00                      CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 215(JUD) am                                                                  
01 "An Act relating to the judicial review of a right-of-way lease or the development or                                   
02 construction of an oil or gas pipeline on state land; and relating to the lease of a right-of-                          
03 way by the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation for a gas pipeline transportation                                         
04 corridor."                                                                                                              
05 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
06    * Section 1. AS 38.34.050(c) is amended to read:                                                                   
07            (c)  Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, the Department of Natural                                
08       Resources shall grant the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation a right-of-way lease                                 
09       under AS 38.35 for the gas pipeline transportation corridor if                                                    
10                 (1)  the corporation submits a complete right-of-way lease application                                  
11       under AS 38.35.050;                                                                                               
12                 (2)  the lease application is made the subject of notice and other                                      
13       reasonable and appropriate publication requirements under AS 38.35.070; and                                       
14                 (3)  except for the covenants in AS 38.35.120(a)(1), (2), and (5), the                              
01       corporation agrees to be bound by the right-of-way lease covenants set out in                                     
02       AS 38.35.120; notwithstanding AS 38.35.120(b), a right-of-way lease subject to                                
03       this paragraph is valid and of legal effect.                                                                  
04    * Sec. 2. AS 38.35.100(d) is amended to read:                                                                      
05            (d)  The commissioner shall include in a conditional lease each requirement                                  
06       and condition of the covenants established under AS 38.35.120, except for covenants                           
07       that do not apply to a lease entered into under AS 38.34.050(c). The commissioner                             
08       may also require that the lessee agree to additional conditions that the commissioner                             
09       finds to be in the public interest. In place of the covenant established under                                    
10       AS 38.35.120(a)(9), the commissioner shall require the lessee to agree that it will not                           
11       transfer, assign, pledge, or dispose of in any manner, directly or indirectly, its interest                       
12       in a conditional right-of-way lease or a pipeline subject to the conditional lease, unless                        
13       the commissioner, after considering the public interest and issuing written findings to                           
14       substantiate a decision to allow the transfer, authorizes the transfer. The commissioner                          
15       shall also require the lessee to agree not to allow the transfer of control of the lessee                         
16       without the approval of the commissioner; as used in this subsection, "transfer of                                
17       control of the lessee" means the transfer of 30 percent or more, in the aggregate, of                             
18       ownership interest in the lessee in one or more transactions to one or more persons by                            
19       one or more persons.                                                                                              
20    * Sec. 3. AS 38.35.120(a) is amended to read:                                                                      
21            (a)  Except as provided in AS 38.34.050(c), a [A] noncompetitive lease of                                
22       state land for a right-of-way for an oil or natural gas pipeline valued at $1,000,000 or                          
23       more may be granted only upon the condition that the lessee expressly covenants in                                
24       the lease, in consideration of the rights acquired by it under the lease, that                                    
25                 (1)  it assumes the status of and will perform all of its functions                                     
26       undertaken under the lease as a common carrier and will accept, convey, and transport                             
27       without discrimination crude oil or natural gas, depending on the kind of pipeline                                
28       involved, delivered to it for transportation from fields in the vicinity of the pipeline                          
29       subject to the lease throughout its route both on state land obtained under the lease and                         
30       on the other land; it will accept, convey, and transport crude oil or natural gas without                         
31       unjust or unreasonable discrimination in favor of one producer or person, including                               
01       itself, as against another but will take the crude oil or natural gas, depending on the                           
02       kind of pipeline involved, delivered or offered, without unreasonable discrimination,                             
03       that the Regulatory Commission of Alaska shall, after a full hearing with due notice to                           
04       the interested parties and a proper finding of facts, determine to be reasonable in the                           
05       performance of its duties as a common carrier; however, a lessee that owns or operates                            
06       a natural gas pipeline                                                                                            
07                      (A)  subject to regulation either under the Natural Gas Act (15                                    
08            U.S.C. 717 et seq.) of the United States or by the state or political subdivisions                           
09            with respect to rates and charges for the sale of natural gas, is, to the extent of                          
10            that regulation, exempt from the common carrier requirement in this                                          
11            paragraph;                                                                                                   
12                      (B)  that is a North Slope natural gas pipeline (i) is required to                                 
13            operate as a common carrier only with respect to the intrastate transportation of                            
14            North Slope natural gas, as that term is defined in AS 42.06.630, and (ii) is not                            
15            required to operate as a common carrier as to a liquefied natural gas facility or                            
16            a marine terminal facility associated with the pipeline, and is not otherwise                                
