WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) today proposed $1.6 million in civil penalties and issued a Notice of Probable Violation (NOPV) and a Proposed Compliance Order to the Transcontinental Pipeline Company (Transco) for violations of the Federal pipeline safety regulations.
An October 8, 2015 incident resulting in a series of explosions, a fire and the deaths of four workers prompted this action. PHMSA’s investigation found five alleged instances of non-compliance with Federal pipeline safety regulations, including failing to report all significant facts when reporting the incident to the National Response Center and performing welding on pipeline components that contain a combustible mixture of gas and air.
The Proposed Compliance Order incorporates remedial actions that correspond to each alleged violation to ensure compliance with pipeline safety regulations and improve safety