135.273 – General
This provision prohibits the use of a compression-style coupling to join steel pipe during initial construction or as a permanent repair.
135.279 – Copper pipe addition
This provision is eliminated as unnecessary because the type of piping addressed is no longer used.
135.305 – Inspection General
This provision clarifies current inspection standards.
135.323 – Casing addition
This provision about casings is deleted because it is redundant.
135.325 – Underground clearance additions
This provision applies the same underground clearance standard to mains that currently exists for transmission lines. It also clarifies that a building may not be put over an existing in-service main or transmission line. Currently, the provision only states that a line cannot be put beneath a building.
135.327 – Cover additions
Under this provision, an operator must ensure that code-required coverage of mains and transmission lines is maintained when a road is reconstructed.
135.351 – Scope additions
Under this provision, an operator must have written procedures for the installation and inspection of service lines, regulators and meters.
135.353(aw) – Customer meters and regulators: location addition
Under this provision, for a new installation an operator must install a meter outside and as close as possible to the building wall, unless doing so is physically impracticable.
135.361 – Service lines: installations additions
This provision applies the 12-inch clearance requirement to service lines and requires that the code-required coverage is maintained when a road is reconstructed.
135.365 – Service lines: location of valves additions
This provision clarifies when an operator must have an outside valve in a readily accessible location and when an operator must install an underground service valve as close as possible to the main.
135.375 – Service lines: plastic addition
This provision has been deleted because it is redundant. It is in the federal code now.
135.379 – New service lines not in use additions
Under this provision, an operator may not turn on gas service until a customer is ready to use it.
135.461 – External corrosion control: protective coating addition
Under this provision, where appropriate given soil conditions, an installer must use a current drain test to inspect a coating after using a boring, driving or similar installation method.
135.465 – External corrosion control: monitoring addition
Under this provision, an operator must take remedial action within 12 months of discovering problems within the cathotic protection system.
135.481 – Atmospheric corrosion control: monitoring addition
Under this provision, an operator must take remedial action within 12 months of discovering atmospheric corrosion. This change is made because, generally, pipeline repairs must be made by the next reporting cycle. While in many cases this is 12 months, atmospheric corrosion inspections only take place every 3 years. This is too long to wait for repairs to be made, so 12 months was chosen.
135.503 – General requirements additions
Under this provision, an operator must pressure test all pipelines to a minimum of 90 p.s.i.g., unless federal law requires more stringent testing.
135.506 – Strength test requirements for steel pipeline
This provision lowers the minimum test pressure for transmission lines from 90% of system maximum yield strength to 85%. Prefabricated assemblies and station piping are exempted from the testing requirement.
135.511 – Test requirements for service lines addition
This provision increases the minimum test pressure to 90 p.s.i. for reinstated service lines.
135.517 – Records additions
Under this provision, an operator must include the test date on each test record and keep the records as long as the pipeline is in service.
135.605 – Procedural manual for operations, maintenance and emergencies
Under this provision, operators must have a written quality control procedure for evaluating third parties performing operation and maintenance activities.
135.613 – Continuing surveillance additions
This change reduces the requirement for surveying when repaving to allow a recent prior test to suffice as the leakage survey. It also ends the requirement that property abutting streets be tested.
135.614 – Damage prevention program addition
Under this provision, all operators must report damage to a national central body (Common Ground Alliance), and information so reported must be available to the commission upon request.
135.615 – Emergency plans
Under this provision, an operator must respond immediately to reports of carbon monoxide. Also, an operator must meet different emergency response times for higher and lower density areas, and a report to the commission is required when response times significantly exceed the specified times.
135.623 – Maximum allowable operating pressure: low-pressure distribution systems addition
Under this provision, beginning in 2015 an operator may not operate a low-pressure distribution system.
135.705 – Transmission lines: patrolling additions
Under this provision, operators must clear and maintain transmission line rights-of-way.
135.706 – Transmission lines: leakage
Under this provision, all leak surveys of all transmission lines in all class locations must be conducted using an acceptable leak detection device. A vegetation survey is not acceptable.
135.707 – Line markers for mains and transmission lines addition
Under this provision, an operator must place a transmission line marker every quarter mile outside of urban areas.
135.721 – Distribution systems: patrolling addition
Under this provision, a utility must perform a hazard survey every three years if it is using an automated meter reading system. The utility must conduct that survey in a different year than the leak survey or atmospheric corrosion survey.
