New Gas Pipeline Regulations
On Jan. 17, the PUC adopted new rules regulating Pipeline Operators and Gas Pipeline Safety, as recommended by an administrative law judge (ALJ) in Proceeding 22R-0491GPS. The final rules, which modify language in “4 Code of Colorado Regulations (CCR) 723 PART 11”, were updated in response to House Bill (HB) 21-108 and were based on several public comment hearings and stakeholder comments. Parties may file a Request for Reconsideration by Feb. 18, 2024.
The new rule makes a number of important changes to the Commission’s rules. The rule addresses three issues:
- Annual leak detection reports
- New GIS mapping requirements
- Doubling maximum civil penalties
Commencing on March 31, 2025 and then annually on March 31 of each following year, every pipeline operator is obligated to submit a leak detection report to the Commission.
This report must include the following:
- The total number of known leaks in their pipelines as of Jan. 1 of that year.
- The total number of hazardous leaks that were eliminated or repaired during the previous one-year period ending on December 31.
- The total number of leaks scheduled for repair within the next year.
- Approximate dates and locations of each leak.
- Methods used to detect leaks.
- Date and location of a leak caused by a third party, such as an excavator.
- The volume of the leaked gas.
- The cause of the leak, such as corrosion, damage from natural forces, or excavation damage and to provide detailed mapping data.
Second, industry-operators are now required to submit Geographic Information (GIS) data to the commision for all transmission, distribution, and gathering pipelines. The PUC will provide access to the GIS data through a publicly accessible online map viewer at scales equal to or greater than 1:6,000. Local governments will have access to the maps at a more refined scale. Operators are required to submit GIS data by March 31, 2025 and March 31 of each year thereafter.
Lastly, the revised rule doubles civil penalty maximum amounts, requiring that civil penalties not exceed $200,000 per instance of violation, and the aggregate amount of a group or series of related violations shall not exceed $2 million. This change is consistent with the requirements outlined in federal regulation 49 USC 60122 regarding civil penalty amounts.
These improvements are instrumental in the Commission’s effort to enhance pipeline safety and will provide critical information for the Commission’s pipeline monitoring and inspection activities.
Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Holds Colorado Inmate Communications Services Pre-Rulemaking Workshop
The PUC is gathering feedback and answering questions on proposed draft rules of the Inmate Communications Services program as outlined in § 17-42-103, C.R.S. The information received will be used to further develop the draft rules for issuance in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
The workshops will help the Commission establish rules pertaining to Inmate Communication Services requirements (ICS), including quarterly reports regarding service quality and pricing. The input will also help staff in conducting regular testing on ICS systems. The regulations will also include language that informs users how to make complaints to the Commission.
This webinar will include a mix of staff presentations and public feedback and will be held virtually on Thursday, Feb. 1, from 6-8 p.m and Friday, Feb. 2 from 1-3 p.m. using Zoom. An agenda and materials will be shared with registrants prior to the event.
To attend the workshop, please register here. To check the public calendar, please click here.
Equity Workshop Held on Jan. 31
As part of its ongoing series of educational workshops and opportunities to participate in the PUC’s Equity Initiative, the Commission held a workshop on Wednesday, January 31, on Public Participation and Community Engagement. The public agenda for the workshop is filed in Proceeding 22M-0171ALL.
The workshop focused on how the Commission and other entities can create meaningful opportunities for public participation and community engagement within regulatory processes. The objectives of the workshop were to:
- Provide background information on current participation opportunities at the PUC and share how the PUC hopes to improve participation and engagement opportunities.
- Share a case study on practices for creating meaningful participation and engagement opportunities in regulatory proceedings.
- Understand the current ecosystem of participation and outreach efforts across the PUC, related state agencies, and regulated utilities.
- React to the PUC’s proposed improvements to understand stakeholders’ priorities and desired outcomes for meaningful participation and engagement.
“The event drew a large and diverse audience,” said Jessie Ciulla, Commission advisor. “We’re excited to see such committed engagement from members of our community on the PUC’s equity initiatives, and were grateful for the robust conversations we had at the workshop.”
Senate Bill 21-272 requires the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to make rules in which it “consider[s] how best to provide equity, minimize impacts, and prioritize benefits to disproportionately impacted communities and address historical inequalities.” Ensuring there are meaningful opportunities for participation and engagement in regulatory processes is a crucial way for the PUC to understand public needs and create a more equitable regulatory environment. Further, successfully incorporating diverse perspectives into decision making - and bringing new voices to the table - can lead to utility projects, programs, and processes that are designed for and with affected communities.
Visit the PUC’s equity page to stay aware of our progress and learn about upcoming events here.
Public Comment Period Returning to
Weekly Commissioners Meeting
Beginning Feb. 7, 2024, the Commissioners will hold a public comment period the first Wednesday of every month during their Commissioners Weekly Meeting.
At those meetings, members of the public will be allowed to provide oral comments to the Commission starting at 9 a.m. Comments can be in-person, via Zoom, or by phone and limited to three minutes.
Comments can't be on a current proceeding, but can be a topic under the PUC's jurisdiction.
To register in advance, please click here.
To attend in-person, please arrive a few minutes ahead of 9 a.m. When arriving at the meeting in-person, please sign in at the front table located just inside the hearing room and indicate the topic you’d like to address. Staff will be present to assist. The Public Utilities Commission is located at: 1560 Broadway, Suite 250, Denver. When entering the main building, take the elevators to the second floor. The PUC office is on the east side of the building facing Lincoln St.
Upcoming Meetings and How to Participate:
Friday, Feb. 2, 1-3 p.m.
Workshop: Inmate Communications Services Pre-Rulemaking Workshop. Click here to particpate and for virtual Zoom link.
Wednesday, Feb. 7, 9-10 a.m.
Commissioners' Weekly Meeting: Meeting will feature a public comment period at the beginning of the meeting. Public comment can be oral comments from the public (both, in person and remote) at 9 a.m. Comments about any matters currently pending before the Commission are not allowed. Oral comments will be restricted to three minutes. Please click here to register. If you would like to view the CWM and not participate, please watch the Youtube stream here.
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) serves the public interest by effectively regulating utilities and facilities so that the people of Colorado receive safe, reliable, and reasonably-priced services consistent with the economic, environmental and social values of our state.
The PUC welcomes and encourages public comments. A comment is a statement of opinion about any issue the Commission may decide. It may be about a specific proceeding or more general in nature and can include recommendations for what the Commission should do.
Opportunities for comment include workshops, informational meetings, community meetings, and public comment hearings. Some of these activities are led by agency staff, and others are led by Commissioners or Judges, and some are more formal than others. More general comments can be provided at any time without regard to whether the issue is currently pending.
There are several ways to learn about comment opportunities at the Commission:
- Sign up for the Commission’s email updates. This includes media advisories and notifications about public comment hearings, community meetings, and other events.
- Check the public calendar for upcoming events and ways to participate.
- Review our key proceedings page to see what kinds of cases are currently open for comment.
- Look at E-Filings for a particular proceeding. E-Filings is the Commission’s online system for managing filings in proceedings. You can search for individual proceedings or documents, or subscribe for email updates.
- Catch videos, meetings and hearings on our YouTube channel.
- Check news releases for public meeting announcements.
|
