{"operation":"document","citation":"CPF 12026030WL","title":"MARITIMES & NORTHEAST PIPELINE, L.L.C. — Warning Letter","source_type":"enforcement","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"historical","official":true,"published_on":"2026-02-13","effective_on":null,"summary":"CLOSED warning letter citing 192.917(b)(1)(x), 192.917(b)(1)(xi), 192.917(b)(1)(xii), 192.917(b)(1)(xiii), 192.917(b)(1)(xxviii).","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-12026030wl.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-12026030wl.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-12026030wl","source_url":"https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/12026030WL","body":"Warning Letter involving MARITIMES & NORTHEAST PIPELINE, L.L.C.. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulations as 192.917(b)(1)(x),  192.917(b)(1)(xi),  192.917(b)(1)(xii),  192.917(b)(1)(xiii),  192.917(b)(1)(xxviii). The case was opened on 2026-02-13 and is reported as closed as of 2026-02-13. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.\n\nOfficial case documents:\n\n12026030WL_Warning Letter_02132026_(25-329587).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/12026030WL/12026030WL_Warning%20Letter_02132026_(25-329587).pdf\n\n12026030WL_Warning Letter_02132026_(25-329587)_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/12026030WL/12026030WL_Warning%20Letter_02132026_(25-329587)_text.pdf\n\n12026030WL_Warning Letter_02132026_(25-329587)_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 ELECTRONIC MAIL TO: matthew.akman@enbridge.com\nFebruary 13, 2026\nMatthew Akman\nPresident & CEO\nMaritimes & Northeast Pipeline LLC\n915 North Eldridge Parkway\nHouston, TX 77079\nCPF 1-2026-030-WL\nDear Mr. Akman:\nFrom March 31 through July 25, 2025, a representative of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials\nSafety Administration (PHMSA), pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code (U.S.C.),\nconducted an inspection of Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline LLC’s (M&NE)1 gas transmission\npipeline system in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.\nAs a result of the inspection, it is alleged that you have committed a probable violation of the\nPipeline Safety Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The probable violation\nis:\n1. § 192.917 How does an operator identify potential threats to pipeline integrity and\nuse the threat identification in its integrity program?\n(a) …\n(b) Data gathering and integration. To identify and evaluate the\npotential threats to a covered pipeline segment, an operator must\ngather and integrate existing data and information on the entire\npipeline that could be relevant to the covered segment. In performing\ndata gathering and integration, an operator must follow the\nrequirements in ASME B31.8S, section 4. Operators must begin to\nintegrate all pertinent data elements specified in this section starting on\nMay 24, 2023, with all available attributes integrated by February 26,\n2024. An operator may request an extension of up to 1 year by\nsubmitting a notification to PHMSA at least 90 days before February\n1 Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline LLC is a subsidiary of Enbridge Energy, LP.\n\n\n\nCPF 1-2026-030-WL\n26, 2024, in accordance with § 192.18. The notification must include a\nreasonable and technically justified basis, an up-to-date plan for\ncompleting all actions required by this paragraph (b), the reason for\nthe requested extension, current safety or mitigation status of the\npipeline segment, the proposed completion date, and any needed\ntemporary safety measures to mitigate the impact on safety. An\noperator must gather and evaluate the set of data listed in paragraph\n(b)(1) of this section. The evaluation must analyze both the covered\nsegment and similar non-covered segments, and it must:\n(1) Integrate pertinent information about pipeline attributes to\nensure safe operation and pipeline integrity, including information\nderived from operations and maintenance activities required under this\npart, and other relevant information, including, but not limited to:\n(i) …\n(x) Hydrostatic or other pressure test history, including test\npressures and test leaks or failures, failure causes, and repairs;\n(xi) Pipe coating methods (both manufactured and field applied),\nincluding the method or process used to apply girth weld coating,\ninspection reports, and coating repairs;\n(xii) Soil, backfill;\n(xiii) Construction inspection reports, including but not limited to:\n(A) Post backfill coating surveys; and\n(B) Coating inspection (“jeeping” or “holiday inspection”) reports;\n(xiv) …\n(xxviii) Encroachments;\nM&NE failed to integrate all pertinent data elements with all available attributes by February 26,\n2024 in accordance with section 192.917(b)(1).\nDuring the inspection, PHMSA reviewed M&NE’s integrity management risk assessment records.\nEnbridge’s External Corrosion Susceptibility & Plans Report documented a risk score of “6” for\nall pipeline segments regarding critical data elements, including Cathodic Protection, Coating\nType, and Operating Temperature. M&NE’s PIPES 1.5 User Guide defines a score of “6” as the\ndefault value used when data elements are unknown.\nHowever, M&NE possessed data that should have overridden these default values. For example,\nannual cathodic protection (CP) monitoring records from 2022 through 2024 documented at least\n20 locations with potentials more negative than -1,200 mV. Under M&NE’s procedure Application\nof Cathodic Protection Criteria Procedure PI-03.204 (06/07/2024), these readings indicate\novervoltage or overprotection and require a risk value of “10.” By maintaining a default score of\n“6,” M&NE demonstrated that it failed to integrate this available CP data into its risk model.\nFurthermore, regarding Third Party Damage, M&NE’s risk results failed to integrate known\nencroachment data, despite this information being available to the operator.\nPage 2 of 3\n\n\n\nCPF 1-2026-030-WL\nTherefore, M&NE failed to integrate all pertinent data elements with all available attributes by\nFebruary 26, 2024 in accordance with section 192.917(b)(1).\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.\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 item identified in this letter. Failure to do so may result in\nMaritimes & Northeast Pipeline LLC being subject to additional enforcement action.\nNo reply to this letter is required. If you choose to reply, in your correspondence please refer to\nCPF 1-2026-030-WL. Be advised that all material you submit in response to this enforcement\naction is subject to being made publicly available. If you believe that any portion of your\nresponsive material qualifies for confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. § 552(b), along with the\ncomplete original document you must provide a second copy of the document with the portions\nyou believe qualify for confidential treatment redacted and an explanation of why you believe the\nredacted information qualifies 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\nPage 3 of 3","truncated":false,"body_characters":6932}