135.722 – Distribution mains: markers
Under this provision, an operator must place distribution main markers every quarter mile outside of urban areas.
135.723 – Distribution systems: leakage surveys additions
This provision clarifies leak survey requirements and requires that an operator perform a leak survey every 3 calendar years when an automated meter reading system is being used. It also specifies that a vegetation survey is not a sufficient leak survey.
135.724w – Further leakage survey after repair of leak
This provision specifies the time limit for performing a further check in an area after repairing a leak.
135.727 – Abandonment or deactivation of facilities addition
Under this provision, an operator must abandon facilities that have not been used for a certain period of time.
135.741 – Pressure limiting and regulating stations: telemetering or recording gauges addition
Under this provision, an operator must perform monthly examinations of regulators or monitors used as district regulators.
135.744w – Service regulators and associated safety devices: inspection and testing
Under this provision, an operator must test regulators upon installation and when a meter is changed or tested. If there are 2, then the operator must test each one.
135.747 – Valve maintenance: distribution systems addition
Under this provision, operators must partially operate distribution emergency valves, whether or not they are plastic, when inspecting. Once every five years, operators must inspect valves not inspected under a particular federal regulation.
135.753 – Caulked bell and spigot joints addition
This provision has been deleted as unnecessary because it applies to cast iron pipes, which are no longer allowed.
Comparison with existing or proposed federal regulations
The federal pipeline safety statutes may be found in
49 USC 60101 to
60133. The federal pipeline safety regulations may be found in
49 CFR 190 to
199.
Under an agreement with the US Department of Transportation, Office of Pipeline Safety, the commission enforces the federal pipeline safety regulations for Wisconsin's natural gas operators. As a result, the commission is required to, and has adopted, the federal pipeline safety regulations. Under the agreement with the Office of Pipeline Safety, the commission has the authority to make additions to the federal code that are more stringent than the federal standards. The commission has made a number of state additions to the federal code.
Comparison with similar rules in adjacent states
Adjacent states have also adopted the federal pipeline safety code. Minnesota has not made any state additions. Iowa has made two small additions, but they are not on topics where Wisconsin has done additions. Michigan has many additions, although they are predominantly in areas where Wisconsin has not done additions. Illinois has mostly service rules rather than pipeline safety rules. However, Wisconsin is not alone in having a number of additions to the federal code. Other states, such as Florida, South Carolina, Missouri, and Kentucky all have quite a few additions.
With the exception of Iowa, however, surrounding and nearby states have a higher number of pipeline incidents than Wisconsin. Wisconsin has 0.000352 incidents per mile of pipeline, Illinois has 0.000527, Minnesota has 0.000752, Michigan has 0.000762, and Ohio has 0.000587.
Effect on Small Business
This rulemaking will affect three small gas utilities. Each of these has revenues in excess of $5 million but has 25 or fewer employees. The contract between the federal department of transportation and the PSC requires that treatment be uniform across the state and across gas pipeline operators. As a result, the PSC cannot make special provisions for small business.
Initial regulatory flexibility analysis
This rulemaking will affect three small gas utilities. Each of these has revenues in excess of $5 million but has 25 or fewer employees. It will also affect many master meter system operators. The contract between the federal department of transportation and the PSC requires that treatment be uniform across the state and across gas pipeline operators. As a result, the PSC cannot make special provisions for small business.
Fiscal Estimate
There will be no appreciable increase in costs to any governmental body, small business, or gas pipeline operator as a result of this rulemaking.
Assumptions used in arriving at fiscal estimate
State fiscal effects
There are no estimated state fiscal effects from the proposed changes to the Gas Safety Rule (PSC 135).
The proposed Gas Safety rule adopts the most recent federal rule on gas pipeline safety as state rule. The proposed Gas Safety rule changes the date for federal rules adopted by reference from July 1, 2007, to the effective date of the proposed rule.
In addition, the proposed rule updates state additions to the federal rule making them consistent with revised federal rule and clarifying, where possible, the intent of the federal rule. Some examples include: under PSC 135.305, the state rule clarifies the intent of the federal inspection requirement by establishing conflict of interest provisions for third party contractors; under revised PSC 135.465 and 135.481, the state rule provides a specific time period for compliance with federal rule where none is explicitly provided in federal rule; and, in PSC 135.615, the state rule provides specific guidelines for the federal rule requirement of a “prompt and effective response."
