{"operation":"document","citation":"39 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. III, R. 57.2","title":"39 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. III, R. 57.2 - NATURAL GAS QUALIFICATION PROGRAM","source_type":"regulation","agency":"Mississippi Public Service Commission","status":"current","official":true,"published_on":null,"effective_on":"2014-02-15","summary":"NATURAL GAS QUALIFICATION PROGRAM. PURPOSE AND APPLICABILITY: RULE 57.2. 100. PURPOSE AND APPLICABILITY: To ensure that every Natural Gas Distribution system in Mississippi is in compliance with 49- CFR-191-199, as is or hereinafter amended, and promotes full compliance with said code. This includes but is not limited to natural gas distribution and natural gas transmission facilities. 105. O","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/ms-title-39-part-3-rule-57-2.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/ms-title-39-part-3-rule-57-2.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/ms-title-39-part-3-rule-57-2","source_url":"https://www.sos.ms.gov/adminsearch/ACCode/00000049c.pdf","body":"PURPOSE AND APPLICABILITY:\nRULE 57.2.\n100. PURPOSE AND APPLICABILITY:\nTo ensure that every Natural Gas Distribution system in Mississippi is in compliance with 49-\nCFR-191-199, as is or hereinafter amended, and promotes full compliance with said code. This\nincludes but is not limited to natural gas distribution and natural gas transmission facilities.\n105. OPERATOR QUALIFICATIONS:\nRESPONSIBILITY FOR COMPLIANCE:\nResponsibility for the safety and sustained prudent operation of the gas system shall be shared by\nthe governing body of the gas system. Regardless of retention or release of an operator, the\ngoverning body shall assume all responsibility for the safe operation of the gas system action(s)\nand shall be held accountable by the Mississippi Public Service Commission.\nGas Districts/Cities/Townships/Private establishments providing natural gas to consumers shall\nretain a natural gas operator. The candidate for the operator position shall complete qualification\nas stated by the authority of the Mississippi Public Service Commission. Each operator, prior to\noperating a pipeline facility in the state of Mississippi shall complete the requirements as\nfollows:\n(1) INITIAL QUALIFICATION:\na. 100 hours of training specific to operation of pipeline facilities. A master meter or\nother operator may be given credit toward his or her hours of training at 20 hours\n\nper year for a maximum of five years. The Mississippi Public Service\nCommission shall determine the amount of credit given.\nb. The covered tasks list as shown below may present a certain amount of danger to\nthe public and consumers. These tasks require a deeper understanding of the\nsubject material than most other tasks. These tasks are referred to as critical\ncovered tasks and should be understood prior to an operator directing a gas\nsystem. New operators shall be allowed 90 days to be trained and qualified for the\neight tasks. The operator shall be in compliance with all covered tasks as\naddressed in the Operator Qualification Program of the gas system that is being\noperated by said operator. The operator shall accomplish the complete training\nand qualification on all tasks within twelve months from the date appointed. The\ntasks referred to herein shall be known as “Critical Covered” tasks:\n1- Leak Investigations and odor complaints\n2- Accidental Release of natural gas\n3- Purging of natural gas pipelines\n4- Pressure testing to establish gas service\n5- Odorant/Odorization\n6- Gas System Connect/Disconnect\n7- Inspecting Pressure regulating stations\n8- Operation and Maintenance of Valves\n(2) CONTINUING QUALIFICATION\nClassroom instructional training:\na. Minimum of 21 hours for master meter operators;\nb. Minimum of 36 hours for all other operators.\nAfter completing his or her initial qualification, a master meter operator must maintain 21\nhours of continuing education, 7 minimum hours per year. All other operators must\nmaintain 36 hours of continuing education, 12 minimum hours per year. Continuing\neducation hours shall be obtained by attending a Mississippi Public Service Commission\napproved course of instruction. An operator shall have 3 years after completing his or her\ninitial qualification to accumulate his or her continuing education hours.\n(3) LOSS OF OPERATOR\nIn the event of loss of operator, due to illness, death, discharge or other legitimate cause,\nnotice shall be given to the Commission within twenty four (24) hours, and the continued\noperation of such system without a certified operator may proceed on an interim basis for\na period not to exceed 180 days as long as the system is in good standing as determined\nby the Director of Pipeline Safety. A petition for extension showing good cause must be\npresented to the Mississippi Public Service Commission.