# Monthly inspection patrols and leak detection surveys

**Citation:** N.J.A.C. 14:7-1.20  
**Type / status:** regulation / current  
**Agency:** New Jersey Board of Public Utilities  
**Effective:** 2023-06-05  
**Published:** 2023-06-05

N.J.A.C. 14:7-1.20 requires monthly patrols of pipelines in Class 3 and 4 locations. This is proposed for amendment to clarify the factors that the operator must consider in determining when more frequent leak surveys are necessary.

## Document text

N.J.A.C. 14:7-1.20 requires monthly patrols of pipelines in Class 3 and 4 locations. This is proposed for amendment to clarify the factors that the operator must consider in determining when more frequent leak surveys are necessary. Adopted amendment text: 14:7-1.20 Monthly inspection patrols and leak detection surveys (a) (No change.) (b) An operator shall perform leak detection surveys on all bare and coated cathodically unprotected steel distribution lines, at intervals that are, at a minimum, consistent with 49 CFR 192.723. In addition, the operator shall perform more frequent surveys as the operator deems necessary based on leak history, number of leaks reported by the public, population density, and operating pressure. (c)-(f) (No change.)

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.nj.gov/bpu/pdf/rules/R.2023%20d.071%20%2855%20N.J.R.%201201%28a%29%29.pdf>
- Source ID: `nj-bpu-njac-14-7`
- SHA-256: `dd122706a505dac0167139f5396ff45c9cfc903dfbfa776dfac4d64ce180c940`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T11:51:55.415Z
- Exported: 2026-08-25T12:09:33.297Z
- Document slug: `nj-njac-14-7-1-20`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "jurisdiction": "US-NJ",
  "chapter": "14:7",
  "subchapter": 1,
  "readoptedOn": "2023-05-03",
  "amendedOn": "2023-06-05",
  "expiresOn": "2030-05-03",
  "registerCitation": "55 N.J.R. 1201(a)",
  "adoption": "R.2023 d.071",
  "docket": "GX22020048",
  "textCompleteness": "official-section-summary-plus-final-adopted-amendment-text",
  "isFullOfficialCodeText": false,
  "exactScope": "This corpus contains the exact 33-section current inventory described section by section in PRN 2022-136 and readopted in R.2023 d.071: N.J.A.C. 14:7-1.1, 1.1A, 1.2-1.4, 1.6-1.26, and 2.1-2.7. Section 1.5 and sections 1.27 through 1.37 are reserved and emit no documents. N.J.A.C. 14:6 gas-service rules, statutes, orders, permits, forms, and One-Call requirements are adjacent and excluded except as references.",
  "applicabilityCaveat": "Chapter 14:7 governs New Jersey intrastate transmission and distribution pipelines transporting natural gas, subject to operator, facility, gas, waiver, and federal-jurisdiction limits. BPU describes its safety oversight as covering intrastate natural-gas infrastructure and states that PHMSA retains overall responsibility for hazardous-liquid and interstate gas pipelines under its jurisdiction. Inclusion is not a claim of New Jersey hazardous-liquid certification.",
  "incorporationCaveat": "N.J.A.C. 14:7-1.1A defines the Federal Code as 49 CFR Parts 190, 191, 192, 193, 198, and 199 and incorporates federal definitions by reference. The official rulemaking describes the current edition and amendments as issued, indicating prospective incorporation, but this connector does not reproduce federal text or decide whether every later federal change is legally incorporated for every date and facility. Verify the controlling Code edition and legal effect.",
  "publicationCaveat": "The New Jersey Register adoption is the official publication evidence: filed May 3, 2023; amendments and new rule effective June 5, 2023; expiration May 3, 2030. OAL states that the free semi-monthly online Administrative Code is not the official Code. The BPU live rules page confirms 55 N.J.R. 1201(a) and the 2030 expiration but appears to label the readoption date as May 3, 2024; the connector preserves the Register's internally consistent May 3, 2023 filed/readoption date and flags the discrepancy. Documents contain official section summaries plus final adopted amendment text where available, not a complete official Code reproduction.",
  "rights": "Official BPU, OAL, New Jersey Register, and PHMSA materials are archived with attribution and SHA-256 provenance. Public access does not resolve rights in seals, marks, site presentation, LexisNexis renderings, annotations, forms, or incorporated private standards. The connector excludes the blocked LexisNexis Code rendering and requires separate downstream rights review.",
  "rightsReviewRequired": true,
  "references": [
    {
      "citation": "49 CFR 192.723",
      "referenceType": "federal-regulation-section",
      "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-192.723"
    }
  ],
  "region": "NJ"
}
```