17            required to perform its functions under the lease as a common carrier; for                                   
18            purposes of this subparagraph, "North Slope natural gas pipeline" means all the                              
19            facilities of a total system of pipe, whether owned or operated under a contract,                            
20            agreement, or lease, used by a carrier for transportation of North Slope natural                             
21            gas, as defined by AS 42.06.630, for delivery, for storage, or for further                                   
22            transportation, and including all pipe, pump, or compressor stations, station                                
23            equipment, tanks, valves, access roads, bridges, airfields, terminals and                                    
24            terminal facilities, including docks and tanker loading facilities, operations                               
25            control centers for both the upstream part of the pipeline and the terminal,                                 
26            tanker ballast treatment facilities, fire protection system, communication                                   
27            system, and all other facilities used or necessary for an integral line of pipe,                             
28            taken as a whole, to carry out transportation, including an extension or                                     
29            enlargement of the line;                                                                                     
30                 (2)  it will interchange crude oil or natural gas, depending on the kind                                
31       of pipeline involved, with each like common carrier and provide connections and                                   
01       facilities for the interchange of crude oil or natural gas at every locality reached by                           
02       both pipelines when the necessity exists, subject to rates and regulations made by the                            
03       appropriate state or federal regulatory agency;                                                                   
04                 (3)  it will maintain and preserve books, accounts, and records and will                                
05       make those reports that the state may prescribe by regulation or law as necessary and                             
06       appropriate for purposes of administration of this chapter;                                                       
07                 (4)  it will accord at all reasonable times to the state and its authorized                             
08       agents and auditors the right of access to its property and records, of inspection of its                         
09       property, and of examination and copying of records;                                                              
10                 (5)  it will provide connections, as determined by the Regulatory                                       
11       Commission of Alaska under AS 42.06.340, to facilities on the pipeline subject to the                             
12       lease, both on state land and other land in the state, for the purpose of delivering crude                        
13       oil or natural gas, depending on the kind of pipeline involved, to persons (including                             
14       the state and its political subdivisions) contracting for the purchase at wholesale of                            
15       crude oil or natural gas transported by the pipeline when required by the public                                  
16       interest;                                                                                                         
17                 (6)  it shall, notwithstanding any other provision, provide connections                                 
18       and interchange facilities at state expense at such places the state considers necessary                          
19       if the state determines to take a portion of its royalty or taxes in oil or natural gas;                          
20                 (7)  it will construct and operate the pipeline in accordance with                                      
21       applicable state laws and lawful regulations and orders of the Regulatory Commission                              
22       of Alaska;                                                                                                        
23                 (8)  it will, at its own expense, during the term of the lease,                                         
24                      (A)  maintain the leasehold and pipeline in good repair;                                           
25                      (B)  promptly repair or remedy any damage to the leasehold;                                        
26                      (C)  promptly compensate for any damage to or destruction of                                       
27            property for which the lessee is liable resulting from damage to or destruction                              
28            of the leasehold or pipeline;                                                                                
29                 (9)  it will not transfer, assign, or dispose of in any manner, directly or                             
30       indirectly, or by transfer of control of the carrier corporation, its interest in a right-of-                     
31       way lease, or any rights under the lease or any pipeline subject to the lease to any                              
01       person other than another owner of the pipeline (including subsidiaries, parents, and                             
02       affiliates of the owners), except to the extent that the commissioner, after                                      
03       consideration of the protection of the public interest (including whether the proposed                            
04       transferee is fit, willing, and able to perform the transportation or other acts proposed                         
05       in a manner that will reasonably protect the lives, property, and general welfare of the                          
06       people of Alaska), authorizes; the commissioner shall not unreasonably withhold                                   
07       consent to the transfer, assignment, or disposal;                                                                 
08                 (10)  it will file with the commissioner a written appointment of a                                     
09       named permanent resident of the state to be its registered agent in the state and to                              
10       receive service of notices, regulations, decisions, and orders of the commissioner; if it                         
11       fails to appoint an agent for service, service may be made by posting a copy in the                               
12       office of the commissioner, filing a copy in the office of the lieutenant governor, and                           
13       mailing a copy to the lessee's last known address;                                                                
14                 (11)  the applicable law of this state will be used in resolving questions                              
15       of interpretation of the lease;                                                                                   
16                 (12)  the granting of the right-of-way lease is subject to the express                                  
