I201908 NOPV

Idaho Public Utilities Commission Brad Little,Govemor
PO Box 83720,Boise,ID 83720-0074 Paul 1C)allander,Commissioner
Kristine Raper,Commissioner
Eric Anderson,Commissioner
July 15, 2019 Report# 1201908
Pat Darras
Intermountain Gas Company
400 N 4t'St.
Bismarck, ND 58501
Dear Mr. Darras:
On July 3, 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 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.
Finding:
We observed a Das-Co crew installing new W service lines to 2 new homes on Nantucket St. in Caldwell,
ID. When we approached the installation location we noticed an employee was prepping the service
stub to be squeezed off for the tie-in, he 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. When asked why he
taped prior to squeezing he stated: "it was to show where he squeezed the line". IGC Engineering
Assistant(EA) was informed of this concern. The EA instructed the crew not to do it again. This is the
second time this incident has been observed.
472 West Washington Street,Boise ID 83702
Telephone:[phone] Facsimile:[phone]

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
September 3, 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 20, 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 September 3, 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 September 3, 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."
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 appreciate your attention to this matter and your effort to promote pipeline safety.
Sincer ,
Darrin M. Ulmer
Pipeline Safety, Program Manager
Idaho Public Utility Commission
IGC CONTRACTOR NOTICE OF PROBABLE VIOLATION—PAGE 2