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15 U.S.C. § 717 — Regulation of natural gas companies
Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Necessity of regulation in public interest** As disclosed in reports of the Federal Trade Commission made pursuant to S. Res. 83 (Seventieth Congress, first session) and other reports made pursuant to the authority of Congress, it is declared that the business of transporting and selling natural gas for ultimate distribution to the public is affected with a public interest, and that Federal regulation in matters relating to the transportation of natural gas and the sale thereof in interstate and foreign commerce is necessary in the public interest.
**(b) Transactions to which provisions of chapter applicable** The provisions of this chapter shall apply to the transportation of natural gas in interstate commerce, to the sale in interstate commerce of natural gas for resale for ultimate public consumption for domestic, commercial, industrial, or any other use, and to natural-gas companies engaged in such transportation or sale, and to the importation or exportation of natural gas in foreign commerce and to persons engaged in such importation or exportation, but shall not apply to any other transportation or sale of natural gas or to the local distribution of natural gas or to the facilities used for such distribution or to the production or gathering of natural gas.
**(c) Intrastate transactions exempt from provisions of chapter; certification from State commission as conclusive evidence** The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any person engaged in or legally authorized to engage in the transportation in interstate commerce or the sale in interstate commerce for resale, of natural gas received by such person from another person within or at the boundary of a State if all the natural gas so received is ultimately consumed within such State, or to any fa
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 15 U.S.C. § 717
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Stable record: federal_law:legal_authorities:record_usc_d79368c005e89bac28fedb1a
Source file: Laws/federal/codes/united-states-code/title-15/section-717-regulation-of-natural-gas-companies--a532b0c37a.md
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Passage SHA-256: 9571aee3706e00e8345befa8a9c8e43561c2eac294b58298fd9e9ec84c038cc3
Source location: Title 15, Chapter 15B, § 717; chapter-15b-natural-gas.md
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**(a) Necessity of regulation in public interest** As disclosed in reports of the Federal Trade Commission made pursuant to S. Res. 83 (Seventieth Congress, first session) and other reports made pursuant to the authority of Congress, it is declared that the business of transporting and selling natural gas for ultimate distribution to the public is affected with a public interest, and that Federal regulation in matters relating to the transportation of natural gas and the sale thereof in interstate and foreign commerce is necessary in the public interest.
**(b) Transactions to which provisions of chapter applicable** The provisions of this chapter shall apply to the transportation of natural gas in interstate commerce, to the sale in interstate commerce of natural gas for resale for ultimate public consumption for domestic, commercial, industrial, or any other use, and to natural-gas companies engaged in such transportation or sale, and to the importation or exportation of natural gas in foreign commerce and to persons engaged in such importation or exportation, but shall not apply to any other transportation or sale of natural gas or to the local distribution of natural gas or to the facilities used for such distribution or to the production or gathering of natural gas.
**(c) Intrastate transactions exempt from provisions of chapter; certification from State commission as conclusive evidence** The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any person engaged in or legally authorized to engage in the transportation in interstate commerce or the sale in interstate commerce for resale, of natural gas received by such person from another person within or at the boundary of a State if all the natural gas so received is ultimately consumed within such State, or to any facilities used by such person for such transportation or sale, provided that the rates and service of such person and facilities be subject to regulation by a State commission. The matters exempted from the provisions of this chapter by this subsection are declared to be matters primarily of local concern and subject to regulation by the several States. A certification from such State commission to the Federal Power Commission that such State commission has regulatory jurisdiction over rates and service of such person and facilities and is exercising such jurisdiction shall constitute conclusive evidence of such regulatory power or jurisdiction.
**(d) Vehicular natural gas jurisdiction** The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any person solely by reason of, or with respect to, any sale or transportation of vehicular natural gas if such person is—
(1) not otherwise a natural-gas company; or
(2) subject primarily to regulation by a State commission, whether or not such State commission has, or is exercising, jurisdiction over the sale, sale for resale, or transportation of vehicular natural gas.
