# IMTT-PIPELINE — Warning Letter

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** CPF 120135013W
- **title:** IMTT-PIPELINE — Warning Letter
- **source type:** enforcement
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** historical
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2013-07-24
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** CLOSED warning letter citing 195.440(a), 195.440(c).
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- **source url:** https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/120135013W
**body:**

Warning Letter involving IMTT-PIPELINE. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulations as 195.440(a),  195.440(c). The case was opened on 2013-07-24 and is reported as closed as of 2013-07-24. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.

Official case documents:

120135013W_Operator Response_10162013.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/120135013W/120135013W_Operator%20Response_10162013.pdf

120135013W_Warning Letter_07242013.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/120135013W/120135013W_Warning%20Letter_07242013.pdf

120135013W_Warning Letter_07242013_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/120135013W/120135013W_Warning%20Letter_07242013_text.pdf

120135013W_Warning Letter_07242013_text.pdf

U.S. Department Of Transportation Pipeline and 609.989.2171
Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration
820 Bear Tavern Road, Suite 103
West Trenton, NJ 08628
WARNING LETTER
EXPRESS OVERNIGHT MAIL
July 24, 2013
Mr. Richard Fasette
Terminal Manager
International-Matex Tank Terminal - Pipeline
250 East 22nd Street
Bayonne, NJ 07002
CPF 1-2013-5013W
Dear Mr. Fasette:
On September 11-14, 2012, a representative of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration (PHMSA), Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States
Code inspected the International-Matex Tank Terminal – Pipeline (IMTT) Public Awareness Program in
Bayonne, New Jersey.
As a result of the inspection, it appears that you have committed probable violations of the Pipeline Safety
Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations. The items inspected and the probable violations are:
1. §195.440 Public awareness.
(a) Each pipeline operator must develop and implement a written continuing public
education program that follows the guidance provided in the American Petroleum
Institute's (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 1162 (incorporated by reference, see § 195.3).
IMTT failed to develop a written continuing public education program that followed the guidance
provided in API RP 1162 Section 4.2 Hazard Awareness and Prevention Measures.
Pursuant to API RP 1162 Section 4.2, “[o]perators should provide a very broad overview of potential
hazards, their potential consequences, and the measures undertaken by the operator to prevent or mitigate
the risks from pipelines. Additionally, operators should provide an overview of their preventative
measures to help assure safety and prevent incidents.” The IMTT-Pipeline Public Awareness Plan
(including materials that were sent to stakeholders) did not contain information on the measures that
IMTT undertakes to prevent or mitigate the risks from the pipelines or an overview of their preventative
measures to help assure safety and prevent incidents.



1-2013-5013W
2. §195.440 Public awareness.
(a) Each pipeline operator must develop and implement a written continuing public
education program that follows the guidance provided in the American Petroleum
Institute's (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 1162 (incorporated by reference, see § 195.3).
IMTT failed to develop a written continuing public education program that followed the guidance
provided in API RP 1162 Section 4.3.4 Liaison with Emergency Officials.
Pursuant to API RP 1162 Section 4.3.4, the message content should have “information that describe[s] the
ongoing relationship between the operator and local emergency response officials to help prevent
incidents and assure preparedness for emergencies.” The IMTT-Pipeline Public Awareness Plan
(including material sent to the affected public and excavators stakeholders) did not describe an ongoing
relationship between the IMTT and local emergency response officials.
3. §195.440 Public awareness.
(a) Each pipeline operator must develop and implement a written continuing public
education program that follows the guidance provided in the American Petroleum
Institute's (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 1162 (incorporated by reference, see § 195.3).
IMTT failed to develop a written continuing public education program that followed the guidance
provided in API RP 1162 Section 4.5 Damage Prevention.
Pursuant to API RP 1162 Section 4.5, “[b]ecause even relatively minor excavation activities can cause
damage to a pipeline or its protective coating or to other buried utility lines, it is important that operators
raise the awareness of the need to report any suspected signs of damage.” The IMTT-Pipeline Public
Awareness Plan (including material sent to the affected public and excavators stakeholders) did not
include information to raise the awareness of the need to report any suspected signs of damage.
4. §195.440 Public awareness.
(a) Each pipeline operator must develop and implement a written continuing public
education program that follows the guidance provided in the American Petroleum
Institute's (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 1162 (incorporated by reference, see § 195.3).
IMTT failed to develop a written continuing public education program that followed the guidance
provided in API RP 1162 Section 4.11 Security.
Pursuant to API RP 1162 Section 4.11, “[w]here applicable and in accordance with the national
Homeland Security efforts, pipeline operators should communicate an overview pertaining to security of
their pipelines and related facilities.” The IMTT-Pipeline Public Awareness Plan, 3rd Revision: May
2012 (including materials that were sent to stakeholders) did not contain information pertaining to
security of IMTT’s pipelines and related facilities.
5. §195.440 Public awareness.
(a) Each pipeline operator must develop and implement a written continuing public
education program that follows the guidance provided in the American Petroleum
Institute's (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 1162 (incorporated by reference, see § 195.3).
IMTT did not implement Section 6 Message Type and Content for Each Audience of its written
continuing public education program.
120135013W_Warning Letter_07242013 Page 2 of 4



