Signed by Governor Doug Burgum

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that increases penalties for pipeline protesting

Highlights:

• Prohibits an individual from damaging, destroying, vandalizing, defacing, or tampering with equipment in a critical infrastructure facility (Sec. 1).

• Prohibits an individual from interfering, inhibiting, impeding, or preventing, the construction or repair of a critical infrastructure facility (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that individuals that intentionally violate this act will be guilty of a class C felony and individuals that knowingly or recklessly violate of a class A felony (Sec. 1).

• Requires an organization that has pled guilty or been convicted of a violation for conspiring with an individual who has been convicted or pled guilty to the above mentioned violations to pay a fine not to exceed $100,000 (Sec. 1).

• Defines “critical infrastructure facility” as the following, including (Sec. 1):

• A natural gas transmission or distribution utility facility, including a pipeline interconnection, a city gate or town border station, below or aboveground piping, and a natural gas storage facility;

• A crude oil or refined product storage and distribution facility, including a valve site, pipeline interconnection, pump station, metering station, below or above ground pipeline or piping, and a truck loading or off loading facility;

• Any below or above ground portion of an oil, gas, hazardous liquid, or chemical pipeline, tank, railroad facility, other storage facility or an oil and gas production site;

• A petroleum, or alumina refinery, or dam regulated by the state or federal government;

• An electrical power generating facility or associated equipment infrastructure;

• A natural gas compressor station or liquid natural gas terminal storage facility;

• A drinking water source, water transmission line, water treatment plant, water distribution system, wastewater treatment plant, or wastewater collection system;

• Wireless or wireline telecommunications infrastructure, including fiber optic lines, cable lines, broadband lines, cell tower, or telephone pole or line;

• A port, railroad switching yard, railroad track, trucking terminal, or other freight transportation facility;

• A gas processing plant, including a plant used in the processing, treatment, or fractionation of natural gas or a natural gas liquid;

• A transmission facility used by a federally licensed radio or television station;

• A steel-making facility using an electric arc furnace to make steel; or

• A facility identified and regulated by the US Department of Homeland Security chemical facility anti-terrorism standards program.

Full Bill Text