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a)** In administering the naval petroleum reserves under this chapter, the Secretary shall use, store, or sell the petroleum produced from the naval petroleum reserves and lands covered by joint, unit, or other cooperative plans.
**(b)**
(1) Subject to paragraph (2) and notwithstanding any other provision of law, each sale of the United States share of petroleum shall be made by the Secretary at public sale to the highest qualified bidder, at such time, in such amounts, and after such advertising as the Secretary considers proper and without regard to Federal, State, or local regulations controlling sales or allocation of petroleum products. Each sale of the United States share of petroleum shall be for periods of not more than one year, except that a sale of natural gas may be made for a period of more than one year.
(2) The Secretary may not sell any part of the United States share of petroleum produced from Naval Petroleum Reserves Numbered 2 and 3 at a price less than the current sales price, as estimated by the Secretary, of comparable petroleum in the same area.
(3) For purposes of paragraph (2), the term “petroleum” does not include natural gas liquids.
**(c)** In no event shall the Secretary permit the award of any contract which would result in any person obtaining control, directly or indirectly, over more than 20 percent of the estimated annual United States share of petroleum produced from Naval Petroleum Reserve Numbered 1.
**(d)** Each proposal for sale under this title shall provide that the terms of every sale of the United States share of petroleum from the naval petroleum reserves shall be so structured as to give full and equal opportunity for the acquisition of petroleum by all interested persons, including major and independent oil producer
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 10 U.S.C. § 8730
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
For purposes of this chapter—
(1) **Natural gas** — The term “natural gas” means either natural gas unmixed, or any mixture of natural and artificial gas.
(2) **Well** — The term “well” means any well for the discovery or production of natural gas, crude oil, or both.
(3) **New well** — The term “new well” means any well—
(A) the surface drilling of which began on or after February 19, 1977; or
(B) the depth of which was increased, by means of drilling on or after February 19, 1977, to a completion location which is located at least 1,000 feet below the depth of the deepest completion location of such well attained before February 19, 1977.
(4) **Old well** — The term “old well” means any well other than a new well.
(5) **Marker well**
(A) *General rule* — The term “marker well” means any well from which natural gas was produced in commercial quantities at any time after January 1, 1970, and before April 20, 1977.
(B) *New wells* — The term “marker well” does not include any new well under paragraph (3)(A) but includes any new well under paragraph (3)(B) if such well qualifies as a marker well under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.
(6) **Reservoir** — The term “reservoir” means any producible natural accumulation of natural gas, crude oil, or both, confined—
(A) by impermeable rock or water barriers and characterized by a single natural pressure system; or
(B) by lithologic or structural barriers which prevent pressure communication.
(7) **Completion location**
(A) *General rule* — The term “completion location” means any subsurface location from which natural gas is being or has been produced in commercial quantities.
(B) *Marker well* — The term “completion location”, when used with reference to any marker well, means any subsurface l
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 15 U.S.C. § 3311 to 3333
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Presidential authorization** During any natural gas supply emergency declared under [section 3361 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section3361&num=0&edition=prelim), the President may, by rule or order, authorize any interstate pipeline or local distribution company served by any interstate pipeline to contract, upon such terms and conditions as the President determines to be appropriate (including provisions respecting fair and equitable prices), for the purchase of emergency supplies of natural gas—
(1) from any producer of natural gas (other than a producer who is affiliated with the purchaser, as determined by the President) if—
(A) such natural gas is not produced from the Outer Continental Shelf; and
(B) the sale or transportation of such natural gas was not pursuant to a certificate issued under the Natural Gas Act [[15 U.S.C. 717](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section717&num=0&edition=prelim) et seq.] immediately before the date on which such contract was entered into; or
(2) from any intrastate pipeline, local distribution company, or other person (other than an interstate pipeline or a producer of natural gas).
**(b) Contract duration** The duration of any contract authorized under subsection (a) may not exceed 4 months. The preceding sentence shall not prohibit the President from authorizing under subsection (a) a renewal of any contract, previously authorized under such subsection, following the expiration of such contract.
