CHAPTER 222
H.P. 388 - L.D. 533
An Act to Ensure Public Safety and Proper Allocation of Liability for Gas Pipelines
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 14 MRSA §165, sub-§§1 and 2, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 299, §1, are amended to read:
1. Liability without proof of negligence. A natural gas company or an intrastate or interstate natural gas pipeline company that stores, transports or distributes natural gas is liable for all acts and omissions of its servants and agents that cause death or injury to persons or damage to property resulting from explosions or fire caused by natural gas escaping from the natural gas storage, transportation or distribution system under its control or from explosions or fire caused by defects in the natural gas storage, transportation and distribution systems under its control.
2. Rebuttable presumption. When there is death or injury to persons or damage to property resulting from explosions or fire caused by escaping natural gas, there is a rebuttable presumption that the gas escaped because of a defect in a portion of the storage, transportation or distribution system under the company's control.
Effective September 19, 1997, unless otherwise indicated.
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