Senate Bill 2985

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE GOVERNING AUTHORITIES OF THE TOWN OF BELMONT, MISSISSIPPI, TO EXPAND AND OPERATE ITS NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM WITHIN A CERTAIN AREA OUTSIDE THE CORPORATE LIMITS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE GAS SERVICE TO UNDERSERVED AREAS OF ITAWAMBA COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) The governing authorities of the Town of Belmont, in Tishomingo County, Mississippi, in their discretion, may construct, expand, operate and maintain the gas system of the Town of Belmont for a distance of beyond five (5) miles from the corporate limits in the following service area located in Itawamba County, Mississippi:

Commencing at the northeast corner of Section 7, Township 8 South, Range 9 East, a point on the southern border of Belmont's current gas certificated area, and the point of beginning; run thence west for a distance of approximately one (1) mile, more or less, to the northwest corner of Section 7, Township 8 South, Range 9 East; run thence west for a distance of approximately fifteen hundredths 0.15 miles, more or less, to the centerline of the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway Channel, in Section 12, Township 8 South, Range 8 East; run thence southerly along the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway Channel for a distance of approximately 1.99 miles, more or less, to the south section line of Section 13, Township 8 South, Range 8 East; run thence east for a distance of 0.20 miles to the southeast corner of Section 13, Township 8 South, Range 8 East; run thence for a distance of one (1) mile, more or less, to the southeast corner of Section 18, Township 8 South, Range 9 East; run thence east for a distance of one (1) mile, more or less, to the southeast corner of Section 17, Township 8 South, Range 9 East; run thence east for a distance of one (1) mile, more or less, to the southeast corner of Section 16, Township 8 South, Range 9 East; run thence north for a distance of two (2) miles, more or less, to a point at the northeast corner of Section 9, Township 8 South, Range 9 East; run thence west for a distance of two (2) miles, more or less, to the northeast corner of Section 7, Township 8 South, Range 9 East, which is the point of beginning.

(2) The authority conferred by this act shall not be construed as an exemption from the provisions of Section 77-3-1 et seq., Mississippi Code of 1972, as to the requirements for obtaining a certificate of public convenience and necessity, the jurisdiction of the Public Service Commission to regulate rates or any other provisions of that law.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.