Minnesota Administrative Rules
Agency 138 - Public Utilities Commission
Chapter 7852 - ROUTE PERMIT; PIPELINE
Part 7852.0100 - DEFINITIONS

Subpart 1. Scope.

The definitions in Minnesota Statutes, section 216G.02, and this part apply to this chapter.

Subp. 2. Act.

"Act" has the meaning given it in Minnesota Statutes, section 216G.02.

Subp. 3. Affected landowner.

"Affected landowner" means an owner or lessee of record of real property, any part of which is within the proposed pipeline route.

Subp. 4. Authorized representative or agent.

"Authorized representative" or "agent" means a person who is authorized to act as a contact person on behalf of the applicant or permittee.

Subp. 5. Applicant.

"Applicant" means any person or persons who apply to the commission for a conditional exclusion, partial exemption, pipeline route selection, or emergency.

Subp. 6. Application.

"Application" means a document submitted by a person or persons to the commission for conditional exclusion, partial exemption, pipeline route selection, or emergency, the contents of which are described in this chapter.

Subp. 7. Associated facilities.

"Associated facilities" means all parts of those physical facilities through which hazardous liquids or gas moves in transportation, including but not limited to pipe, valves, and other appurtenances connected or attached to pipe, pumping and compressor units, fabricated assemblies associated with pumping and compressor units, metering and delivery stations, regulation stations, holders, breakout tanks, fabricated assemblies, cathodic protection equipment, telemetering equipment, and communication instrumentation located on the right-of-way.

Subp. 8. Barrel.

"Barrel" has the meaning given in part 7853.0100, subpart 5.

Subp. 9. Btu.

"Btu" has the meaning given in part 7853.0100, subpart 6.

Subp. 10. Commission.

"Commission" means the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.

Subp. 11. Construction.

"Construction" means any clearing of land, excavation, or other action for the purpose of constructing new pipeline that would adversely affect the natural environment of a pipeline route. Construction does not include changes needed for temporary use of a route for purposes of maintenance, repair, or replacement of an existing pipeline and associated facilities within existing rights-of-way, or for the minor relocation of less than three-quarters of a mile of an existing pipeline or for securing survey or geological data, including necessary borings to ascertain soil conditions.

Subp. 12. Design day.

"Design day" has the meaning given in part 7851.0010, subpart 6.

Subp. 13. Environment.

"Environment" means physical conditions existing in the area that may be affected by a proposed pipeline and associated facilities. It includes land, air, water, minerals, flora, fauna, ambient noise, energy resources, natural features, or artifacts of historic, archaeological, geologic, or aesthetic significance.

Subp. 14. Equivalent Mcf.

"Equivalent Mcf" has the meaning given in part 7851.0010, subpart 8.

Subp. 15. Filed.

"Filed" means submitted to the commission. A document is considered filed with the commission when it is received by the commission.

Subp. 16. Gas.

"Gas" has the meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section 216G.02, subdivision 1, paragraph (b).

Subp. 17. Gas volume.

"Gas volume" has the meaning given in part 7851.0010, subpart 11.

Subp. 18. Hazardous liquid.

"Hazardous liquid" has the meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section 216G.02, subdivision 1, paragraph (c).

Subp. 19. Liquefied gas.

"Liquefied gas" has the meaning given in part 7851.0010, subpart 16.

Subp. 20. Liquefied petroleum gas; LPG.

"Liquefied petroleum gas" or "LPG" has the meaning given in part 7853.0100, subpart 15.

Subp. 21. Mcf.

"Mcf" has the meaning given in part 7855.0010, subpart 21.

Subp. 22. Permittee.

"Permittee" means any person to whom a pipeline routing permit is issued.

Subp. 23. Person.

"Person" means an individual, partnership, joint venture, private or public corporation, association, firm, public service company, cooperative, political subdivision, municipal corporation, government agency, public utility district, or any other entity, public or private, however organized.

Subp. 24. Pipe.

"Pipe" means any pipe or tube through which hazardous liquids or gas flows or is conveyed from one point to another.

Subp. 25. Pipeline.

"Pipeline" means:

Subp. 26. Pipeline company.

"Pipeline company" means an entity that operates a pipeline.

Subp. 27. Pipeline project or project.

"Pipeline project" or "project" means a pipeline and associated facilities that are planned or under construction.

Subp. 28. Pipeline routing permit.

"Pipeline routing permit" means the written document issued by the commission to the permittee that designates a route for a pipeline and associated facilities, conditions for right-of-way preparation, construction, clean-up, and restoration. The permit may not set safety standards for pipeline construction.

Subp. 29. Public adviser.

"Public adviser" means a staff person designated by the commission for the sole purpose of assisting and advising any person on how to effectively participate in the pipeline route selection procedures.

Subp. 30. Right-of-way.

"Right-of-way" means the interest in real property used or proposed to be used within a route to accommodate a pipeline and associated facilities.

Subp. 31. Route.

"Route" means the proposed location of a pipeline between two end points. A route may have a variable width from the minimum required for the pipeline right-of-way up to 1.25 miles.

Subp. 32. Route segment.

"Route segment" means a portion of a route.

Subp. 33. Shelterbelt.

"Shelterbelt" means the barrier zone of grasses, shrubs, and trees, or any combination of them, planted to protect crops, soil, and other sensitive areas against erosion.

Subp. 34. Synthetic gas.

"Synthetic gas" has the meaning given in part 7851.0010, subpart 26.