CPF 12026030WL
CPF 12026030WL
12026030WL_Warning Letter_02132026_(25-329587)_text.pdf, page 1Official PDFU.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration 840 Bear Tavern Road, Suite 300 West Trenton, NJ 08628 609.771.7800 WARNING LETTER VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL TO: matthew.akman@enbridge.com February 13, 2026 Matthew Akman President & CEO Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline LLC 915 North Eldridge Parkway Houston, TX 77079 CPF 1-2026-030-WL Dear Mr. Akman: From March 31 through July 25, 2025, a representative of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code (U.S.C.), conducted an inspection of Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline LLC’s (M&NE)1 gas transmission pipeline system in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. 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 probable violation is: 1. § 192.917 How does an operator identify potential threats to pipeline integrity and use the threat identification in its integrity program? (a) … (b) Data gathering and integration. To identify and evaluate the potential threats to a covered pipeline segment, an operator must gather and integrate existing data and information on the entire pipeline that could be relevant to the covered segment. In performing data gathering and integration, an operator must follow the requirements in ASME B31.8S, section 4. Operators must begin to integrate all pertinent data elements specified in this section starting on May 24, 2023, with all available attributes integrated by February 26, 2024. An operator may request an extension of up to 1 year by submitting a notification to PHMSA at least 90 days before February 1 Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline LLC is a subsidiary of Enbridge Energy, LP.#
12026030WL_Warning Letter_02132026_(25-329587)_text.pdf, page 2CPF 1-2026-030-WL 26, 2024, in accordance with § 192.18. The notification must include a reasonable and technically justified basis, an up-to-date plan for completing all actions required by this paragraph (b), the reason for the requested extension, current safety or mitigation status of the pipeline segment, the proposed completion date, and any needed temporary safety measures to mitigate the impact on safety. An operator must gather and evaluate the set of data listed in paragraph (b)(1) of this section. The evaluation must analyze both the covered segment and similar non-covered segments, and it must: (1) Integrate pertinent information about pipeline attributes to ensure safe operation and pipeline integrity, including information derived from operations and maintenance activities required under this part, and other relevant information, including, but not limited to: (i) … (x) Hydrostatic or other pressure test history, including test pressures and test leaks or failures, failure causes, and repairs; (xi) Pipe coating methods (both manufactured and field applied), including the method or process used to apply girth weld coating, inspection reports, and coating repairs; (xii) Soil, backfill; (xiii) Construction inspection reports, including but not limited to: (A) Post backfill coating surveys; and (B) Coating inspection (“jeeping” or “holiday inspection”) reports; (xiv) … (xxviii) Encroachments; M&NE failed to integrate all pertinent data elements with all available attributes by February 26, 2024 in accordance with section 192.917(b)(1). During the inspection, PHMSA reviewed M&NE’s integrity management risk assessment records. Enbridge’s External Corrosion Susceptibility & Plans Report documented a risk score of “6” for all pipeline segments regarding critical data elements, including Cathodic Protection, Coating Type, and Operating Temperature. M&NE’s PIPES 1.5 User Guide defines a score of “6” as the default value used when data elements are unknown. However, M&NE possessed data that should have overridden these default values. For example, annual cathodic protection (CP) monitoring records from 2022 through 2024 documented at least 20 locations with potentials more negative than -1,200 mV. Under M&NE’s procedure Application of Cathodic Protection Criteria Procedure PI-03.204 (06/07/2024), these readings indicate overvoltage or overprotection and require a risk value of “10.” By maintaining a default score of “6,” M&NE demonstrated that it failed to integrate this available CP data into its risk model. Furthermore, regarding Third Party Damage, M&NE’s risk results failed to integrate known encroachment data, despite this information being available to the operator. Page 2 of 3#
12026030WL_Warning Letter_02132026_(25-329587)_text.pdf, page 3CPF 1-2026-030-WL Therefore, M&NE failed to integrate all pertinent data elements with all available attributes by February 26, 2024 in accordance with section 192.917(b)(1). Under 49 U.S.C. § 60122 and 49 CFR § 190.223, you are subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $272,926 per violation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,729,245 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 identified in this letter. Failure to do so may result in Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline LLC 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 1-2026-030-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 Page 3 of 3#
This material provides agency context. It does not replace binding regulatory text, and its legal effect depends on the underlying authority and facts.