Agenda Date:  March 13, 1996
Item Number:   

Docket:  UG-951453, Pipeline Safety Rulemaking
   Amend WAC 480-93-010

Staff:   Steve Rieger, Utilities Engineer

Recommendation:

Adopt the Amendment to WAC 480-93-010 as proposed.

Discussion:

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (Commission) 
participates in the federal pipeline safety program pursuant to Federal 
Pipeline Safety Law 49 U.S.C.
' 60101 et seq.  The certification requires that the Commission adopt federal 
safety standards applicable to intrastate natural gas pipeline operators as 
they become effective.  The Commission will adopt the current version of 
federal regulations as it has done previously in WAC 480-93-010.  The update 
will include all federal amendments enacted since the commission’s prior 
adoption by reference.

The current date for rules referenced in WAC 480-93-010 is July 21, 1995.  The 
Federal Department of Transportation has amended 49 CFR, Part 192 to 
incorporate a new regulation, 49 CFR, Part 192.16, Customer-Owned Service 
Lines.  The effective date of this new regulation is September 13, 1995.

On January 10, 1996 Staff recommended that the Commission file a Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking with the Code Reviser.  The Commission filed the notice 
with the Code Reviser on January 24, 1996 and notification was mailed to all 
interested parties requesting input to this proposed revision.  No written 
comments were received. At this time, the industry has voiced no opposition to 
this new regulation and has given ample thought in regard to a suitable 
mechanism for customer notification.

This new federal regulation applies to operators of service lines who do not 
maintain the customer-owned portion of the buried natural gas piping.  The 
operator is obligated to notify the customer in writing that the operator does 
not maintain the buried service line.  In addition, the operator must notify 
the customer of the consequences that may occur if the piping is not properly 
maintained.  Furthermore, the customer must be notified of the type of 
maintenance that should occur and who is qualified to perform the appropriate 
maintenance.



Docket UG-951453
March 13, 1996
Page 2


Once the rule has been adopted, staff will notify all natural gas operators in 
writing of this new regulation.  As the pipeline safety staff conducts routine 
safety audits of each company, written documentation will be required to verify 
the implementation of this new rule.

This proposed rule change will not alter the existing federal law, nor impose 
any additional state regulatory requirements.  The revised rule will not result 
in any appreciable increase in cost to natural gas operators who maintain 
compliance with federal and state pipeline safety regulations.  The revision 
will minimize confusion by maintaining consistent federal and state pipeline 
safety regulations.

Staff recommends the Commission adopt the amendment to WAC 480-93-010.



AMENDED SECTION:


 WAC 480-93-010  Compliance with federal standards.  Gas gathering, storage, 
distribution, and transmission facilities of all gas operators in this state 
shall be designed, constructed, maintained, and operated in compliance with the 
provisions of 49 CFR, Parts 191, 192 and 199 in effect on ((the date this rule 
is adopted)) [the effective date of this rule], except that any specific 
provisions in this chapter control in the event of inconsistency between this 
chapter and the referenced federal rules.  49 CFR, Parts 191, 192 and 199, are 
available for public inspection in the commission branch of the Washington 
state library, located with the headquarters office of the commission.  Copies 
are available from the Government Printing Office Bookstore, Seattle, 
Washington.

[Statutory Authority:  RCW 80.01.040.  95-13-082 (Order R-427, Docket No. 
UG-950061), ' 480-93-010, filed 6/20/95, effective 7/21/95; 93-18-097 (Order 
R-396, Docket No. UG-930243), ' 480-93-010, filed 9/1/93, effective 10/2/93; 
92-16-100 (Order R-375, Docket No. UG-911261), ' 480-93-010, filed 8/5/92, 
effective 9/5/92; Order R-28, ' 480-93-010, filed 7/15/71; Order R-5, ' 
480-93-010, filed 6/6/69, effective 10/9/69.]