{"operation":"document","citation":"PI-13-0004","title":"Colorado Springs Utilities — Pipeline Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2013-10-30","effective_on":null,"summary":"PI-13-0004 response to Colorado Springs Utilities concerning 192.383.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-13-0004.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-13-0004.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-13-0004","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Pipeline/2013/Colorado_Springs_Utilities_PI-13-0004-10-30-2013_Part192.383.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials\nSafety Administration\n1200 New Jersey Ave, S.E.\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nOCT 3 0 2013\nMr. Mason Parsaye\nGeneral Manager\nColorado Springs Utilities\n1521 Hancock Expressway\nColorado Springs, CO 8094 7-1814\nDear Mr. Parsaye:\nIn a letter to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) dated\nJune 26, 2013, you requested an interpretation of the applicability of the Federal pipeline safety\nregulations at 49 CFR Part 192. Specifically, you requested clarification regarding the\nexemption to install an excess flow valve (EFV) on a service line per§ 192.383(b)(1).\nYou stated that you have several pressure districts that are designed to operate as low as 5 psig\nand could operate at this pressure if load is high enough. You ask if all of the service lines in\nthese pressure districts are exempted from EFV installation because your service lines are\ndesigned to operate below 1 0 psig?\nAlso, you asked for clarification of the definition of \"replaced service line.\" You asked whether\na repair and/or replacement of a portion of a service line piping that is downstream ofthe tapping\ntee and the piping that is not physically attached to the tapping tee would require installation of\nan EFV.\nPHMSA's response to your first question is that performance standards have been established for\nEFV s that are installed on a service line that operates at or above 10 psig continuously during the\nyear. However, service line pressure could be at its lowest level during the coldest weather,\nespecially in colder climates. Therefore, pressure drop below 10 psig in the service line due to\nrestriction of gas flow caused by an EFV could possibly cause a reduction in safety or loss of\nservice.\nIf your service lines are operating below 1 0 psig throughout the year, you are not required to\ninstall EFV s on those lines. Section 1 92.3 83(b )(1) states:\n§ 192.383 Excess flow valve installation.\n(b) Installation required. An excess flow valve (EFV) installation must comply with the\nperformance standards in § 192.381. The operator must install an EFV on any new or\nThe Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Office of Pipeline Safety provides written\nclarifications of the Regulations ( 49 CFR Parts 190-199) in the form of interpretation letters. These letters reflect\nthe agency's current application ofthe regulations to the specific facts presented by the person requesting the\nclarification. Interpretations do not create legally-enforceable rights or obligations and are provided to help the\npublic understand how to comply with the regulations.\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\n2\nreplaced service line serving a single-family residence after February 12, 2010, unless\none or more of the following conditions is present:\n(1) The service line does not operate at a pressure of 10 psig or greater throughout the\nyear;\nRegarding your second question, the definition for \"replaced service line\" in§ 192.383(a) states:\n§ 192.383 Excess flow valve installation.\n(a) Definitions. As used in this section:\nReplaced service line means a gas service line where the fitting that connects the service\nline to the main is replaced or the piping connected to this fitting is replaced.\nPHMSA does not mandate additional excavation to install an EFV when another portion ofthe\nservice line is excavated. However, PHMSA considers it is appropriate to require installation\nwhen the area near the connection to the main has been exposed and an opportunity to install an\nEFV exists.\nIfwe can be of further assistance, please contact Tewabe Asebe of my staff at (202) 366-5523.\nDirector, Office of Standards\nand Rulemaking\nThe Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Office of Pipeline Safety provides written\nclarifications of the Regulations ( 49 CFR Parts 190-199) in the form of interpretation letters. These letters reflect\nthe agency's current application of the regulations to the specific facts presented by the person requesting the\nclarification. Interpretations do not create legally-enforceable rights or obligations and are provided to help the\npublic understand how to comply with the regulations.\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nColorado Springs Utilities\nIt's how wt>'re all conrected\nJune 26, 2013\nIJ UL 0 2 2013\nJeff Weise, Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety, PHP-1\nOffice of Pipeline Safety\nPipeline and Hazardous Materiat Safety Administration\nU.S. Department of Transportation\n1200 New Jersey Ave., SE\nWashington, DC 20590\n,,,. I\nI'\n· .. )· · RE: Clarification of §192.383, Excess flow valve installation\nDear·Mr. Weise:\n'·\nColorado Springs Utilities (CSU) would like to seek clarification regarding the first exemption to\ninstalling an Excess Flow Valve (EFV) on a service line per§ 192.383 (b)(1).\nCode reads as follows:\n(b) Installation required. An EFV installation must comply with the performance standards in\n§192.381 . The operator must install an EFV on any new or replaced service line serving a\nsingle-family residence after February 12, 2010, unless one or more of the following conditions\nis present:\n( 1) The service line does not operate at a pressure of 1 0 psig or greater throughout the year;\nCSU has several pressure districts that are designed to operate as low as 5 psig and\ncould operate at this pressure if losd is high enough. Are all of the service lines in these\npressure districts exempted becsustJ they sre designed to operate below 10 psig?\nAlso, CSU would like clarification of the definition of \"Replaced servjce line\".\n1 !521 Hancock Expressway\nP. 0 . Box 1103, Mall Code 1814\nColorado Springe, CO 80947-1814\nPhone: (719) ue.3503 .\nFax: (719) 668-sn2\n..\n! :)I I\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nJeff Weise, Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety, PHP-1\nJune 26, 2013\nPage2\nCode reads as follows:\nReplaced service line means a gas service line where the fitting that connects the service line to\nthe main is replaced or the piping connected to this fitting is replaced.\nDoes this mean H we make s repsir sndlor rep/see s porlion of s tlflrvlceliM piping thst\nis downstream of the tJipplng tee AND the piping Is not phplcally attached to the tapping\ntee, we sre not required to lnst./1 sn EFV?\nPlease provide clarification regarding these service lines.\nBest regards,\nc_k( ;{)~~~~\nMason Parsaye, General Ma ger\nEnergy Construction, Operations & Maintenance Dept.\nc: Jessica Nesvold\nStephan Pott, P.E.","truncated":false,"body_characters":6419}