I202307 NOPV

Idaho Public Utilities Commission Brad Little,Governor
P.O.Box 83720, Boise,ID 83720-0074 Eric Anderson,President
John R.Hammond,Jr.,Commissioner
Edward Lodge,Commissioner
September 6, 2023 Report# I202307
Pat Darras—Vice President of Engineering & Operations Services
Intermountain Gas Company
400 N 41" St.
Bismarck, ND 58501
Dear Mr. Pat Darras:
On September 6, 2023, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission ("Commission"), Pipeline Safety
Division("Staff'), conducted a Construction Inspection on Intermountain Gas Company (IGC) in
Boise, ID pursuant to Chapter 601 of Title 49, United States Code.
Staff observed that some of the Idaho natural gas system(s) owned and operated by IGC
("Company") was out of compliance on item(s). This results in probable violations of the pipeline
safety regulations Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 192. The probable violations are as
follows:
PROBABLE VIOLATION(S)
1. 49 CFR t 192.605 Procedural manual for operations, maintenance, and emergencies.
(a) General. Each operator shall prepare and follow for each pipeline a manual of written
procedures for conducting operations and maintenance activities and for emergency
response. For transmission lines, the manual must also include procedures for handling
abnormal operations. This manual must be reviewed and updated by the operator at
intervals not exceeding 15 months,but at least once each calendar year. This manual
must be prepared before operations of a pipeline system commence. Appropriate parts of
the manual must be kept at locations where operations and maintenance activities are
conducted.
OPS 505
L GENERAL
1.1. Pressure tests shall be performed on MDU Utilities Group (MDUG) pipelines and
facilities prior to being placed into service.
11331 W.Chinden Blvd.Ste 201-A Boise ID 83714
Telephone:[phone] Facsimile:[phone]

2. 49 CFR 092.503 General Requirements.
(a) No person may operate a new segment of pipeline, or return to service a segment of
pipeline that has been relocated or replaced, until—
(1) It has been tested in accordance with this subpart and §192.619 to substantiate the
maximum allowable operating pressure; and
(2) Each potentially hazardous leak has been located and eliminated.
Finding(s)
During a construction inspection on Service Line# 116734-425 at 11445 W Mesquite St in
Boise, Idaho, a contractor representing IGC fused new plastic service piping to the existing, in
service, squeezed off pipe stub without conducting a pressure test to the newly constructed
service piping as required by CFR 192.503 and OPS 505.
REQUESTED ACTIONS
A reply to this correspondence is required no later than 45 days from the date of this letter. Please
submit a written reply providing a statement of all relevant facts including a complete description
of the corrective action(s) taken with respect to the above referenced probable violations, and all
actions to be taken to prevent future failures in these areas of concern. This written reply must be
signed by a Company official with authority to bind the Company.
Please send all documents to our office at 11331 W. Chinden Blvd, Boise, Idaho 83714-1021. Be
advised that all material you submit in response to this enforcement action may be a public record
and subject to disclosure under Idaho's Public Records Law. See Idaho Code §§74-101 et seq.
If you wish to dispute any of the above referenced potential violations,you have the right to appear
before the Pipeline Safety Division in an informal conference before October 21, 2023, at the
above address. You have the right to present relevant documents and evidence to the Pipeline
Safety Division at that conference. The Pipeline Safety Division will make available to you any
evidence which indicates that you may have violated the law, and you will have the opportunity to
rebut this evidence. See Commission Orders 35095 and 35334, which can be found at
https://puc.idaho.gov/. If you intend to request an informal conference,please contact the Pipeline
Safety Division no later than October 6, 2023.
If you wish to dispute any of the allegations in this Notice,but do not want an informal conference,
you may send the Pipeline Safety Division a written reply to this Notice. This written reply must
be filed with the Commission on or before October 21, 2023, and must be signed by a Company
official with authority to bind the Company. The reply must include a complete statement of all
relevant facts, and all documentation, evidence, and argument the Company submits to refute any
of the above referenced probable violations.
If you do not respond to this notice by October 21, 2023, you may be subject to any Commission
enforcement action as allowed under Idaho law including, but not limited to, potential civil
penalties of up to two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000). See Idaho Code §61-712A.
11331 W.Chinden Blvd.Ste 201-A Boise ID 83714
Telephone:[phone] Facsimile:[phone]

If you have any questions concerning this Notice,please contact me at(208) 334-0333. All written
responses should be addressed to me at the above address, or you may fax your response to (208)
334-3762.
We appreciate your attention to this matter and your effort to promote pipeline safety.
Sincerely,
J ff Brooks
Pipeline Safety, Program Manager
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
11331 W.Chinden Blvd.Ste 201-A Boise ID 83714
Telephone:[phone] Facsimile:[phone]