# PORTLAND PIPE LINE CORPORATION — Warning Letter

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** CPF 12022071WL
- **title:** PORTLAND PIPE LINE CORPORATION — Warning Letter
- **source type:** enforcement
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** historical
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2022-11-03
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** CLOSED warning letter citing 195.446(c)(3).
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-12022071wl.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-12022071wl.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-12022071wl
- **source url:** https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/12022071WL
**body:**

Warning Letter involving PORTLAND PIPE LINE CORPORATION. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulation as 195.446(c)(3). The case was opened on 2022-11-03 and is reported as closed as of 2022-11-03. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.

Official case documents:

12022071WL_Warning Letter_11032022_(21-199431).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/12022071WL/12022071WL_Warning%20Letter_11032022_(21-199431).pdf

12022071WL_Warning Letter_11032022_(21-199431)_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/12022071WL/12022071WL_Warning%20Letter_11032022_(21-199431)_text.pdf

12022071WL_Warning Letter_11032022_(21-199431)_text.pdf

WARNING LETTER
OVERNIGHT EXPRESS DELIVERY
November 3, 2022
Mr. John Gillies
President
Portland Pipe Line Corporation
30 Hill Street
South Portland, Maine 04106
CPF 1-2022-071-WL
Dear Mr. Gilles:
From July 6th to July 30th
, 2021, representatives of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration (PHMSA) pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code inspected Portland
Pipe Line Corporation’s (Portland) procedures and records for control room management of its
South Portland, Maine control room.
As a result of the inspection, it is alleged that you have committed a probable violation of the
Pipeline Safety Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The item inspected and
the probable violation is:
1. § 195.446 Control Room Management
(a) …
(c) Provide adequate information. Each operator must provide its
controllers with the information, tools, processes and procedures
necessary for the controllers to carry out the roles and responsibilities
the operator has defined by performing each of the following:
(1) …
(3) Test and verify an internal communications plan to provide
adequate means for manual operation of the pipeline safely, at least
once each calendar year, but at intervals not to exceed 15 months.
Portland failed to test and verify an internal communications plan at least once each calendar year,
but at intervals not to exceed 15 months, to provide adequate means for manual operation of its



pipeline safely.
During the inspection, PHMSA asked Portland to produce records of testing its internal
communications plan pursuant to § 195.446(c)(3). Portland failed to produce any records
documenting that its internal communication plan had been tested during calendar years 2018 -
2020.
Therefore, Portland failed to test its internal communication plan as required by § 195.446(c)(3).
Under 49 U.S.C. § 60122 and 49 CFR § 190.223, you are subject to a civil penalty not to exceed
$239,142 per violation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,391,142 for a related
series of violations. For violation occurring on or after May 3, 2021 and before March 21, 2022,
the maximum penalty may not exceed $225,134 per violation per day the violation persists, up to
a maximum of $2,251,334 for a related series of violations. For violation occurring on or after
January 11, 2021 and before May 3, 2021, the maximum penalty may not exceed $222,504 per
violation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,225,034 for a related series of
violations. For violation occurring on or after July 31, 2019 and before January 11, 2021, the
maximum penalty may not exceed $218,647 per violation per day the violation persists, up to a
maximum of $2,186,465 for a related series of violations. For violation occurring on or after
November 27, 2018 and before July 31, 2019, the maximum penalty may not exceed $213,268 per
violation per day, with a maximum penalty not to exceed $2,132,679. For violation occurring on
or after November 2, 2015, and before November 27, 2018, the maximum penalty may not exceed
$209,002 per violation per day, with a maximum penalty not to exceed $2,090,022.
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 identified in this letter. Failure to do so will result in
Portland Pipe Line Corporation 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 1-2022-071-WL. 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,
Robert Burrough
Director, Eastern Region, Office of Pipeline Safety
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
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