\n(4) GENERAL\na. Hours may not be transferred to any other individual.\n\nb. No system subject to the provisions of this rule shall be required to have more\nthan one operator meeting the qualifications set forth in paragraph A of this rule.\n110. DEFINITIONS:\nASSOCIATION: The Mississippi Natural Gas Association\nCOMMISSION: The Mississippi Public Service Commission.\nGAS: As defined by 49 CFR 192, gas means natural gas, flammable gas, or gas which is toxic or\ncorrosive.\nHAZARDOUS LIQUID: Petroleum, petroleum products, CO2 or anhydrous ammonia.\nMASTER METER OPERATION: A pipeline system for distributing gas within, but not limited\nto a definable area, such as a mobile home park, housing project, or apartment complex, where\nthe operator purchases metered gas from an outside source for resale through a gas distribution\npipeline system. The gas distribution pipeline system supplies the ultimate consumer who either\npurchases the gas directly through a meter or by other means, such as rents.\nMUNICIPALITY - A city, county, or other political subdivision of a state.\nOPERATOR - An individual having primary responsibility operating, maintaining pipeline\nfacilities.\nSYSTEM - Any individual, firm, joint venture, partnership, corporation association,\nmunicipality, cooperative association, or joint stock association and including any trustee,\nreceiver, assignee, or personal representative therefore.\nPIPELINE SYSTEM: A pipeline system that may be natural gas distribution, natural gas\ntransmission or hazardous liquid pipeline.\nSTATE - The State of Mississippi.\nTRANSPORTATION OF GAS - The distribution of natural gas or hazardous liquids to the\npublic for compensation.\nCLASSIFICATION OF DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS:\nCLASS A SYSTEMS:\nNatural gas distribution systems of 20,000 or more meters or 100 miles or more of transmission\npipelines and satisfy the requirements of this administrative rule by demonstrating to the\nCommission that by training and education the operators of the systems have met the standards\nfor certification and therefore do not need to have individually named operators.\n\nCLASS B SYSTEMS:\nNatural gas distribution systems of less than 20,000 meters and more than 3,000 meters or less\nthan 100 and more than 50 miles of transmission pipelines may elect to meet Class A standards\nor Class C standards.\nCLASS C SYSTEMS:\nNatural gas distribution systems of less than 3,000 meters or less than 50 miles of transmission\npipelines are required to have individually named operators.\nCLASS D SYSTEMS: MASTER METER OPERATION\nThose persons who manage or are responsible for a Master Meter operation.\n115. DUTIES, MEMBERSHIPS, MEETINGS AND EXPENSES:\n1. There shall be an Advisory Committee established to assist the Commission and\nAssociation in the certification of natural gas operators and the regulatory program\nthereafter. The duties of the Committee shall be to consult with these agencies in all\nmatters pertaining to certification programs and make appropriate recommendations\nregarding rules and procedures. The Committee shall consist of (7) members as follows:\nFour (4) persons, each representing the four (4) classes, elected in staggered terms by the\nAssociation, two (2) persons, at large selected by the Committee to serve at pleasure of\nthe Committee, one (1) appointed representative of the Mississippi Public Service\nCommission.\n2. The Chairman of the Advisory Committee shall be elected by and from the Committee\nmembership. The Committee shall meet at least twice per year at the call of the\nChairman. Members of the Committee shall be reimbursed by their respective\norganization only, and not by Committee, Association, or Commission.\n3. The minutes shall be recorded and filed with the Public Service Commission.\n120. APPEALS\nAny operator, system, or master meter operation aggrieved by this administrative rule,\nmust file a petition stating the grievance to the Committee. The Committee will\nrecommend to the Mississippi Public Service Commission the possible solution that the\nCommittee feels is appropriate. Final decision in all grievances rests with the Mississippi\nPublic Service Commission.\n125. PENALTIES\n\nAny operator of system found by the Commission, or any duly designated hearing officer\nappointed thereby, to be in violation of any of these provisions or any rule, regulation or\norder of the Public Service Commission, shall be subject to fines and/or penalties as\nprovided by law. *\n* Rule 57.2 As amended by Order of the Commission in Docket 1997-AD-508, effective January\n1, 1998.\n* Rule 57.2 As amended by Order of the Commission in Docket 2013-AD-196, effective\nFebruary 15, 2014.","truncated":false,"body_characters":8405}