Amends and adds to existing law to provide for advanced notification regarding natural gas transmission pipelines.

Idaho is home to two interstate pipelines, one that crosses the state in the panhandle and the other that traverses the southern part of the state. Those pipelines are a critical part of our region’s natural gas transmission systems and have been in place for decades. Recent population growth in our state means that residential developments are encroaching on those pipelines. And that presents potential safety issues that need to be mitigated. With proper notice and planning, those issues are addressed through collaboration between the pipeline companies and the developers. This bill promotes that collaboration by requiring notification of encroachment at the front end of the development process. Currently, interstate pipeline companies do not get notification until much later in the process. At that point, it is often difficult to make changes or, in some cases, too late.