# John E. Good Associates — Pipeline Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** PI-79-024
- **title:** John E. Good Associates — Pipeline Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 1979-07-25
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** PI-79-024 response to John E. Good Associates concerning 192.301.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-79-024.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-79-024.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-79-024
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Pipeline/1979/PI79024.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

Mr. John E. Good
John E. Good Associates
331 West Miner Street
West Chester, Pennsylvania 19380
Dear Mr. Good:
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has asked us to reply to your letter of April 6, 1979,
concerning the legitimacy of proposed local zoning ordinances that would require new dwellings
to be set back 300 feet from natural gas transmission lines.
The Materials Transportation Bureau regulates the safety of gas transmission lines by authority of
the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 (49 USC 1671 et seq.). Although this statute
preempts the power of State and local jurisdictions to prescribe safety regulations for interstate
gas transmission lines, neither the statute nor the Federal regulations affect the zoning powers of
these jurisdictions over the construction of dwellings. Indeed, the regulations, which are found in
49 CFR Part 192, contemplate the proximity of dwellings along pipeline routes, and prescribe
more stringent design, construction, operation, and maintenance requirements as population
increases near the pipelines.
We trust that this information is helpful to you.
Sincerely,
/signed/
Cesar DeLeon
Associate Director for
Pipeline Safety Regulation
Materials Transportation Bureau
DB
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<<<PAGE 2>>>

The Federal Power Commission
United States Government
Washington, D. C. 20013
Ladies/Gentlemen:
I represent two local government units in Chester County, Pennsylvania, both of who are
considering zoning ordinances which would create a setback limitation for the construction of a
dwelling which limitation would require that the dwelling be setback three hundred feet from a
natural gas transmission line.
I am unaware, despite fairly extensive research of any cases in Pennsylvania dealing with
the legitimacy of such a requirement.
Since your agency administers certain regulations as they apply to natural gas pipeline
companies I am wondering whether you have an information available that would assist me in
determining the legitimacy of such regulations. If so, I would appreciate hearing from you.
Very sincerely,
John E. Good
DB
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