West Virginia Code 24B-2-1 – Jurisdiction
The commission shall have power and authority to prescribe and enforce safety standards for pipeline facilities, and to regulate safety practices of persons engaged in the transportation of gas or hazardous liquids, to the extent permitted by the "Act of 1968" and the "Act of 1979" and any amendments thereto. Such standards may apply to the design, installation, inspection, testing, construction, extension, operation, replacement and maintenance of pipeline facilities. Standards affecting the design, installation, construction, initial inspection and initial testing shall not be applicable to pipeline facilities in existence on the date such standards are adopted. Whenever the commission shall find a particular facility to be hazardous to life or property, it shall be empowered to require the person operating such facility to take such steps necessary to remove such hazards. Such safety standards shall be practicable and designed to meet the need for pipeline safety. In prescribing such standards, the commission shall consider:
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 24B-2-1
- Commission: means the Public Service Commission of West Virginia. See West Virginia Code 24B-1-2
- Gas: means natural gas, flammable gas or gas which is toxic or corrosive. See West Virginia Code 24B-1-2
- Person: means any individual, firm, joint venture, partnership, corporation, association, state, municipality, cooperative association or joint-stock association, and includes any trustee, receiver, assignee or personal representative thereof. See West Virginia Code 24B-1-2
- Pipeline facilities: means , without limitation, new and existing pipe, pipe rights-of-way and any equipment, facility, or building used in the transportation of gas or the treatment of gas during the course of transportation, or used in the transportation of hazardous liquid or the treatment of hazardous liquid during the course of transportation. See West Virginia Code 24B-1-2
(a) Relevant available pipeline safety data;
(b) Whether such standards are appropriate for the particular type of pipeline transportation;
(c) The reasonableness of any proposed standards; and
(d) The extent to which such standards will contribute to public safety.