Louisiana Revised Statutes Tit. 30, § 554. Certificates of transportation; expropriation

A. (1) The commissioner shall issue a certificate of transportation to each person applying therefor if, after a public hearing, he determines that it is or will be in the present or future public interest to do so; however, if any person has previously been issued a certificate of transportation by the commissioner, that certificate continues to remain valid and in force.

(2) All such persons receiving a certificate of transportation from the commissioner shall possess the right of expropriation with authority to expropriate private property under the general state expropriation laws; and shall have the right to lay, maintain, and operate pipelines, together with telegraph and telephone lines necessary and incidental to the operation of these pipelines, over private property thus expropriated; and have the further right to lay, maintain, and operate pipelines along, across, over, and under any navigable stream or public highway, street, bridge, or other public place; and also have the authority, under the right of expropriation herein conferred, to cross railroads, street railways, and other pipelines, by expropriating property necessary for the crossing under the general expropriation laws of this state. The right to run along, across, over, or under any public road, bridge, or highway, as before provided for, may be exercised only upon condition that the traffic thereon is not interfered with, and that such road or highway is promptly restored to its former condition of usefulness, at the expense of the pipeline owner, the restoration to be subject also to the supervision and approval of the proper local authorities.

(3) Anything in this Chapter, or in any rule, regulation, or order issued by the commissioner under this Chapter to the contrary notwithstanding, accepting or acting pursuant to a certificate of transportation issued under this Section, compliance with the provisions of this Chapter, or with rules, regulations, or orders issued by the commissioner under this Chapter, or voluntarily performing any act or acts which could be required by the commissioner pursuant to this Chapter, or rules, regulations, or orders issued by the commissioner under this Chapter, shall not (a) cause any intrastate natural gas transporter to become, or be classified as, a common carrier or a public utility for any purpose whatsoever; (b) subject such intrastate natural gas transporter to any duties, obligations, or liabilities as a common carrier or public utility, under the constitution and laws of this state; or (c) increase the liability of any intrastate natural gas transporter for any taxes otherwise due to the state of Louisiana in the absence of any additions or amendments to any tax laws of this state.