{"operation":"document","citation":"CPF 12026001WL","title":"EAST TENNESSEE NATURAL GAS, LLC — Warning Letter","source_type":"enforcement","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"historical","official":true,"published_on":"2026-04-29","effective_on":null,"summary":"CLOSED warning letter citing 192.161(a)(1), 192.161(c)(3), 192.706(a).","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-12026001wl.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-12026001wl.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-12026001wl","source_url":"https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/12026001WL","body":"Warning Letter involving EAST TENNESSEE NATURAL GAS, LLC. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulations as 192.161(a)(1),  192.161(c)(3),  192.706(a). The case was opened on 2026-04-29 and is reported as closed as of 2026-04-29. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.\n\nOfficial case documents:\n\n12026001WL_Warning Letter_04292026_(25-329586).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/12026001WL/12026001WL_Warning%20Letter_04292026_(25-329586).pdf\n\n12026001WL_Warning Letter_04292026_(25-329586)_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/12026001WL/12026001WL_Warning%20Letter_04292026_(25-329586)_text.pdf\n\n12026001WL_Warning Letter_04292026_(25-329586)_text.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\nWARNING LETTER\nVIA EMAIL TO: matthew.akman@enbridge.com\nApril 29, 2026\nMatthew Akman\nEVP & President GTM\nEast Tennessee Natural Gas LLC\n915 North Eldridge Parkway\nHouston, TX 77079\nCPF 1-2026-001-WL\nDear Mr. Akman:\nFrom March 31 through December 11, 2025, a representative of the Pipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), Eastern Region,\npursuant to Chapter 601 of Title 49 United States Code (U.S.C.), inspected East Tennessee Natural\nGas LLC’s (ETNG) plans, procedures, records, and facilities in Georgia, North Carolina, Texas,\nTennessee, and Virginia.\nAs a result of the inspection, Eastern Region alleges that ETNG has committed probable violations\nof the Pipeline Safety Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 192. The\nitems inspected and the probable violations are:\n1. § 192.161 Supports and anchors.\n(a) Each pipeline and its associated equipment must have enough\nanchors or supports to:\n(1) Prevent undue strain on connected equipment;\n(b) …\n(c) Each support or anchor on an exposed pipeline must be made of\ndurable, noncombustible material and must be designed and installed\nas follows:\n(1) …\n(3) Movement of the pipeline may not cause disengagement of the\nsupport equipment.\n\n\n\nCPF 1-2026-001-WL\nETNG failed to have enough pipeline support to prevent undue strain on connected equipment and\nfailed to ensure each support was designed and installed such that movement of the pipeline did\nnot cause disengagement of the support equipment. Specifically, ETNG failed to ensure pipeline\nsupports across the following 17 locations were in accordance with sections 192.161(a)(1) and\n192.161(c)(3):\n1. Boyds Creek Compressor Station: support not engaged with pipeline.\n2. Dixon Springs Compressor Station: inadequate support due to movement\nof soil and/or pipeline.\n3. Monterey Compressor Station: inadequate support due to movement of\nsoil and/or pipeline.\n4. Ridgetop Compressor Station: support not engaged with pipeline.\n5. Tracy City Compressor Station: supports not engaged with pipeline.\n6. Madisonville Compressor Station: supports not engaged with pipeline\ndue to movement of soil and/or pipeline.\n7. VS 3100-1 & M&R 59084: apparent missing support.\n8. M&R 59313: support not engaged with pipeline.\n9. MLV 3312 -1 & 2: apparent missing support.\n10. M&R 59130: support corroded.\n11. M&R 59102: apparent missing supports.\n12. M&R 59099: apparent missing supports.\n13. M&R 59040: apparent missing supports.\n14. M&R 59134: apparent missing supports; supports not engaged with\npipeline.\n15. M&R 59177: apparent missing supports; supports not engaged with\npipeline.\n16. M&R 59026: supports not engaged with pipeline.\nPage 2 of 4\n\n\n\nCPF 1-2026-001-WL\n17. M&R 59054: apparent missing supports.\nTherefore, ETNG failed to have enough pipeline support to prevent undue strain on connected\nequipment and failed to ensure each support was designed and installed such that movement of the\npipeline did not cause disengagement of the support equipment in accordance with sections\n192.161(a)(1) and 192.161(c)(3).\n2. § 192.706 Transmission lines: Leakage surveys.