{"operation":"document","citation":"CPF 42026026WL","title":"TARGA RESOURCES OPERATING LLC — Warning Letter","source_type":"enforcement","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"historical","official":true,"published_on":"2026-03-10","effective_on":null,"summary":"CLOSED warning letter citing 195.402(a).","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-42026026wl.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-42026026wl.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-42026026wl","source_url":"https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/42026026WL","body":"Warning Letter involving TARGA RESOURCES OPERATING LLC. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulation as 195.402(a). The case was opened on 2026-03-10 and is reported as closed as of 2026-03-10. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.\n\nOfficial case documents:\n\n42026026WL_Warning Letter_03102026_(25-329593).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/42026026WL/42026026WL_Warning%20Letter_03102026_(25-329593).pdf\n\n42026026WL_Warning Letter_03102026_(25-329593)_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/42026026WL/42026026WL_Warning%20Letter_03102026_(25-329593)_text.pdf\n\n42026026WL_Warning Letter_03102026_(25-329593)_text.pdf\n\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials\nSafety Administration 8701 S. Gessner, Suite 630\nHouston TX 77074\nWARNING LETTER\nVIA ELECTRONIC MAIL TO: mmeloy@targaresources.com\nMarch 10, 2026\nMatthew Meloy\nChief Executive Officer\nTarga Resources Operating LLC\n811 Louisiana St\nSuite 2100\nHouston, Texas, 77002\nCPF 4-2026-026-WL\nDear Mr. Meloy:\nFrom April 7 through September 25, 2025, representatives of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials\nSafety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), pursuant to Chapter 601 of\nTitle 49, United States Code (U.S.C.), inspected Targa Resources Operating LLC’s (Targa) natural\ngas liquids pipeline system located in Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.\nAs a result of the inspection, it is alleged that Targa has committed a probable violation of the\nPipeline Safety Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The item inspected and\nthe probable violation is:\n1. § 195.402 Procedural manual for operations, maintenance, and emergencies.\n(a) General. Each operator shall prepare and follow for each\npipeline system a manual of written procedures for conducting\nnormal operations and maintenance activities and handling abnormal\noperations and emergencies. This manual shall be reviewed at\nintervals not exceeding 15 months, but at least once each calendar\nyear, and appropriate changes made as necessary to insure that the\nmanual is effective. This manual shall be prepared before initial\noperations of a pipeline system commence, and appropriate parts\nshall be kept at locations where operations and maintenance activities\nare conducted.\n\n\n\nTarga failed to follow its procedure for conducting normal operations in accordance with §\n195.402(a). Specifically, Targa failed to follow its procedure Environmental, Safety, and Health\n(ES&H) Manual: Safe Work Permits (rev. 01/11/2022), which requires the completion and\napproval of a hot work permit prior to performing any work that could generate sparks or fire,\nincluding, but not limited to, welding, cutting, grinding, brazing, torch or plasma cutting, abrasive\nblasting, fusing plastic pipe, or using hot plates or inductive heating elements.\nFollowing receipt of Accident Report No. 20230139-38218, dated June 29, 2023, PHMSA\nreviewed records for the pipe repair/replacement on Targa’s 20-inch GPX-F East Chico to\nWeatherford pipeline segment. When PHMSA requested a copy of the approved hot work permit\nfor the activity described, Targa was unable to locate one.\nHot work permit processes are designed to ensure that all required safety measures, including\nverification that all hazard mitigation measures are in place, assignment and documentation of a\ndesignated fire watch, atmospheric monitoring for oxygen levels and flammable vapors both prior\nto and during the work, and identification of the specific work location, equipment to be used, and\nthe authorized dates for hot-work activities, are implemented before work begins. Failing to follow\nsuch a process increases the risk of fire or explosion, injury to personnel, and environmental\nrelease.\nTherefore, Targa failed to follow its procedure for conducting normal operations in accordance\nwith § 195.402(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 violation 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 violation 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 violation occurring on or after March 21, 2022, and before January 6,\n2023, the maximum penalty may not exceed $239,142 per violation per day the violation persists,\nup to a maximum of $2,391,142 for a related series of violations. For violation occurring on or\nafter May 3, 2021, and before March 21, 2022, the maximum penalty may not exceed $225,134\nper violation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,251,334 for a related series of\nviolations. For violation occurring on or after January 11, 2021, and before May 3, 2021, the\nmaximum penalty may not exceed $222,504 per violation per day the violation persists, up to a\nmaximum of $2,225,034 for a related series of violations. For violation occurring on or after July\n31, 2019, and before January 11, 2021, the maximum penalty may not exceed $218,647 per\nviolation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,186,465 for a related series of\nviolations.\n2\n\n\n\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.\nNo reply to this letter is required. If you choose to reply, in your correspondence please refer to\nCPF 4-2026-026-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,\nBryan Lethcoe\nDirector, Southwest Region, Office of Pipeline Safety\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\ncc: Gregg Johnson, Director, Pipeline Compliance, Targa Resources Operating LLC\ngjohnson@targaresources.com\nKyle Kubin, Sr. Vice President, Operations & Engineering, Targa Resources, LLC,\nkkubin@targaresources.com\n3","truncated":false,"body_characters":6831}