are subject to Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) rules and regulations adopted to ensure conformity with the federal Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act. The bill would make subject to such rules and regulations operators of “gathering lines,” or pipelines transporting gas from a current production facility to a transmission line or main, provided that such operators are regulated by the Act, and would remove an exclusion for farming or activities associated with the production of oil or gas. (Attachment 1)
The Chairman called for proponent testimony.
Oral Proponent Testimony
Leo Haynos, Chief Engineer, Utilities Division, Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) testified as a proponent of the bill. He stated the primary purpose of the proposed amendment to the governing statute is to provide a clear dividing line with respect to pipeline safety jurisdiction. "The proposed amendments would ensure that Kansas has safety jurisdiction over all intrastate natural gas facilities and that all interstate facilities remain under federal jurisdiction. HB2329 does not expand regulatory requirements for the industry." Further, he stated the KCC loses approximately $10,000 per year of federal funding for not establishing state jurisdiction over all intrastate natural gas pipelines, and the bill will remedy that loss of funding. (Attachment 2)
Following his testimony, there was a period of questions and answers.
There was no opponent testimony.
Seeing no more questions, the Chairman closed the hearing and adjourned the meeting at 1:53 pm.
