{"operation":"document","citation":"CPF 12025024NOA","title":"COLUMBIA GAS TRANSMISSION, LLC — Notice of Amendment","source_type":"enforcement","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"historical","official":true,"published_on":"2025-07-01","effective_on":null,"summary":"CLOSED notice of amendment citing 192.303.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-12025024noa.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-12025024noa.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-12025024noa","source_url":"https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/12025024NOA","body":"Notice of Amendment involving COLUMBIA GAS TRANSMISSION, LLC. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulation as 192.303. The case was opened on 2025-07-01 and is reported as closed as of 2025-09-10. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.\n\nOfficial case documents:\n\n12025024NOA_Closure Letter_09102025_(24-296184).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/12025024NOA/12025024NOA_Closure%20Letter_09102025_(24-296184).pdf\n\n12025024NOA_Closure Letter_09102025_(24-296184)_txt.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/12025024NOA/12025024NOA_Closure%20Letter_09102025_(24-296184)_txt.pdf\n\n12025024NOA_Notice of Amendment_07012025_(24-296184).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/12025024NOA/12025024NOA_Notice%20of%20Amendment_07012025_(24-296184).pdf\n\n12025024NOA_Notice of Amendment_07012025_(24-296184)_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/12025024NOA/12025024NOA_Notice%20of%20Amendment_07012025_(24-296184)_text.pdf\n\n12025024NOA_Operator Response to Notice_07302025_(24-296184).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/12025024NOA/12025024NOA_Operator%20Response%20to%20Notice_07302025_(24-296184).pdf\n\n12025024NOA_Notice of Amendment_07012025_(24-296184)_text.pdf\n\nNOTICE OF AMENDMENT\nVIA ELECTRONIC MAIL TO: tina faraca@tcenergy.com\nJuly 1, 2025\nMs. Tina Faraca\nExecutive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer\nU.S. Natural Gas Pipelines\nColumbia Gas Transmission, LLC, a subsidiary of TC Energy Corporation\n700 Louisiana Street\nHouston, Texas 77002\nCPF 1-2025-024-NOA\nDear Ms. Faraca:\nFrom February 27 through December 12, 2024, a representative of the Pipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety Administration (PHMSA) pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code\n(U.S.C.) inspected Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC’s (CGT) construction project at the Artemas\nCompressor Station and the related CGT construction procedures in Artemas, Pennsylvania.\nAs a result of the inspection, PHMSA has identified the apparent inadequacy found within CGT’s\nplans or procedures. The item inspected, alleged inadequacy, and proposed revision is described\nbelow:\n1. § 192.303 Compliance with specifications or standards.\nEach transmission line or main must be constructed in accordance\nwith comprehensive written specifications or standards that are\nconsistent with this part.\nCGT’s written procedures for constructing its pipeline are inadequate to assure safe operation in\naccordance with section 192.303. Specifically, CGT’s TC Energy Engineering List: TEL-MA-\nSTD-G Materials List for Gas Piping System, Rev-1 (10/1/21) (Materials List), failed to reference\nthe edition of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Standard ASME/ANSI\nB16.5, that is required by section 192.147(a) (Jan. 5, 2015).\n1\n1 § 192.147 Flanges and flange accessories.\n(a) Each flange or flange accessory (other than cast iron) must meet the minimum requirements of ASME/ANSI B\n16.5 and MSS SP-44 (incorporated by reference, see § 192.7), or the equivalent.\n\n\n\nDuring the inspection, PHMSA reviewed TC Energy’s Engineering Specification: TES-MA-\nFLGEU-GL Carbon Steel Butt-Welding Flanges, Rev-04 (4/19/24) (Engineering Spec), which\ncontained information regarding CGT’s use of manufactured carbon steel butt-welding flanges\nwith a specified outside diameter of NPS 16 (406.4 mm) and larger, and Carbon Steel Grade F42\n(Grade 290) to Grade F80 (Grade 550). In accordance with the Engineering Spec, smaller sizes\n(less than NPS 16) and lower grades of flanges may be used in accordance with its Materials List.\nPHMSA then reviewed the Materials List, which stated in part that it is intended to list acceptable\nindustry standards and specifications applicable to CGT’s material requirements for new piping\nsystems. Tables 1-1, 1-2, and 1-3 of the Materials List included the standards and specifications\napplicable to high-pressure gas pipeline and pipeline facilities, particularly specifying ASME\nB16.5 as the standard applicable to flanges with NPS 4 to 14 for pipeline and to flanges with NPS\n½ to 3 for pipeline assemblies and facilities. However, none of the tables, or any other section of\nthe Materials List or Engineering Spec, indicated the specific edition of the ASME B16.5 Standard\nthat is applicable to the listed flanges.\nTherefore, CGT’s written procedures for constructing its pipeline are inadequate to assure safe\noperation in accordance with section 192.303. PHMSA proposes that CGT must revise its\nprocedures to address this inadequacy.\nResponse to this Notice\nThis Notice is provided pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 60108(a) and 49 CFR § 190.206. Enclosed as part\nof this Notice is a document entitled Response Options for Pipeline Operators in Enforcement\nProceedings.