Colorado § 40-7-117 - Gas pipeline safety rules - civil penalty for violations - other remedies - rules.

§ 40-7-117. Gas pipeline safety rules - civil penalty for violations - other remedies - rules.

(1) Any person violating any rule adopted or order issued by the commission pursuant to the authority granted in section 40-2-115 (1)(c), (1)(d), or (1)(e) is subject to a civil penalty of up to two hundred thousand dollars per violation; except that, in the case of a group or series of related violations, the aggregate amount of such penalties shall not exceed two million dollars. Each day of a continuing violation constitutes a separate violation.

(2) The commission may reduce the amount of a civil penalty authorized by this section based on consideration of objective metrics and factors set forth in rules. The metrics and factors must include:

(a) An evaluation of the severity of the violation, in terms of its actual or potential effect on public safety or pipeline system integrity;

(b) The extent to which the violation and any underlying conditions that may have contributed to the likelihood or severity of the violation have been remedied; and

(c) The extent to which the violator agrees to spend, in lieu of payment of part of the civil penalty, a specified dollar amount on commission-approved measures to reduce the overall risk to pipeline system safety or integrity; except that the amount of the penalty payable to the commission must be no less than five thousand dollars unless the violator is a small operator, as that term is defined by the commission by rule.

(3) If a violator does not remit the assessed penalty or the lesser amount agreed upon pursuant to subsection (2) of this section, the commission may recover the amount due plus court costs in a civil action in any court of competent jurisdiction.

(4) The remedy provided in this section is in addition to any other remedies available to the commission under the constitution or laws of this state or of the United States.

Source: L. 93: Entire section added, p. 2071, § 30, effective July 1. L. 2003: (1) amended, p. 1700, § 6, effective May 14. L. 2021: Entire section amended, (SB 21-108), ch. 465, p. 3355, § 3, effective July 6. L. 2026: IP(2) and (2)(c) amended, (HB 26-1326), ch. 210, p. 1241, § 45, effective August 12.

Editor's note: Section 50(2) of chapter 210 (HB 26-1326), Session Laws of Colorado 2026, provides that the act changing this section applies to conduct occurring on or after August 12, 2026.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in SB 21-108, see section 1 of chapter 465, Session Laws of Colorado 2021.