33 USC 1507 – Common carrier status
(a) Status of deepwater ports and storage facilities
A deepwater port and a storage facility serviced directly by that deepwater port shall operate as a common carrier under applicable provisions of part I of the Interstate Commerce Act and subtitle IV of title 49, and shall accept, transport, or convey without discrimination all oil delivered to the deepwater port with respect to which its license is issued, except as provided by subsection (b) of this section.
(b) Discrimination prohibition; exceptions
Terms Used In 33 USC 1507
- affiliate: means any entity owned or controlled by, any person who owns or controls, or any entity which is under common ownership or control with an applicant, licensee, or any person required to be disclosed pursuant to section 1504(c)(2)(A) or (B) of this title. See 33 USC 1502
- construction: means the supervising, inspection, actual building, and all other activities incidental to the building, repairing, or expanding of a deepwater port or any of its components, including, but not limited to, pile driving and bulkheading, and alterations, modifications, or additions to the deepwater port. See 33 USC 1502
- licensee: means a citizen of the United States holding a valid license for the ownership, construction, and operation of a deepwater port that was issued, transferred, or renewed pursuant to this chapter. See 33 USC 1502
- natural gas: means either natural gas unmixed, or any mixture of natural or artificial gas, including compressed or liquefied natural gas, natural gas liquids, liquefied petroleum gas, and condensate recovered from natural gas. See 33 USC 1502
- oil: means petroleum, crude oil, and any substance refined from petroleum or crude oil. See 33 USC 1502
- Secretary: means the Secretary of Transportation. See 33 USC 1502
A licensee is not discriminating under this section and is not subject to common carrier regulations under subsection (a) of this section when that licensee—
(1) is subject to effective competition for the transportation of oil from alternative transportation systems; and
(2) sets its rates, fees, charges, and conditions of service on the basis of competition, giving consideration to other relevant business factors such as the market value of services provided, licensee’s cost of operation, and the licensee’s investment in the deepwater port and a storage facility, and components thereof, serviced directly by that deepwater port.
(c) Enforcement, suspension, or termination proceedings
When the Secretary has reason to believe that a licensee is not in compliance with this section, the Secretary shall commence an appropriate proceeding before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or request the Attorney General to take appropriate steps to enforce compliance with this section and, when appropriate, to secure the imposition of appropriate sanctions. In addition, the Secretary may suspend or revoke the license of a licensee not complying with its obligations under this section.
(d) Managed access
Subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply to deepwater ports for natural gas. A licensee of a deepwater port for natural gas, or an affiliate thereof, may exclusively utilize the entire capacity of the deepwater port and storage facilities for the acceptance, transport, storage, regasification, or conveyance of natural gas produced, processed, marketed, or otherwise obtained by agreement by such licensee or its affiliates. The licensee may make unused capacity of the deepwater port and storage facilities available to other persons, pursuant to reasonable terms and conditions imposed by the licensee, if such use does not otherwise interfere in any way with the acceptance, transport, storage, regasification, or conveyance of natural gas produced, processed, marketed, or otherwise obtained by agreement by such licensee or its affiliates.
(e) Jurisdiction
Notwithstanding any provision of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717 et seq.), any regulation or rule issued thereunder, or section 1518 of this title as it pertains to such Act, this chapter shall apply with respect to the licensing, siting, construction, or operation of a deepwater natural gas port or the acceptance, transport, storage, regasification, or conveyance of natural gas at or through a deepwater port, to the exclusion of the Natural Gas Act or any regulation or rule issued thereunder.