{"operation":"document","citation":"CPF 420025013","title":"CHEVRON PIPELINE CO — Notice of Probable Violation","source_type":"enforcement","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"historical","official":true,"published_on":"2002-06-26","effective_on":null,"summary":"CLOSED notice of probable violation citing 195.52(a).","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-420025013.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-420025013.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-420025013","source_url":"https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/420025013","body":"Notice of Probable Violation involving CHEVRON PIPELINE CO. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulation as 195.52(a). The case was opened on 2002-06-26 and is reported as closed as of 2004-04-06. Proposed civil penalty: $10,000. Assessed civil penalty: $10,000. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.\n\nOfficial case documents:\n\n420025013.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/420025013/420025013.pdf\n\n420025013_Final Order_03152004.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/420025013/420025013_Final%20Order_03152004.pdf\n\n420025013_Final Order_03152004.pdf\n\no\nU 5 Deporl,renf\nol Tronspo oTioa\nRe5eorch ond\nSpeciol Progroms\nAdminigtrolion\nl\\,lAR 1 5 2004\nMr. iim R. Blackrvcll\nPrcsident\nCho,Lon Pipe Line Conrpanl''\n2811Haycs Roaci\nP.O. Bor -1E79\nHouston. Texas 77210-4879\nRc: CPI: No. 4-2002-501-l\nDcar Mr. Blackr,\"cll:\nEnolosed is the Iiinal Order issued by the Associate Admintstrator for Pipcline Saiet}' in tlte\nabove-re ferencecl casc. It nakes a tindirg of violation and assesses a civil penalty ot'S l0,000 .fltc\npclaity payrnent te rnts are set ibnh in the Final Ordcr. This enforcement action closes autonraiically\nilpon pa),ment. Your reccipt of tl.re Iiinnl Ordcr constitules service ol'that document trnde r:19 C F ll'\n\\ 190.5.\nSir.rccrellr.\n'\\ i,r\nft- ,t* (\"1\"-'---\nJrmcs l{cl,lolds\nPipcline ComPliarce Regrstrl\"\nOtllcc ol PrPeline SafctY\nEnc los Lrlc\nCERTIFIE\n\n\n\nDEPARTMENT OF I]R{NSPORTATION\nR I]S EAR CH AND S PEC]AL PIi.OCRAMS ADMINIS TRA.TION\nOFFICE OF PIPELINE SAFETY\nWASIIING'fON. DT-- 20590\nln the Nlattel of\nC-hevron Pipc Line fior.npan,v,\nRcspondent\nCPf No. 4-2002-5011\n)\nFI\\AL ORDTR\nOn.Iunc 6, 2002. pr,lrsuant to 49 L;\"S.C. -\\ 60i i7, a representativc of tl.re Ofllce o1 Pipelirre Safctl\n(OPS) iniliated an investigation oiResponclent's report of a rclease involving its pipelinc s-\\ ster.l1.\nAs a result o f the investigation. the Direclor, Solrthrvest Rcgion, OPS, issuecl lo Re spondcnt, by le tte r\ndatccj .lLLnc 26, 2002. a Notice of Probatrle Violation and Proposed Civil Penalt)' (t'r-otice) ln\naccordaltce rvitlr :1!) C.ij.R. $ 190.207, tlte Notice ploposed finding that Respondcnt had violatcrl\n49 C.F R $ 195.52(a) rnd proposed assessing a civil pcnaltyof $10.000 for the allcgetl vroLalrorr.\nRcsponclcr.rt responded lo the Noticc by letter datcd Ar:gr.rst 9,2002 (Response). Re spolldcrlt iiid not\ncontest thc allcgation of'violation but ofiercd an erplanation and reclucsted tlrat the l)loprrsutl r r il\npenalty bc rcclucccl. Responder.rt did not re.luest a hcarir.rg, and therelbre has r,vaivcti its tigbi to onc.