{"operation":"document","citation":"CPF 120031003","title":"EQUITRANS INC — Notice of Probable Violation","source_type":"enforcement","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"historical","official":true,"published_on":"2003-05-01","effective_on":null,"summary":"CLOSED notice of probable violation citing 192.745.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-120031003.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-120031003.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-120031003","source_url":"https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/120031003","body":"Notice of Probable Violation involving EQUITRANS INC. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulation as 192.745. The case was opened on 2003-05-01 and is reported as closed as of 2005-07-19. Proposed civil penalty: $5,000. Assessed civil penalty: $5,000. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.\n\nOfficial case documents:\n\n120031003_Final Order_07192005.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/120031003/120031003_Final%20Order_07192005.pdf\n\n120031003_Final Order_07192005.pdf\n\no\n@\nU.S. Deporlment\nof Tronsporlolion\nPlpellne ond\nHozqrdou! l oferiols sofety\nAdmlnistrotion\n400 Sevenlh Streel, S.W.\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nJUL 1 I 2005\nEd Nolan\nVice President Operations\nEquitable Resources\n225 North Shore Drive, 4'n Floor\nPittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 5212-5861\nRe: CPFNo. 1-2003-1003\nDear Mr. Nolan:\nEnclosed is the Final Order issued by the Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety in the\nabove-referenced case. It makes findings ofviolation and assesses a civil penalty of$5'000. It\nfurther finds that you have completed the actions specified in the Notice required to complywith the\npipeline safety regulations. I acknowledge receipt of your wire transfer dated May 29,2003, fot\n^Sj,OOO\nas payment in full of the civil penalty assessed in this Final Order. This case is now closed.\nyour receiot of the Final Order constitutes service of that document under 49 C.F.R. $ 190.5.\nSincerely,\n*,* fi\"--\nJames Reynolds\nPipeline Compliance Registry\nOffice of Pipeline SafetY\nEnclosure\nWilliam Gute, Region Director\nEastern Region, OPS\n\n\n\nDEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION\nPIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERTALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION\nOFFICE OF PIPELINE SAFETY\nWASHINGTON. DC 20590\nIn the Matter of\nEquitrans, L.P.,\nRespondent.\nCPF No. l-2003-1003\nFINAL ORDER\nOn September 15 - 17,2002, pursuant 49 U.S.C. $ 60117, a representative of the Eastem Region,\nOffice of Pipeline Safety (OPS) and a representative of the West Virginia Public Service\nCommission (?SC), as agent for the Ofiice of Pipeline Safety (OPS) conducted an on-site pipeline\nsafetyinspection of Respondent's facilities and records ofthe Carnegie Interstate Pipeline Company\n(CIPCO) systems located in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. As a result of the inspection, the\nDirector, Eastem Region, OPS' issued to Respondent, by letter dated May 1,2003,, a Notice of\nProbable Violation, Proposed Civil Penalty and Proposed Compliance Order. In accordance with\n49 C.F.R. $ 190.207, the Notice proposed a civil penalty of $5,000 for a certain alleged violation of\nPart 792, and proposed specific actions that Respondent must take to correct the alleged violation.\nRespondent responded to the Notice by letter dated May 28,2003 (Response). Respondent did not\ncontest the allegations of violation but provided information conceming the corrective actions it has\ntaken. Respondent submitted a wire transfer in the amount of the proposed civil penalty ($5,000),\nwaiving further right to respond, and authorizing the entry of this Final Order.\nFINDINGS OF VIOLATION\nIn its Response, Respondent did not contest the alleged violations in the Notice. Accordingly, I find\nthat Respondent violated the following section of 49 C.F.R. Part 192, as more fully described in the\nNotice:\n49 C.F.R. 5 192.'745 failing to inspect each transmission line vaive that might be required\nduring any emergency, specificallyblow-offvalves, a 10-inch mainline valve, and emergency\nvalves, at intervals not exceeding 15 months, but at least once each calendar year.\nThis frnding ofviolation will be considered a prior offense in any subsequent enforcement action\ntaken against Respondent.\n\n\n\nCOMPLIANCE ORDER\nThe Notice proposed a compliance order with respect to item 2 in the Notice. Under 49 U.S.C.\n$ 601 1 8(a), each person who engages in the transportation of gas or who owns or operates a pipeline\nfacilityisrequiredtocomplywiththeapplicablesafetystandardsestablishedunderchapter60l. The\nRegional Director has indicated that Respondent has taken the following actions specified in the\nproposed compliance order:\n1.\nConducted a review ofits system to ensure that all emergency valves have been identified;\nz .\nSubmitted a report outlining the results; and\n-J.\nInsnected a!1 emersencv valves.\nAccordingly, since compliance has been achieved with respect to this violation, the compliance\nterms are not included in this Order.\nWARNINGITEMS\nThe Notice did not propose a civil penalty or corrective action for the Item 1, for Respondent failing\nto provide evidence that it conducted continuing educational programs to the public in the vicinity\nof the CIPCO pipeline facilities in Pennsylvania, but warned Respondent that it should take\nappropriate corrective action to correct this item. Respondent presented information in its response\nshowing that it is addressing the cited items. Respondent is again wamed that if OPS finds a\nviolation for any of these items in a subsequent inspection, enforcement action will be taken.\nUnder 49 C.F.R. $ lg}.zls,Respondent has a right to submit a Petition for Reconsideration of this\nFinal Order. The petition must be received within 20 days of Respondent's receipt of this Final\nOrder and must contain a brief statement of the issue(s). The terms of the order, including any\nrequired comective action, remain in full effect unless the Associate Administrator, upon lequest,\ngrants a stay. The terms and conditionff this Final Order are effective on receipt.\nI\nI\nJUL 1 I 2005\nDate Issued\nStacey L. GerardAssociate Administrator\nr^- D]-^l.;-- Q 4 fa+r,\nlur I IP9-trrrw u.!rv0J","truncated":false,"body_characters":5597}