\nPlease refer to this document and note the response options. Be advised that all material you submit\nin response to this enforcement action is subject to being made publicly available. If you believe\nthat any portion of your responsive material qualifies for confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. §\n552(b), along with the complete original document you must provide a second copy of the\ndocument with the portions you believe qualify for confidential treatment redacted and an\nexplanation of why you believe the redacted information qualifies for confidential treatment under\n5 U.S.C. § 552(b).\nFollowing the receipt of this Notice, you have 30 days to submit written comments, revised\nprocedures, or a request for a hearing under section 190.211. If you do not respond within 30 days\nof receipt of this Notice, this constitutes a waiver of your right to contest the allegations in this\nNotice and authorizes the Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety to find facts as alleged in\nthis Notice without further notice to you and to issue an Order Directing Amendment. If your plans\nor procedures are found inadequate as alleged in this Notice, you may be ordered to amend your\nplans or procedures to correct the inadequacies (49 CFR § 190.206). If you are not contesting this\nNotice, we propose that you submit your amended procedures to my office within 30 days of\nreceipt of this Notice. This period may be extended by written request for good cause. Once the\ninadequacies identified herein have been addressed in your amended procedures, this enforcement\naction will be closed.\n\n\n\nIt is requested (not mandated) that Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC maintain documentation of\nthe safety improvement costs associated with fulfilling this Notice of Amendment\n(preparation/revision of plans, procedures) and submit the total to Robert Burrough, Director,\nEastern Region, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. In correspondence\nconcerning this matter, please refer to CPF 1-2025-024-NOA and, for each document you submit,\nplease provide a copy in electronic format whenever possible.\nSincerely,\nRobert Burrough\nDirector, Eastern Region\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\nEnclosure: Response Options for Pipeline Operators in Enforcement Proceedings\n\n12025024NOA_Closure Letter_09102025_(24-296184)_txt.pdf\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and\nHazardous Materials\nSafety Administration\n840 Bear Tavern Road, Suite 300\nWest Trenton, NJ 08628\n609.771.7800\nVIA ELECTRONIC MAIL TO: tina_faraca@tcenergy.com\nSeptember 10, 2025\nMs. Tina Faraca\nExecutive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer\nU.S. Natural Gas Pipelines\nColumbia Gas Transmission, LLC, a subsidiary of TC Energy Corporation\n700 Louisiana Street\nHouston, Texas 77002\nRE: CPF 1-2025-024-NOA\nDear Ms. Faraca:\nFrom February 27 through December 12, 2024, a representative from the Pipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety Administration (PHMSA), pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code\n(U.S.C.), inspected Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC’s (CGT) construction project at the Artemas\nCompressor Station and the related CGT construction procedures in Artemas, Pennsylvania. As a\nresult of the inspection, CGT was issued a Notice of Amendment on July 1, 2025, which proposed\namendment of your procedures\nCGT submitted its amended procedures on July 30, 2025. My staff reviewed the amended\nprocedures, and it appears that the inadequacies outlined in this Notice of Amendment have been\ncorrected.\nThis letter is to inform you no further action is necessary and this case is now closed. Thank you\nfor your cooperation.\nSincerely,\nRobert Burrough\nDirector, Eastern Region\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\n\n12025024NOA_Closure Letter_09102025_(24-296184).pdf\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and\nHazardous Materials\nSafety Administration\n840 Bear Tavern Road, Suite 300\nWest Trenton, NJ 08628\n609.771.7800\nVIA ELECTRONIC MAIL TO: tina_faraca@tcenergy.com\nSeptember 10, 2025\nMs. Tina Faraca\nExecutive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer\nU.S. Natural Gas Pipelines\nColumbia Gas Transmission, LLC, a subsidiary of TC Energy Corporation\n700 Louisiana Street\nHouston, Texas 77002\nRE: CPF 1-2025-024-NOA\nDear Ms. Faraca:\nFrom February 27 through December 12, 2024, a representative from the Pipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety Administration (PHMSA), pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code\n(U.S.C.), inspected Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC’s (CGT) construction project at the Artemas\nCompressor Station and the related CGT construction procedures in Artemas, Pennsylvania. As a\nresult of the inspection, CGT was issued a Notice of Amendment on July 1, 2025, which proposed\namendment of your procedures\nCGT submitted its amended procedures on July 30, 2025. My staff reviewed the amended\nprocedures, and it appears that the inadequacies outlined in this Notice of Amendment have been\ncorrected.\nThis letter is to inform you no further action is necessary and this case is now closed. Thank you\nfor your cooperation.\nSincerely,\nRobert Burrough\nDirector, Eastern Region\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","truncated":false,"body_characters":9981}