\nIIINDING OII VIOI-ATION\nIn its Response, Respgndent did not contest lhe allegecl r,iolation in the Notice. Accordingiy. l trnd\nthat Respondeirt violatcci the foliowirlg section of 49 C.F.R. Parl 195, as more fully descrihcd in the\nNotice:\n'+9 C.F R. tS 195.52(a) latling to give telcphontc\nt-totice at the earliest plactrcable lrolllcni\ntbllorvirtg dtsco'etv of a release of etiri'ienc that\nresulted in a veut stack tlre at a ]llclcrlng\nstation in Jel'fcrsort Coiitliv. fcras.\nThis iinding of violation wrll bc consideretl a prior olfcnse in arrir subsequent cnforcetrurrl aclloll\ntaken ageinst ResPonclerll\n\n\n\nASS ESSMENT OF P trNALl-Y\nUncler 49 LI.S.Cl. \\ 60122. Respondcnt is subject to a civil pe,nalty uot to exceeci $100,()00 pe-r\nviolati6n for eacl.r tlay of the violation t4) to a maximum ol $1,000,000 for anl' r:e l.rtetl serics uf\nviolations.\n49 LI.S.C. g 60 122 ancl 49 C.F.R. $ 190.225 requirc that, in detemrining the aurount of the civil\npcnlltl. I c.rrr. itie r the follorr iug criteria: nalLlt'e. crrcumstances, and gravirl ol'Lhc r i.r llttrrtt. tlc5rre c\nof Respolcient's culpability, historl of Responclcnt's prior offenr;cs, Respondent's abllitir to pa-v the\nper.ralty. gooil faitli by Respondcnt in attenrptiug to achieve compliance. the effect ,.rtt Respotttlctrt's\nability to contrnue in busrness, aud such other matters rs justice rnay require .\nThe Noticcploposeclacit'ilpenalt-vof S10,000forthcviolatiol1 of { 195.52(a). lnitsResponse,\nI{e spo|rle nt contcnclc<l tl.rat the proposecl crvil penalty should be reclucecl to $2,500 in light o f thc\nci|cunrstanccs thal led to Respondcnl's lailurc to tirlcly leport the release .\nRcspondent assc|tcd thlt its clecisiotr not to irnrnedrately report the incicient rvrs brtsc,.i ott .t IltLtr.tLt.'r\nof \"lrnusual\" circLurstanccs tbat lcr-l it to be[e'r'J the incrc]ent did ttot meet the repolling reLllllre nre rlls\nof $ 195 52(a). Irirst, the I]teter station haci been at pressurcs just below Maxittrtitrl t)Pcrrttitrr:\npressurc prior to being shut in. The meter statiou remained shut in at the tirrrc of the re lease ltlcl\nRcspondent did not consider a releasc through a thermal relief valve to be untisttal. r\\lso. lhe llanrc\nobserved \\vas 1ot tholght io be abnomral, since it wirs located at the top of a vctrt stack tliat can be\nused ibr this puqtose. Re sponcicnt asserted thal a reduction in the civil penalty is warraltecl in light\nof these circumstance s.\nThe rccord intliciites that irfter extingLrishing the fire. Respondent prornptly drscor t-tcti th'Lt tts\nproduct hacl relcased through a thcrmal expansiorl valve. under $ 195.52(a;, tltis dtscoVt-tr rtlt.rt.tc\ntriggerccl lLcsponcler-rt's obligation l.o repo rt the inciclent at the carliest practicable lnolne nt, nort'tlall\\\nI -2 hours. l'hcr-c is no cviaence ir-r the rccord io suggest tl.rat the circumstances o 1. the incidcLrt\nprevented Respondcnt irol-n proviclitrg thc proper notice of the release at tlte t'rrl'lrcst pt'Lcticrrhlc\ninoment lbllorvi'g tlisco'ery. AlthoLrgh Rcs'ondeilL *'as cttgagecl in an cffott to clcter.t.uitrc thc carlse\nof the releasc. te lephonlc reportirrg nlust me nlacle at the earliest practicable lllolllcnt iblltrwrllq\ndiscoverv, evctr whell tlte catlse is ittlkttorvtl'\nPipclinc operators wcre given cxplicit guidalce on telcphonic reporling rccluiteue ttts in Apr i1 I 99 I '\nivlen rhe Depitrt.tctlt oi1'r'anspoflation issued an Aiert Notice (ALN-91-01) emplasizrns that\ntelephonio uotrces can and should be nrade ',vithin I -2 hours after discovery of tile relcase On\nFebruary-1, lggg,RespondentrvasissueciawarningLetter(cPFNo 4-1999-500 lw)inrcltLeuce\nto irs reporring. On Septe'ber 27, 2000. RespondJnt was issucd a Fi'al Order (CPF No 'i-2000\n,5002) tbr iniltng to provide notice at the carliest practicable moment fcrllowing tliscovct'y of a crtrtlc\noi1 release.