# Northern Illinois Gas — Pipeline Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** PI-93-002  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 1993-01-15

PI-93-002 response to Northern Illinois Gas concerning 192.619.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

January 15, 1993
Mr. Carl P. Hendrickson
Director Codes and Standards
Northern Illinois Gas
P.O. Box 190
Aurora, IL 60507-0190
Dear Mr. Hendrickson:
I apologize for taking so long to respond to your letter of September 21, 1992, in which you
commented on a statement we made in the withdrawal notice in Docket PS-115. The statement
was that the grandfather exception (49 CFR 192.619(c)) has practical effect only for pipelines in
Class 1 locations because of the additional limits on maximum allowable operating pressure
(MAOP) that §192.611 places on pipelines in more populated areas. You suggested the
statement should be corrected because it may mislead operators to believe the grandfather
exception does not apply to certain distribution system segments.
We recognize that the statement disregards application of the grandfather exception to high
pressure distribution systems. However, we do not believe this oversight needs correction
because §192.619(c) is not a new rule for which operators may need proper instruction on
compliance. It is widely used, longstanding provision that is clearly drafted to cover all pipeline
segments, including distribution segments.
Also, §192.621 is the primary rule governing the MAOP of high pressure distribution systems;
and the grandfather exception does not apply under §192.621. So, even if an operator incorrectly
assumes the grandfather exception does not apply to a particular distribution line segment, that
assumption would not affect the operator's responsibility to meet §192.621. To illustrate, you
mentioned that for some pipeline segments insufficient records may exist to substantiate
compliance with §192.621. In such case, the operator may not rest on the grandfather exception.
Instead, the operator must appropriately test or inspect the segments to establish the data needed
to meet §192.621.
We appreciate your concern about correct application of the pipeline safety standards. Please let
me know if we can provide any further clarification.
Sincerely,
Cesar De Leon
Director, Regulatory Programs
Office of Pipeline Safety
dal\192\619\93-01-15

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Pipeline/1993/PI93002.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `de723b04203de20796632bd810560ec1d1f882c14cf1b145dc79935a0b2437c2`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T02:55:34.182Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-pi-93-002`

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