Existing law provides that a person who violates regulations adopted by the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada in conformity with the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968, 49 U.S.C. §§ 60101 et seq., is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $200,000 for each violation for each day that the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,000,000 for any related series of violations. (NRS 704.595) Existing federal law and regulations establish corresponding civil penalties relating to pipeline safety violations, the amounts of which are required to be adjusted each year to account for inflation and currently may not exceed $272,926 for each violation for each day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,729,245 for any related series of violations. (49 U.S.C. § 60122(a); 49 C.F.R. § 190.223(a)) This bill revises the amount of the civil penalty to align with the amount that may be charged for the corresponding civil penalties under federal law. Existing law also provides that the amount of the civil penalty may be deducted from any sum owed to the person by the State. (NRS 704.595) This bill removes these provisions.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 704.595
BDR: 704.595