\n\n\n\n_j\nWhen ar operator lails to prornptly rcpoit ii release to the National Responsc Ceuier. ii nray\ncomprorlise pLrblic safety by preventing OPS and other regulatory agencies fi-om assessing the\nsituatron to deterntine rvhether iurmediate response to the release is necessan'. Inluredialc rLctiorl\nmai, include investigations into thc cause of the incident, the regulatory con.rpliance isslres. and the\nneed to provide assistancc to local public oflicials.\nAcc o rcii ngly. hav ing I cvrervecl the reoord and consid ere d the assessmeut criteril, I rts scss Ite sllo ttd e Ir l\na total civil pcnalty of $10.000.\nA cletcrrrination has becn made that Respondent has the ability to pay this penait,v t ithout advcrscli,'\naffccting its abilitl, to continue Lt.i bitstness.\nPaytncnr of Lhe civiL penally must be macle rvithin 20 days of service. Paynellt InaY be nladc bi'\nse ndilg a certiiied chcck or monel'ordcr (containrng the CPF Number for this casc) payable to ''Ll. S.\nDepafintcnl oi' Transportation\" to the Federal Aviation Administration, Mikc Nlonrotrcv\nAcrolautical Center, Financial Operations Division (AN{Z-120), P.O. Box 25082, C)klahonra CLty'\noK 7,1 1 25.\nFederal r-egrilations (49 C.F.R. rS 89.21(b)(3)) also perrnit this palment to be matle b1 wile tt'attslct.\nthroLigh thc lictleral Rese n,e Con.rmunications System (Fedwire), to the account of thc U.S' 1-re asur'1.\nDetailccl ilstlrctiotrs arc cont;rinet.i in the enclosure. Questious concenting lvire lransibrs shoiild bu\ndirected to. Financial Operirtiorrs Division (AX4Z-120). Federal Aviation Adnl inistration. ir{ike'\nN,lonroney Aeronautical center.. P.o. Bor 25U82, Oklahomacity\" oK 73125;(405) 95'1-471t\nFailurt to pay thlJ S 1 0,000 civtl penalty rvill result in accrual of intcrcst at thc curtetrt itnttttril t.rtc irr\naccordancervith3llJ.SC.$3717, 11C].F.R.$901.9anci49C.F.R.{89.21. Pursuiulttothoscsanle\nauthoritics. a latc pcnalty cilalge of six perccnt ((r'z'o) per annum rvill be chargctl if prrvnrctrt is ttt't\nmade wjthin I l0 clays of service. Funhen.nore, lailure to pay tlie civil penaltl ntrLl rcstrlt in rt'lurr;rl\nof the ntalter to thc ;\\ttorney General for appropriate action in a United States Districl CoLrri'\ntjnder 49 C F.R. $ 190.215, Respo|dcnt has a right to submit a Petition for Re coilsider.ation ofthis\nFinal Order. The pctition must be receiyed r'vithin 20 days of Respondent's reccipt of this Irinltl\nOrdcr and must cont:rit.t a bnef stiltemcnt of the issue(s)' The filing of the petitiou aulorlaticall;-\nstays tl.re palmcnt of any civil penalty assessed. Horvcver if Respol.rdent submits palTrcnt fbr thc\ncivil penalry.. thc Final C)rder becor.ncs the final admiuistrative decision and the |igbt to pctition lbr\nreconsideratron rs rvarveci. Thc terms a|tl conditions of this Final orde| are elJectirc oLl leccipt\nMAR 15 20C4\nDale Iss ue c'l\niate Admtntstrator\nlbr Pipcline Sai-ct,v","truncated":false,"body_characters":9369}