Section 42.06.140 - General powers and duties(a) The commission (1) shall regulate pipelines and pipeline carriers in the state;(2) may investigate upon complaint or its own motion, the rates, classifications, rules, regulations, prices, services, practices, and facilities of pipeline carriers, and the performance of obligations under and compliance with the terms of leases issued by the state;(3) may make, prescribe, or require just, fair, and reasonable rates, classifications, regulations, practices, services, and facilities for pipeline carriers;(4) may require pipeline carriers and affiliated interests to file with the commission reports and other information and data required or permitted to be required by other provisions of this chapter;(5) may adopt regulations that are necessary and proper to the performance of its duties under this chapter, including regulations governing practices and procedures of the commission; the regulations may not be inconsistent with state law;(6) shall during normal business hours have access to and may designate any of its employees, agents, or consultants to inspect and examine the accounts, financial and property records, books, maps, inventories, appraisals, valuations, and related reports kept by a pipeline carrier, or kept for it by others, that directly affect the interests of the state and directly relate to pipelines located in the state;(7) may initiate, intervene in, and appear personally or by counsel and offer evidence in and participate in, any proceedings involving a pipeline carrier and affecting the interests of the state, before any officer, department, board, commission, or court of this state;(8) shall require permits for the construction, enlargement in size or operating capacity, extension, connection and interconnection, operation or abandonment of any oil or gas pipeline facility or facilities, subject to necessary and reasonable terms, conditions and limitations;(9) may prescribe the system of accounts and regulate the service of an oil or gas pipeline facility;(10) shall provide all reasonable assistance to the Department of Law in intervening in, offering evidence in, and participating in proceedings involving a pipeline carrier or affiliated interest and affecting the interests of the state, before an officer, department, board, commission, or court of another state or the United States.(b) The commission may assign a qualified, unbiased, and impartial administrative law judge, with experience in the general practice of law, to conduct hearings under this chapter. The administrative law judge may perform other duties in connection with the administration of this chapter and other laws. An administrative law judge hired to conduct hearings under this chapter shall have been admitted to practice law for at least five years immediately before appointment under this subsection.(c) The commission shall regulate under AS 42.05 the service of natural gas and liquefied natural gas storage, including storage furnished by operating a natural gas storage facility that is part of a (1) pipeline facility operated by a pipeline carrier; or(2) natural gas pipeline facility operated by a natural gas pipeline carrier.(d) In this section,(1) "service of liquefied natural gas storage" means the operation of a liquefied natural gas storage facility; "service of liquefied natural gas storage" does not include the storage of liquefied natural gas (A) owned by or contractually obligated to the owner, operator, or manager of the liquefied natural gas storage facility; or(B) for which the price of storage is not separately itemized;(2) "service of natural gas storage" means the operation of a natural gas storage facility primarily or exclusively for the benefit of third-party customers, and not for the benefit of the owner, operator, or manager of the natural gas storage facility; "service of natural gas storage" does not include the storage of natural gas(A) owned by or contractually obligated to the owner, operator, or manager of the natural gas storage facility; or(B) for which the price of storage is not separately itemized.Amended by SLA 2024, ch. 23,sec. 50, eff. 10/29/2024.