{"operation":"document","citation":"PI-93-005","title":"The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities — Pipeline Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"1993-02-05","effective_on":null,"summary":"PI-93-005 response to The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities concerning 193.2001.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-93-005.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-93-005.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-93-005","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Pipeline/1993/PI93005.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nFebruary 5, 1993\nMr. Chris Bourne\nThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts\nDepartment of Public Utilities\nLeverett Saltonstall Building\nGovernment Center\n100 Cambridge Street\nBoston, MA 02202\nDear Mr. Bourne:\nThis responds to your letter of January 22, 1993. As we discussed\nover the phone on January 12, 1993, if a state waiver regarding an\nLNG mobile facility is granted, it should be granted to the\noperator using the LNG mobile facility. The waiver should identify\nthe distribution systems where the LNG mobile facilities will be\nused; state conditions that may be placed on the use of these LNG\nmobile facilities; and indicate why the waiver will not compromise\npipeline safety.\nA waiver request by an interstate pipeline would have to be made to\nour office, and, if we are disposed to granting the waiver, we\nwould publish the waiver request in the Federal Register and\nrequest and evaluate comments before granting the waiver. This\nprocess takes a few months.\nAs we discussed, by the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act allows this\noffice 60 days to object to a state agency waiver, but we intend to\nact expeditiously and plan to make a decision on the waiver within\nthree days. Accordingly, the state agency waiver should be made\neffective in 60 days unless approved at an earlier time.\nThe following respond specifically to your questions in the order\nenumerated in your letter:\n1. Yes, if the LNG mobile pipeline unit is connected to pipi ng\nowned by an intrastate operator, the unit is under the\njurisdiction of the State agency. If it is connected to\npiping owned by an interstate operator, it is under the\njurisdiction of RSPA.\n2. Yes, a State agency may grant waivers that are not a site o r\nunit specific, but must identify the operator.\n3. A state agency may grant a waiver for an unlimited period, if\nappropriate conditions are placed on the use of the LNG\nfacility.\ndal\\193\\2001.a\\93-02-05\n1\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\n4. The state agency should place appropriate conditions, such as\nfire protection, security, personnel qualification, site\nrequirements, etc., on the use of these LNG mobile facilities.\n5. Yes, while RSPA has 60 days to approve or deny a waiver, RSPA\nwill approve or deny a waiver regarding LNG mobile facilities\nwithin 3 days.\nIn the meantime, a State agency should exercise judgment in\nenforcing the regulations when a mobile LNG facility is being used\nin an emergency to provide gas service.\nSincerely,\nCesar DeLeon\nDirectory Regulatory Programs\nOffice of Pipeline Safety\ndal\\193\\2001.a\\93-02-05\n2","truncated":false,"body_characters":2527}