{"operation":"document","citation":"CPF 32024078NOA","title":"LAKES GAS COMPANY — Notice of Amendment","source_type":"enforcement","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"historical","official":true,"published_on":"2024-11-22","effective_on":null,"summary":"CLOSED notice of amendment citing 192.805(i).","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-32024078noa.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-32024078noa.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-32024078noa","source_url":"https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/32024078NOA","body":"Notice of Amendment involving LAKES GAS COMPANY. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulation as 192.805(i). The case was opened on 2024-11-22 and is reported as closed as of 2025-11-13. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.\n\nOfficial case documents:\n\n32024078NOA_Closure Letter_11132025_(23-264480).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/32024078NOA/32024078NOA_Closure%20Letter_11132025_(23-264480).pdf\n\n32024078NOA_Closure Letter_11132025_(23-264480)_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/32024078NOA/32024078NOA_Closure%20Letter_11132025_(23-264480)_text.pdf\n\n32024078NOA_Notice of Amendment_11222024_(23-264480).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/32024078NOA/32024078NOA_Notice%20of%20Amendment_11222024_(23-264480).pdf\n\n32024078NOA_Notice of Amendment_11222024_(23-264480)_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/32024078NOA/32024078NOA_Notice%20of%20Amendment_11222024_(23-264480)_text.pdf\n\n32024078NOA_Notice of Amendment_11222024_(23-264480)_text.pdf\n\nNOTICE OF AMENDMENT\nVIA ELECTRONIC MAIL TO: thampton@lakesgas.com; ssargeant@lakesgasco.com;\ndanderson@lakesgasco.com\nNovember 22, 2022\nMr. Trent Hampton\nChief Executive Officer\nLakes Gas Company\n26777 Fallbrook Ave,\nWyoming, Minnesota 55092\nCPF 3-2024-078-NOA\nDear Mr. Hampton:\nFrom September 11 to September 15, 2023, 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 Lakes Gas Company (Lakes) procedures for its operator qualification\nprogram in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.\nAs a result of the inspection, PHMSA has identified the apparent inadequacy found within Lakes\nprocedures. The item inspected and the inadequacy is described below:\n1. § 192.805 Qualification program.\nEach operator shall have and follow a written qualification program. The program\nshall include provisions to:\n(a) . . . .\n(i) After December 16, 2004, notify the Administrator or a state agency participating\nunder 49 U.S.C. Chapter 601 if an operator significantly modifies the program after\nthe administrator or state agency has verified that it complies with this section.\nNotifications to PHMSA must be submitted in accordance with § 192.18.\nLakes’ Operator Qualification Program, last revised August 9, 2023, was inadequate because it\ndid not contain a provision requiring Lake to notify the Administrator or state agency if\nsignificant modifications are made to the program, in accordance with § 192.18(i).\n\n\n\nResponse to this Notice\nThis Notice is provided pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 60108(a) and 49 C.F.R. § 190.206. Enclosed as\npart of this Notice is a document entitled Response Options for Pipeline Operators in\nEnforcement Proceedings.\nPlease refer to this document and note the response options. Be advised that all material you\nsubmit in response to this enforcement action is subject to being made publicly available. If you\nbelieve that any portion of your responsive material qualifies for confidential treatment under 5\nU.S.C. § 552(b), along with the complete original document you must provide a second copy of\nthe document with the portions you believe qualify for confidential treatment redacted and an\nexplanation of why you believe the redacted information qualifies for confidential treatment\nunder 5 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 § 190.211. If you do not respond within 30 days of\nreceipt 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\nplans or procedures are found inadequate as alleged in this Notice, you may be ordered to amend\nyour plans or procedures to correct the inadequacies (49 C.F.R. § 190.206). If you are not\ncontesting this Notice, we propose that you submit your amended procedures to my office within\n45 days of receipt of this Notice. This period may be extended by written request for good cause.\nOnce the inadequacies identified herein have been addressed in your amended procedures, this\nenforcement action will be closed.\nIt is requested (not mandated) that Lakes maintain documentation of the safety improvement\ncosts associated with fulfilling this Notice of Amendment (preparation/revision of plans,\nprocedures) and submit the total to Gregory A. Ochs, Director, Central Region, Pipeline and\nHazardous Materials Safety Administration. In correspondence concerning this matter, please\nrefer to CPF 3-2024-078-NOA and, for each document you submit, please provide a copy in\nelectronic format whenever possible.\nSincerely,\nGregory A. Ochs\nDirector, Central Region, Office of Pipeline Safety\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\ncc: David Anderson, District Manager, danderson@lakesgasco.com\nSteven Sargeant, EVP of Operations, ssargeant@lakesgasco.com\nEnclosure: Response Options for Pipeline Operators in Enforcement Proceedings\n\n32024078NOA_Closure Letter_11132025_(23-264480)_text.pdf\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\n901 Locust Street, Suite 480\nKansas City, MO 64106\nVIA ELECTRONIC MAIL TO: thampton@lakesgasco.com; jhellendrung@lakesgas.com\nNovember 13, 2025\nMr. Trent Hampton\nChief Executive Officer\nLakes Gas Company\n26777 Fallbrook Ave,\nWyoming, Minnesota 55092\nRE: CPF 3-2024-078-NOA\nDear Mr. Hampton:\nFrom September 11 to September 15, 2023, a representative of the Pipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety Administration (PHMSA), pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code\n(U.S.C.), conducted an inspection of Lakes Gas Company’s (Lakes) procedures for its operator\nqualification program in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. On November 22, 2024, pursuant to 49 CFR §\n190.206, PHMSA issued a Notice of Amendment which proposed amendment of Lakes’\nprocedures.\nLakes submitted its amended procedures on December 17, 2024 and November 4, 2025. PHMSA\nhas reviewed the amended procedures, and it appears that the inadequacies outlined in the Notice\nof Amendment have been corrected.\nThis letter is to inform you that no further action is necessary, and this case is now closed. Thank\nyou for your cooperation.\nSincerely,\nDavid Barrett\nActing Director, Central Region, Office of Pipeline Safety\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\ncc: Jason Hellendrung Manager of Physical Operations / Fleet Manager / Pipeline Manager,\njhellendrung@lakesgas.com","truncated":false,"body_characters":6712}