1-2013-5013W
Section 6 Message Type and Content for Each Audience of IMTT-Pipeline Public Awareness Program
stated that a “third-party vendor currently distributes all public awareness materials in English; the vendor
conducts an analysis of the demographics of the area through which IMTT pipeline traverse. . . .” IMTT
could not demonstrate that the vendor conducted an analysis.
6. §195.440 Public awareness.
(a) . . .
(c) The operator must follow the general program recommendations, including baseline
and supplemental requirements of API RP 1162, unless the operator provides justification
in its program or procedural manual as to why compliance with all or certain provisions of
the recommended practice is not practicable and not necessary for safety.
IMTT failed to follow the general program recommendation including baseline and supplemental
requirements of API RP 1162 Section 8.4.1 Measure 1—Outreach: Percentage of Each Intended
Audience and Reached with Desired Messages.
Pursuant to API RP 1162 Section 8.4.1, “[a] baseline evaluation program should establish a methodology
to track the number of individuals or entities reached within an intended audience (e.g., households,
excavating companies, local government, and local first responder agencies). Additionally, this measure
should estimate the percentage of the stakeholders actually reached within the target geographic region
along the pipeline.”
IMTT could not demonstrate that it estimated the percentage of individuals or entities actually reached.
IMTT was unable to produce any records that showed that it did estimate the percentage of individuals or
entities actually reached.
7. §195.440 Public awareness.
(a) . . .
(c) The operator must follow the general program recommendations, including baseline
and supplemental requirements of API RP 1162, unless the operator provides justification
in its program or procedural manual as to why compliance with all or certain provisions of
the recommended practice is not practicable and not necessary for safety.
IMTT failed to follow the general program recommendation including baseline and supplemental
requirements of API RP 1162 Section 8.4.2 Measure 2—Understandability of the Content of the Message.
Pursuant to API RP 1162 Section 8.4.2, “[t]his measure would assess the percentage of the intended
stakeholder audience that understood and retained the key information in the message received.” Also,
this section states, “[o]perators should pre-test public awareness materials for their appeal and the
messages for their clarity, understandability and retain-ability before they are widely used.”
IMTT could not demonstrate that it assessed the understandability for each stakeholder audience group.
In addition, IMTT could not demonstrate that it conducted a pre-test. IMTT was unable to produce any
records that showed the aforementioned were done.
Under 49 United States Code, § 60122, you are subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $200,000 per
violation per day the violation persists up to a maximum of $2,000,000 for a related series of violations.
For violations occurring prior to January 4, 2012, the maximum penalty may not exceed $100,000 per
violation per day, with a maximum penalty not to exceed $1,000,000 for a related series of violations.
120135013W_Warning Letter_07242013 Page 3 of 4



1-2013-5013W
We have reviewed the circumstances and supporting documents involved in this case, and have decided
not to conduct additional enforcement action or penalty assessment proceedings at this time. We advise
you to correct the items identified in this letter. Failure to do so will result in IMTT being subject to
additional enforcement action.
No reply to this letter is required. If you choose to reply, in your correspondence please refer to CPF 1-
2013-5013W. Be advised that all material you submit in response to this enforcement action is subject to
being made publicly available. If you believe that any portion of your responsive material qualifies for
confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. 552(b), along with the complete original document you must
provide a second copy of the document with the portions you believe qualify for confidential treatment
redacted and an explanation of why you believe the redacted information qualifies for confidential
treatment under 5 U.S.C. 552(b).
Sincerely,
Byron Coy, PE
Director, Eastern Region
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
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