Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A. Municipalities and Counties § 3103. Natural gas systems

1. Order. To protect the health and safety of the public, municipalities which have natural gas distribution systems may, without hearing, order the gas company or natural gas pipeline company which distributes natural gas to shut down all or part of that system in any emergency. The municipality shall, by ordinance, set the procedure to be followed in ordering the shutdown.

2. Refusal. If the distributing utility refuses to carry out the order given under authority of subsection 1, then the municipal officers may take appropriate action to ensure that the system or any part of the system is shut down. The municipal officers may prescribe criminal penalties for violation of the order.