\nLeakage surveys of a transmission line must be conducted at intervals\nnot exceeding 15 months, but at least once each calendar year.\nHowever, in the case of a transmission line which transports gas in\nconformity with § 192.625 without an odor or odorant, leakage surveys\nusing leak detector equipment must be conducted—\n(a) In Class 3 locations, at intervals not exceeding 7 ½ months, but\nat least twice each calendar year; []\nETNG failed to conduct leakage surveys of transmission lines which transport gas in conformity\nwith § 192.625, without an odor or odorant, in Class 3 locations at intervals not exceeding 7 ½\nmonths, but at least twice each calendar year. Specifically, ETNG failed to conduct surveys during\ncalendar years 2022 through 2024 on its pipeline designated 3200-1, in accordance with section\n192.706(a).\nDuring the inspection, the Eastern Region inspector requested leakage survey records of Class 3\nareas for Line 3200-1 for calendar years 2022, 2023, and 2024. For calendar year 2023, ETNG\nonly produced Work Order 14870861 (10/31/2023) for the Line 3200-1 Class 3 segment between\nmileposts 12.562 and 12.678. This record failed to demonstrate that ETNG conducted a leakage\nsurvey at least twice in 2023 for this transmission line. For calendar years 2022 and 2024, ETNG\nfailed to produce any records.\nTherefore, ETNG failed to conduct leakage surveys of transmission lines which transport gas in\nconformity with § 192.625, without an odor or odorant, in Class 3 locations at intervals not\nexceeding 7 ½ months, but at least twice each calendar year in accordance with section\n192.706(a).\nUnder 49 U.S.C. § 60122 and 49 CFR § 190.223, you are subject to a civil penalty not to exceed\n$272,926 per violation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,729,245 for a related\nseries of violations. For violations occurring on or after December 28, 2023 and before December\n30, 2024 the maximum penalty may not exceed $266,015 per violation per day the violation\npersists, up to a maximum of $2,660,135 for a related series of violations. For violations occurring\non or after January 6, 2023 and before December 28, 2023 the maximum penalty may not exceed\n$257,664 per violation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,576,627 for a related\nseries of violations. For violations occurring on or after March 21, 2022 and before January 6, 2023\nPage 3 of 4\n\n\n\nCPF 1-2026-001-WL\nthe maximum penalty may not exceed $239,142 per violation per day the violation persists, up to a\nmaximum of $2,391,142 for a related series of violations. For violations occurring on or after May\n3, 2021 and before March 21, 2022 the maximum penalty may not exceed $225,134 per violation\nper day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,251,334 for a related series of violations. For\nviolations occurring on or after January 11, 2021 and before May 3, 2021 the maximum penalty\nmay not exceed $222,504 per violation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of\n$2,225,034 for a related series of violations. For violations occurring on or after July 31, 2019 and\nbefore January 11, 2021 the maximum penalty may not exceed $218,647 per violation per day the\nviolation persists, up to a maximum of $2,186,465 for a related series of violations.\nWe have reviewed the circumstances and supporting documents involved in this case and have\ndecided not to conduct additional enforcement action or penalty assessment proceedings at this\ntime. We advise you to correct the items identified in this letter. Failure to do so will result in ETNG\nbeing subject to additional enforcement action.\nNo reply to this letter is required. If you choose to reply, in your correspondence please refer to 1-\n2026-001-WL. Be advised that all material you submit in response to this enforcement action is\nsubject to being made publicly available. If you believe that any portion of your responsive material\nqualifies for confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. § 552(b), along with the complete original\ndocument you must provide a second copy of the document with the portions you believe qualify\nfor confidential treatment redacted and an explanation of why you believe the redacted information\nqualifies for confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. § 552(b).\nSincerely,\nRobert Burrough\nDirector, Eastern Region, Office of Pipeline Safety\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\ncc: Michael Koby, SVP & CEO, GTM, ETNG, michael.koby@enbridge.com\nPeter Seydewitz, Dir., Operational Excellence, ETNG, peter.seydewitz@enbridge.com\nPage 4 of 4","truncated":false,"body_characters":8606}