Subdivision 1. Establishment. The Office of Pipeline Safety is under the control of a director appointed by the commissioner and serving at the commissioner's pleasure in the unclassified service. The commissioner shall employ in the Office of Pipeline Safety inspectors and other professional and clerical staff who serve in the classified service.
Subd. 2. Qualifications. (a) The director of the office must be knowledgeable in the operation and safety aspects of pipelines.
(b) Inspectors must have scientific or technical training or experience that demonstrates in-depth knowledge of pipeline engineering technology and pipeline safety.
(c) Inspectors shall complete courses at the Transportation Safety Institute and be certified by the institute as soon as possible following appointment.
(d) Inspectors shall meet the qualifications established by the federal government in order for the state to participate in the pipeline safety grant programs under the federal Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968, Public Law 90-481, and the federal Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Act of 1979, United States Code, title 49, section 60101 et seq.
History:1987 c 353 s 24; 1989 c 244 s 19; 2011 c 76 art 1 s 49