PORTLAND, Maine - The Maine Public Utilities Commission has signed off on a $25,000 fine for a natural gas company for safety violations.
Summit Natural Gas reached a consent decree that reduced the fine from $100,000 following violations that included using contractors without proper qualifications to install natural gas pipelines.
The panel gave its approval Tuesday.
Also up for a vote Tuesday was a nonbinding telecommunications report was requested by lawmakers seeking to lower prices without harming service.
As part of that report, the PUC already said FairPoint Communications is not entitled to a $63 million state subsidy for providing telephone service as a "provider of last resort'' in remote parts of Maine.