I201905 NOPV

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Idaho Public Utilities Commission Brad Little,Govemor
PO Box 83720,Boise,10 83720-0074 Paul Klellander,Commissioner
Kristine Raper,Commissioner
Eric Anderson,Commissioner
July 2, 2019 Report#1201905
Pat Darras
Intermountain Gas Company
400 N 41h St.
Bismarck, ND 58501
Dear Mr. Darras:
On May 13, 2019, representatives of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, Pipeline Safety, pursuant to
Chapter 601 of Title 49, United States Code,conducted an onsite specialized inspection of your
contractors performing new service installations.
As a result of the inspection,there are some probable violations of the pipeline safety regulations Title
49, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 192 for calendar year 2019.The probable violations are as follows:
PROBABLE VIOLATIONS
1. 49 CFR§192.605 (a)Procedural manual for operations, maintenance,and emergencies
Each operator shall prepare and follow for each pipeline, a manual of written procedures for
conducting operations and maintenance activities and for emergency response...
2. IGC Procedure 4308 3.6 step 2.
In service stubs(i.e. stub extensions)require a short purge to remove possible debris, reference
procedure 3206—Pipeline Purging and Cleaning.
3. IGC Procedure 3206 2.6.2.1.
New or replacement service lines one inch (1")or smaller in diameter under 150 feet in length do
not require the use of a CGI to verify 100%gas. Purge through service riser until a strong gas
odor is smelled and a tone shift is heard.
4. IGC Procedure 4100.12.8
Remove the squeezers and mark the plastic pipe in the location of the pinch to ensure a re-
squeeze will not occur in that location.
472 West Washington Street,Boise ID 83702
Telephone:[phone] Facsimile:[phone]

Finding:
We observed a Das-co employee performing a tie-in at 2756 W. Midnight in Kuna, ID. When we
approached the tie-in location we noticed he had the service stub already squeezed off but had
wrapped the stub with multiple wraps of electrical tape in the squeeze location prior to applying the
squeezers directly on top of the tape. He then unscrewed the cap-n-go coupling and released the
squeezers to see if there was gas in the line. He then re-squeezed the service line in the same spot to
shut down the gas flow. When asked why he did that and if it was part of the procedure, he couldn't
answer if it was or wasn't in the procedure but stated that's the way he was taught and how everyone
does it. No fire extinguisher was present.
Once their supervisor arrived we had brought up our concern about the way the employee had released
the squeezers to let gas purge into the bell hole the way he did and he didn't see the concern as they've
always done it that way.
REQUESTED ACTION
A reply to this letter, as outlined below, is required no later than 45 days from the date of this letter.
Please send all documents to our office at P.O. Box 83720-0074, Boise, Idaho 83720-0074. Be 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 §74-101-126.
You have a right to appear before the Pipeline Safety Division in an informal conference before August
19,2019, at the Commission's offices at 472 W.Washington St, Boise. You have the right to present
relevant documents to the Commission at that conference. The Commission 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. If you intend to request an informal conference, please contact the Pipeline Safety
Division no later than August 5, 2019.
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 August 19, 2019, and must be signed by a Company Official. 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, as specified above, by August 19, 2019,you may be subject to
statutory civil penalties and further enforcement, as allowed by 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."
IGC CONTRACTOR NOTICE OF PROBABLE VIOLATION—PAGE 2

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. W ppreciate your attention to this matter and your effort to promote pipeline safety.
Sincer y,
arrin M. UI er
Pipeline Safety, Program Manager
Idaho Public Utility Commission
IGC CONTRACTOR NOTICE OF PROBABLE VIOLATION—PAGE 3