{"operation":"document","citation":"PI-81-018","title":"The Public Service Commission — Pipeline Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"1981-10-07","effective_on":null,"summary":"PI-81-018 response to The Public Service Commission concerning 192.727.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-81-018.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-81-018.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-81-018","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Pipeline/1981/PI81018.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nMr. James S. Stites\nChief, Gas Department\nUtilities Division\nThe Public Service Commission\nP.O. Drawer 11649\n111 Doctors Circle\nColumbia, South Carolina 29211\nDear Mr. Stites:\nThe enclosed interpretation is in response to your letter of September 10, 1981, regarding\ncompliance with 49 CFR 192.727(d) when a service line stop valve is closed by someone other\nthan the operator.\nSincerely,\nMelvin A. Judah\nActing Associate Director for\nPipeline Safety Regulation\nMaterials Transportation Bureau\nEnclosure\nDB\nC:\\WP51\\INTERPRT\\192\\727\\81-10-07\n1\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nNo. 81-5\nDate: Oct. 7, 1981\nDEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION\nRESEARCH AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION\nMATERIALS TRANSPORTATION BUREAU\nPIPELINE\n_________________________________________________________________\nSAFETY REGULATORY INTERPRETATION\n_________________________________________________________________\nNote: A pipeline safety regulatory interpretation applies a particular rule to a particular\nset of facts and circumstances, and, as such, may be relied upon only by\nthose persons to whom the interpretation is specifically addressed.\nSECTION: 192.727(d)\nSUBJECT: Inactivated service line\nFACTS: The stop valve at a customer meter is closed by the customer or by someone other\nthan the operator. The operator is not told of the closing or requested to discontinue service, but\ndiscovers at a later date that the valve is closed.\nQUESTION: After discovering the closed valve, does the operator have to meet the\nrequirements of §192.727(d) regarding a discontinued service?\nINTERPRETATION: Section 192.727(d) prescribes precautionary steps an operator must take\n\"whenever service to a customer is discontinued.\" This regulation was established by Amendment\n192-8 (37 FR 20695, October 3, 1972) to prevent accidents caused by the unauthorized\nreactivation of service lines that are not currently being used to provided gas service. As the\nregulation indicates, the potential for such accidents arises when the delivery of gas to a customer\nis discontinued. The potential is the same whether discontinuance results from an action by the\nDB\nC:\\WP51\\INTERPRT\\192\\727\\81-10-07\n2\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\noperator or by someone else. Thus, under the facts stated above, the operator would have to\ncomply with §192.727(d) if the closed stop valve represented a discontinuance of service, even\nthough the valve was closed without the operator's knowledge. Whether the closed valve\namounted to a discontinuance of service, and not just a prank or temporary closure for some\npurpose other than termination of service to the\ncustomer, would depend on fats that should have been ascertained by the operator after\ndiscovering the closed valve.\nMelvin A. Judah\nActing Associate Director for\nPipeline Safety Regulation\nSeptember 10, 1981\nMr. Melvin A. Judah\nActing Associate Director for\nPipeline Safety Regulation\nMaterials Transportation Bureau\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nDear Mr. Judah:\nThis is a request for your interpretation of paragraph 192.727(d) as it applies to the\nfollowing situation.\nThe stop valve on the Company's piping at a customer measurement meter installation is\nclosed by a customer or by someone other than the Company personnel and the Company is not\nnotified to discontinue service to the customer. Sometime subsequent to the closing of the stop\nvalve the Company's personnel notice that the stop valve has been closed. With regard to\ncompliance with Paragraph 192.727(d), after the Company becomes aware of the valve closing is\nit required to take steps to comply with Paragraph 192.727(d) (1) (2) or (3)?\nDB\nC:\\WP51\\INTERPRT\\192\\727\\81-10-07\n3\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nIf you need additional information concerning this matter, please do not hesitate to call on\nme.\nYour very truly,\nJames S. Stites, Chief\nGas Department\nUtilities Division\nDB\nC:\\WP51\\INTERPRT\\192\\727\\81-10-07\n4","truncated":false,"body_characters":3843}