**(c) Related transportation and facilities** The President may, by order, require any pipeline to transport natural gas, and to construct and operate such facilities for the transportation of natural gas, as he determines necessary t
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 15 U.S.C. § 3363
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Commission approval of transportation**
(1) **Interstate pipelines**
(A) *In general* — The Commission may, by rule or order, authorize any interstate pipeline to transport natural gas on behalf of—
(i) any intrastate pipeline; and
(ii) any local distribution company.
(B) *Just and reasonable rates* — The rates and charges of any interstate pipeline with respect to any transportation authorized under subparagraph (A) shall be just and reasonable (within the meaning of the Natural Gas Act [[15 U.S.C. 717](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section717&num=0&edition=prelim) et seq.]).
(2) **Intrastate pipelines**
(A) *In general* — The Commission may, by rule or order, authorize any intrastate pipeline to transport natural gas on behalf of—
(i) any interstate pipeline; and
(ii) any local distribution company served by any interstate pipeline.
(B) *Rates and charges*
(i) *Maximum fair and equitable price* — The rates and charges of any intrastate pipeline with respect to any transportation authorized under subparagraph (A), including any amount computed in accordance with the rule prescribed under clause (ii), shall be fair and equitable and may not exceed an amount which is reasonably comparable to the rates and charges which interstate pipelines would be permitted to charge for providing similar transportation service.
(ii) *Commission rule* — The Commission shall, by rule, establish the method for calculating an amount necessary to—
(I) reasonably compensate any intrastate pipeline for expenses incurred by the pipeline and associated with the providing of any gathering, treatment, processing, transportation, delivery, or similar service provided by such pipeline in connection with
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 15 U.S.C. § 3372
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Authorization of assignments** The Commission may, by rule or order, authorize any intrastate pipeline to assign, without compensation, to any interstate pipeline or local distribution company all or any portion of such intrastate pipeline’s right to receive surplus natural gas at any first sale, upon such terms and conditions as the Commission determines appropriate.
**(b) Effect of authorization under subsection (a)** For the effect of an authorization under subsection (a), see [section 3431 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section3431&num=0&edition=prelim) (relating to the coordination of this chapter with the Natural Gas Act [[15 U.S.C. 717](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section717&num=0&edition=prelim) et seq.]).
**(c) Surplus natural gas** For purposes of this section, the term “surplus natural gas” means any natural gas which is determined, by the State agency having regulatory jurisdiction over the intrastate pipeline which would be entitled to receive such natural gas in the absence of any assignment to exceed the then current demands on such pipeline for natural gas.
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 15 U.S.C. § 3373
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) General rule** Any provision of any contract for the first sale of natural gas is hereby declared against public policy and unenforceable with respect to any natural gas covered by this chapter if such provision—
(1) prohibits the commingling of natural gas subject to such contract with natural gas subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission under the provisions of the Natural Gas Act [[15 U.S.C. 717](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section717&num=0&edition=prelim) et seq.];
(2) prohibits the sale of any natural gas subject to such contract to, or transportation of any such natural gas by, any person subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission under the Natural Gas Act [[15 U.S.C. 717](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section717&num=0&edition=prelim) et seq.], or otherwise prohibits the sale or transportation in interstate commerce (within the meaning of the Natural Gas Act) of natural gas subject to such contract; or
(3) terminates, or grants any party the option to terminate, any obligation under any such contract as a result of such commingling, sale, or transportation.
**(b) Natural gas covered by this chapter** For purposes of subsection (a), the term “natural gas covered by this chapter” means—
(1) natural gas which is not committed or dedicated to interstate commerce as of November 8, 1978;
(2) natural gas, the sale in interstate commerce of which—
(A) is authorized under section 3362(a) or 3371(b) of this title; or
(B) is pursuant to an assignment under [section 3372(a) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section3372/a&num=0&edition=prelim); and,
(3) natural gas, the transportation in interstate commerce of which is—
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 15 U.S.C. § 3375
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Establishment of priorities** The Secretary of Energy shall prescribe the rules under sections 3391 and 3392 of this title pursuant to his authority under the Department of Energy Organization Act [42 U.S.C 7101 et seq.] to establish and review priorities for curtailments under the Natural Gas Act [[15 U.S.C. 717](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section717&num=0&edition=prelim) et seq.].