17       condition that the exercise of the rights and privileges granted under the lease will not                         
18       unduly interfere with the management, administration, or disposal by the state of the                             
19       land affected by the lease, and that the lessee agrees and consents to the occupancy                              
20       and use by the state, its grantees, permittees, or other lessees of any part of the right-                        
21       of-way not actually occupied or required by the pipeline for the full and safe                                    
22       utilization of the pipeline, for necessary operations incident to land management,                                
23       administration, or disposal;                                                                                      
24                 (13)  it will be liable to the state for damages or injury incurred by the                              
25       state caused by the construction, operation, or maintenance of the pipeline and it will                           
26       indemnify the state for the liabilities or damages;                                                               
27                 (14)  it will procure and furnish liability and property damage insurance                               
28       from a company licensed to do business in the state or furnish other security or                                  
29       undertaking upon the terms and conditions the commissioner considers necessary if                                 
30       the commissioner finds that the net assets of the lessee are insufficient to protect the                          
31       public from damage for which the lessee may be liable arising out of the construction                             
01       or operation of the pipeline.                                                                                     
02    * Sec. 4. AS 38.35.120(b) is amended to read:                                                                      
03            (b)  Except as provided in AS 38.34.050(c), for [FOR] a right-of-way lease                               
04       granted under this chapter for an oil or natural gas pipeline valued at $1,000,000 or                             
05       more to be valid and of legal effect, it must contain the terms required to be inserted                           
06       under the provisions of AS 38.35.110 - 38.35.140. Except as provided in                                       
07       AS 38.34.050(c), an [AN] oil or natural gas pipeline right-of-way lease granted under                         
08       this chapter that does not contain the required terms is null and void and without legal                          
09       effect and does not vest any interest in state land or any authority in the carrier granted                       
10       the lease.                                                                                                        
11    * Sec. 5. AS 38.35.200(a) is amended to read:                                                                      
12            (a)  A person that is a [AN APPLICANT OR] competing applicant or that [A                             
13       PERSON WHO] has a direct financial interest affected by the lease of a right-of-way                           
14       under this chapter that [WHO] raises an objection [OBJECTIONS] within the later                       
15       of 60 days after the effective date of this Act or [OF] the publication of notice under                   
16       AS 38.35.070 and a person that is an applicant are the only persons with standing to                          
17       seek judicial review of a decision of the commissioner under AS 38.35.100 or an                               
18       action described in (c) of this section, except that the limitations in (c) of this                           
19       section do not apply to an applicant appealing an action or decision described in                             
20       (c) of this section.                                                                                          
21    * Sec. 6. AS 38.35.200(b) is amended by adding new subsections to read:                                            
22            (c)  Except as provided for an applicant under (a) of this section,                                          
23       notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, an action or decision of the                                       
24       commissioner or other state officer or agency concerning the issuance or approval of a                            
25       necessary right-of-way, permit, lease, certificate, license, or other authorization for the                       
26       development, construction, or initial operation of a natural gas pipeline that uses a                             
27       right-of-way subject to this chapter may not be subject to judicial review, except that a                         
28       claim alleging the invalidity of this section must brought within 60 days after the                               
29       effective date of this Act, and a claim alleging that an action will deny rights under the                        
30       Constitution of the State of Alaska must be brought within 60 days following the date                             
31       of that action. A claim that is not filed within the limitations established in this                              
01       subsection is barred. A complaint under this subsection must be filed in superior court,                          
02       and the superior court has exclusive jurisdiction. Notwithstanding AS 22.10.020(c),                               
03       except in conjunction with a final judgment on a claim filed under this subsection, the                           
04       superior court may not grant injunctive relief, including a temporary restraining order,                          
05       preliminary injunction, permanent injunction, or stay against the issuance of a right-of-                         
06       way, permit, lease, certificate, license, or other authorization. In this section, "natural                       
07       gas pipeline" has the meaning given in AS 42.06.630.                                                              
08            (d)  An appeal of a permitting decision by the Department of Environmental                                   
09       Conservation under AS 46.03 or AS 46.14 that is made under authority delegated to                                 
10       the Department of Environmental Conservation by the United States Environmental                                   
11       Protection Agency is not                                                                                          
12                 (1)  subject to the limitation in (a)(2) of this section;                                               
13                 (2)  included in the actions or decisions described in (c) of this section.                             
14    * Sec. 7. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to                          
15 read:                                                                                                                   
16       REVISOR'S INSTRUCTION. The revisor of statutes shall change the catch line of                                     
17 AS 38.35.200 from "Judicial review of decisions of commissioner on application" to "Judicial                            
18 review."