# MIPC LLC — Warning Letter

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** CPF 120185011W
- **title:** MIPC LLC — Warning Letter
- **source type:** enforcement
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** historical
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2018-03-26
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** CLOSED warning letter citing 195.402(a), 195.446(a).
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-120185011w.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-120185011w.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-120185011w
- **source url:** https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/120185011W
**body:**

Warning Letter involving MIPC LLC. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulations as 195.402(a),  195.446(a). The case was opened on 2018-03-26 and is reported as closed as of 2018-03-26. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.

Official case documents:

120185011W_Operator Response Notice_04202018.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/120185011W/120185011W_Operator%20Response%20Notice_04202018.pdf

120185011W_Warning Letter_03262018.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/120185011W/120185011W_Warning%20Letter_03262018.pdf

120185011W_Warning Letter_03262018_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/120185011W/120185011W_Warning%20Letter_03262018_text.pdf

120185011W_Warning Letter_03262018_text.pdf

WARNING LETTER
OVERNIGHT EXPRESS DELIVERY
March 26, 2018
Pete Pirog
Vice President and General Manager
MIPC LLC
920 Cherry Tree Road
Aston, PA 19014
CPF 1-2018-5011W
Dear Mr. Pirog:
From May 15-19, 2017, a representative of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration (PHMSA) pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code (U.S.C.) inspected
MIPC LLC’s (MIPC) Trainer and Chelsea pipelines and facilities located in the area of Aston, PA.
As a result of the inspection, it is alleged that you have committed probable violations of the
Pipeline Safety Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The items inspected
and the probable violations are:
1. § 195.402 Procedural manual for operations, maintenance, and emergencies.
(a) General. Each operator shall prepare and follow for each pipeline system a
manual of written procedures for conducting normal operations and maintenance
activities and handling abnormal operations and emergencies. This manual shall
be reviewed at intervals not exceeding 15 months, but at least once each calendar
year, and appropriate changes made as necessary to ensure that the manual is
effective. This manual shall be prepared before initial operations of a pipeline
system commence, and appropriate parts shall be kept at locations where
operations and maintenance activities are conducted.
MIPC failed to review and update its operations and maintenance manuals at intervals not
exceeding 15 months, but at least once each calendar year.



CPF 1-2018-5011W
During the inspection, the PHMSA inspector requested documentation of the annual reviews of
MIPC’s procedural manuals required by § 195.402. MIPC provided review/revision logs for its
manuals, including its Corrosion Manual and Pipeline Integrity Management Plan. The logs
indicated that MIPC failed to review and update its Corrosion Manual and Pipeline Integrity
Management Plan in 2013, and its Pipeline Integrity Management Plan again in 2016.
Therefore, MIPC failed to review and update its Corrosion and Integrity Management manuals at
least once each calendar year.
2. § 195.446 Control room management.
(a) General. This section applies to each operator of a pipeline facility with a
controller working in a control room who monitors and controls all or part of a
pipeline facility through a SCADA system. Each operator must have and follow
written control room management procedures that implement the requirements
of this section…
MIPC failed to follow its written control room management procedure, Appendix I, Exhibit A -
Alarm Philosophy Control Center, Section 6.2 (Procedure), developed in accordance with
§ 195.446(j)(1).
Section 195.446 (j)(1) states:
“(j) Compliance and deviations. An operator must maintain for review during inspection:
(1) Records that demonstrate compliance with the requirements of this section;”
MIPC’s Section 6.2 of the Procedure Alarm Philosophy Control Centers, states:
“The alarm history (e.g., annunciations, acknowledgements, return-to-normal, controller actions,
etc.) should be preserved for 3 years per DOT requirement.”
During the inspection, the PHMSA inspector requested a report of recent alarm history. MIPC was
unable to provide a report at the time of inspection.
Under 49 U.S.C. § 60122 and 49 CFR § 190.223, you are subject to a civil penalty not to exceed
$209,002 per violation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,090,022 for a related
series of violations. For violations occurring prior to November 2, 2015, the maximum penalty
may not exceed $200,000 per violation per day, with a maximum penalty not to exceed $2,000,000
for a related series of violations. 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 item(s) identified in this letter.
Failure to do so will result in MIPC LLC being subject to additional enforcement action.
Please 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
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CPF 1-2018-5011W
treatment redacted and an explanation of why you believe the redacted information qualifies for
confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. 552(b).
No reply to this letter is required. If you choose to reply, please submit all correspondence in this
matter to Robert Burrough, Director, PHMSA Eastern Region, 820 Bear Tavern Road, Suite 103,
West Trenton, NJ 08628. Please refer to CPF 1-2018-5011W on each document you submit, and
whenever possible provide a signed PDF copy in electronic format. Smaller files may be emailed
to robert.burrough@dot.gov. Larger files should be sent on a CD accompanied by the original
paper copy to the Eastern Region Office.
Sincerely,
Robert Burrough
Director, Eastern Region
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
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