**(b) Implementation of priorities** The Commission shall implement the rules prescribed under sections 3391 and 3392 of this title pursuant to its authority under the Department of Energy Organization Act [[42 U.S.C. 7101](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section7101&num=0&edition=prelim) et seq.] to establish, review, and enforce curtailments under the Natural Gas Act [[15 U.S.C. 717](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section717&num=0&edition=prelim) et seq.].
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 15 U.S.C. § 3394
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) General rule** The Commission may not, during the 10-year period beginning on November 9, 1978, revoke or amend any certificate of public convenience and necessity issued before January 1, 1969, under section 7 of the Natural Gas Act [[15 U.S.C. 717f](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section717f&num=0&edition=prelim)] for the transportation of natural gas owned by any electric utility except upon the application of the person to whom such certificate was issued.
**(b) Commission curtailment authority** The limitation under subsection (a) shall not affect the authority of the Commission to enforce any curtailment of deliveries of natural gas under the Natural Gas Act [[15 U.S.C. 717](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section717&num=0&edition=prelim) et seq.].
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 15 U.S.C. § 3411
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Jurisdiction of the Commission under the Natural Gas Act**
(1) **Sales**
(A) *Application to first sales* — For purposes of section 1(b) of the Natural Gas Act [[15 U.S.C. 717(b)](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section717/b&num=0&edition=prelim)], the provisions of the Natural Gas Act [[15 U.S.C. 717](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section717&num=0&edition=prelim) et seq.], and the jurisdiction of the Commission under such Act shall not apply to any natural gas solely by reason of any first sale of such natural gas.
(B) *Authorized sales or assignments* — For purposes of section 1(b) of the Natural Gas Act [[15 U.S.C. 717(b)](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section717/b&num=0&edition=prelim)], the provisions of the Natural Gas Act [[15 U.S.C. 717](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section717&num=0&edition=prelim) et seq.] and the jurisdiction of the Commission under such Act shall not apply by reason of any sale of natural gas—
(i) authorized under section 3362(a) or 3371(b) of this title; or
(ii) pursuant to any assigned 11 So in original. Probably should be “assignment”. authorized under [section 3372(a) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section3372/a&num=0&edition=prelim).
(C) *Natural-gas company* — For purposes of the Natural Gas Act [[15 U.S.C. 717](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section717&num=0&edition=prelim) et seq.], the term “natural-gas company” (as defined in section 2(6) of such Act [[15 U.S.C. 717a(6)](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section717a/6&num=0&edition
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 15 U.S.C. § 3432
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Determination of entitlement**
(1) For purposes of determining the natural gas entitlement of any local distribution company under any curtailment plan, if the Commission revises any base period established under such plan, the volumes of natural gas which such local distribution company demonstrates—
(A) were sold by the local distribution company, for a priority use immediately before the implementation of conservation measures, and
(B) were conserved by reason of the implementation of such conservation measures,
shall be treated by the Commission following such revision as continuing to be used for the priority use referred to in subparagraph (A).
(2) The Commission shall, by rule, prescribe methods for measurement of volumes of natural gas to which subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) apply.
**(b) Conditions, limitations, etc.** Subsection (a) shall not limit or otherwise affect any provision of any curtailment plan, or any other provision of law or regulation, under which natural gas may be diverted or allocated to respond to emergency situations or to protect public health, safety, and welfare.
**(c) Definitions** For purposes of this section—
(1) The term “conservation measures” means such energy conservation measures, as determined by the Commission, as were implemented after the base period established under the curtailment plan in effect on November 9, 1978.
(2) The term “local distribution company” means any person engaged in the transportation, or local distribution, of natural gas and the sale of natural gas for ultimate consumption.
(3) The term “curtailment plan” means a plan (including any modification of such plan required by the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 [[15 U.S.C. 3301](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 15 U.S.C. § 717x
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