# Mr. John Searcy — Pipeline Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** PI-74-0145
- **title:** Mr. John Searcy — Pipeline Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 1974-11-06
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** PI-74-0145 response to Mr. John Searcy concerning 192.603.
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- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-74-0145
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Pipeline/1974/g74-11-06_Searcy_192.603%20-%20lmxs.pdf
**body:**

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PI-74-0145
November 6, 1974
Mr. John Searcy
Engineering Division
Tennessee Public Service Commission
Cordell Hull building
Nashville, TN 37219
Dear Mr. Searcy:
This refers to your letter of October 2, 1974, in which you ask whether an entire distribution
system is a district for the purpose of 49 CFR 192.741(a).
This rule provides:
(a) "Each distribution system supplied by more than one district pressure regulating
station must be equipped with telemetering or recording pressure gages to indicate the gas
pressure in the district."
Section 102.741(a) applies where two or more district pressure regulators are used in supplying
gas to a distribution system downstream from the regulators. In this case, the distribution system
comprises two or more districts served by the regulators; and the system must be equipped with
telemetering or recording pressure gages to show the gas pressure in each district.
In answer to your other questions, first it is not mandatory that an operator include material
which we present in industry seminars in an operating and maintenance plan under section
192.603(b). The material is presented merely as a guide to operators. Secondly, where a single
operator and maintenance plan may suffice for running all of the systems. However, any
peculiarities in a system must be covered as required by Part 192 in the operator's plan, either in
the single plan or in a separate plan.
Sincerely,
Joseph C. Caldwell
Director
Office of Pipeline Safety
*

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October 2, 1974
Mr. Joseph C. Caldwell, Director
Office of Pipeline Safety
Department of Transportation
2100 Second Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20590
Dear Mr. Caldwell:
192.741(a) requires that "Each distribution system supplied by more than one (1) district pressure
regulating station . . . be equipped with telemetering or recording pressure gauges..." this implies
that an entire distribution system is a district for the purpose of this regulation. Is this a correct
interpretation?
192.603(b) requires a written operating and maintenance plan and that records be kept to
administer the plan. The material used for the DOT Industry Seminar on Safety Requirements
outlines on Page 20, Unit B-5, Paragraph 1.d., eight (8) items which the plan should include. It is
a correct interpretation that it is mandatory that these items, particularly odorization equipment,
be included in an operation and maintenance plan? Where one (1) utility operates gas systems in
more than one (1) city or town, are operation and maintenance plans and records required at each
system?
Sincerely,
John Searcy
Engineering Division
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