HomeMy WebLinkAboutI202008 NOPV _�11Ii
Idaho Public Utilities Commission Brad Little,Govemor
PO Box 83720,Boise,ID 83720-0074 Paul Kiellander,Commissioner
Kristine Raper,Commissioner
Eric Anderson,Commissioner
September 14,2020 Report# 1202008
Pat Darras
Intermountain Gas Company
400 N 411 St.
Bismarck, ND 58501
Dear Mr. Darras:
On 31 Aug-2 Sep 2020 the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, Pipeline Safety Division, pursuant to
Chapter 601 of Title 49, United States Code,conducted the field inspection of Intermountain Gas
Company's(IGC)equipment in the Idaho Falls District.
During the inspection it was observed that some of the Idaho natural gas distribution system owned and
operated by IGC was out of compliance on some items. This results in probable violations of the
pipeline safety regulations Title 49,Code of Federal Regulations, Part 192. Those probable violations are
listed below:
PROBABLE VIOLATIONS
1. 49 CFR§192.739(a)(1) Pressure limiting and regulating stations:Inspection and testing.
Each pressure limiting station, relief device(except rupture discs), and pressure regulating
station and its equipment must be subjected at intervals not exceeding 15 months, but at least
once each calendar year, to inspections and tests to determine that it is-- (1)In good mechanical
condition.
Finding:
During the inspection it was noted that regulator stations 70065,70067,70068,70079, 70094,
70095,70100,70107 and 70110 were not plumbed for lock-up. Meter inspector was unable to
demonstrate that the regulators were functioning properly and were able to lock-up when the
necessity arrives.
REQUESTED ACTIONS
A reply to this correspondence, as outlined below, is required no later than 45 days from the date of this
letter. Please send all documents to our office at 11331 W Chinden Blvd, Boise, Idaho 83714-1021. Be
11331 W.Chinden Blvd.,Building 8,Suite 201-A,Boise ID 83714
Telephone:(208)334-0300 Facsimile:(208)334-3762
advised that all material you submit in response to this enforcement action may be a public record,
subject to disclosure under Idaho's Public Records Law. See Idaho Code§§74-101 et seq.
You have a right to appear before the Pipeline Safety Division in an informal conference before October
29,2020,at the Commission's offices at 11331 W. Chinden Blvd, Bldg 8,Ste 201-A, Boise. You have the
right to present relevant documents 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 IDAPA 31.01.01.21-26. If you intend
to request an informal conference, please contact the Pipeline Safety Division no later than October 15,
2020.
If you wish to dispute 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 29,2020 and must be signed by a IGC official with authority to bind
the company. The reply must include a complete statement of all relevant facts including a complete
description of the corrective action(s)taken and any and all actions to be taken to prevent future
failures in these areas of concern.
If you do not respond to this notice by October 29, 2020,you may be subject to statutory civil penalties
and further enforcement, as allowed under Idaho law. Idaho Code§61-712A states that"[a]ny person
who violates or fails to comply with,or who procures,aids or abets any violation of title 61, Idaho Code,
governing safety of pipeline facilities and the transportation of gas,or of any order,decision, rule or
regulation duly issued by the Idaho public utilities commission governing the safety of pipeline facilities
and the transportation of gas, shall be subject to a civil penalty of not to exceed two thousand dollars
($2,000)for each violation for each day that the violation persists. However,the maximum civil penalty
shall not exceed two hundred thousand dollars($200,000)for any related series of violation."
If you have any questions concerning this notice, please contact me at(208) 334-0321. Also,all written
responses should be addressed to me at the above address or you may fax your response to(208) 334-
4045.
We appreciate your attention to this matter and your effort to promote pipeline safety.
Sinc ly,
arrin M. Ulmer
Pipeline Safety, Program Manager
Idaho Public Utility Commission
IGC IDAHO FALLS FIELD INSPECTION PROBABLE VIOLATIONS LETTER—PAGE 2