Agenda Date: December 9, 1998   DRAFT
Item Number: 

Docket:  UG-980962 Liquefied Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Rulemaking
   Amend WAC Chapter 480-93-010

Staff:   Dennis Lloyd, Pipeline Safety Engineer
   Al Jones,  Pipeline Safety Engineer
  

Recommendation:

Grant an Order to adopt, by reference, federal liquefied natural gas facilities 
and natural gas pipeline standards.

Discussion:

The Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission (Commission) 
participates in the federal pipeline safety program pursuant to the Federal 
Pipeline Safety Law, 49 U.S.C. Sec. 60101, et seq.  The federal government 
certified that the Commission was a proper agency for delegation with the 
understanding that the Commission would take steps to bring the state safety 
standards into line with the federal standards.  Chapter 210, Laws of 1969 was 
passed providing Commission safety jurisdiction over natural gas pipeline 
companies and allows the Commission to prescribe pipeline safety rules.

The adoption is undertaken so that Washington State will comply with federal 
requirements to retain certification under the Pipeline Safety Law and to 
participate in the federal pipeline safety programs.   Adopting by reference, 
the recent federal amendments to the natural gas standards (49 CFR 192), 
liquefied natural gas pipeline safety standards (49 CFR Part 193), and the drug 
and alcohol testing regulations (49 CFR Part 199) will conform state 
regulations of intrastate pipeline companies with existing federal 
regulations.  

The Commission filed a Preproposal Statement of Inquiry (CR-101) on July 29, 
1998, as WSR #98-16-011.  The notice advised interested persons that the 
Commission was considering entering a rulemaking on the adoption of federal 
pipeline safety rules by reference with added statute provisions to bring state 
rules into conformity with existing federal rules.  The Commission also 
informed persons of the inquiry into this matter by providing notice of the 
subject and the CR-101 to all persons on the Commission's list of persons 
requesting such information pursuant to RCW 34.05.320(3) and by sending notice 
to all registered gas companies and the Commission's list of natural gas 
pipeline companies.  The Commission filed a notice of Proposed Rulemaking 
(CR-102) on November 4, 1998, as WSR #98-22-111.  The notice provided 
interested persons the opportunity to submit written comments to the Commission 
until November 30, 1998. The Commission did not receive any comments concerning 
these notices. 

Docket UG-980962
December 9, 1998
Page 1

The adoption of these rules will provide standards for liquefied pipeline 
facilities and standards to promote continued safe operations of natural gas 
pipelines within the state of Washington.  Staff recommends that the Commission 
grant an Order to adopt, by reference, federal liquefied natural gas 
facilities’ standards and natural gas pipeline standards.