Date: 01/02/2025

Attention: All Pipeline, Liquefied Natural Gas, and Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility Operators in Minnesota

Subject: OPS Reportable Event Policy

This is a reminder that pipeline-related events are considered a potential threat to public safety and must be promptly reported to the Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety through the 24-hour Minnesota Duty Officer (MnDO) at 651-649-5451 or 1-800-422-0798.

Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety reportable event requiring notification is a release causing any of the following (Required for Intrastate Operators):

1. Evacuation of 10 or more people, regardless of who determined the evacuation.
2. Evacuation of a school, hospital, or health care facility.
3. Rerouting of traffic or closing a highway by public emergency responders, this does not include highways that are already closed due to construction. In this situation, a highway is considered any main road typically labeled with a county, state, or federal route number.
4. 50 or more customers out of service.
5. Any media attention from an accredited news organization, including social media.
6. Unintentional fire or explosion potentially caused by a jurisdictional facility to OPS.

Reportable for Natural Gas, Liquified Natural Gas, and Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility per 49 CFR Part §191.3:

“Incident” means any of the following events:

1. An event that involves a release of gas from a pipeline, gas from an underground natural gas storage facility (UNGSF), liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquefied petroleum gas, refrigerant gas, or gas from an LNG facility, and that results in one or more of the following consequences:
   1. A death or personal injury necessitating in-patient hospitalization;
   2. Estimated property damage of $145,400* or more, including loss to the operator and others, or both, but excluding the cost of gas lost. For adjustments for inflation observed in calendar year 2021 onwards, changes to the reporting threshold will be posted on PHMSA's website.
   3. Unintentional estimated gas loss of three million cubic feet or more.
2. An event that results in an emergency shutdown of an LNG facility or a UNGSF. Activation of an emergency shutdown for reasons other than an actual emergency within the facility does not constitute an incident.
3. An event that is significant in the judgment of the operator, even though it did not meet the criteria of paragraphs (1) or (2).

*This dollar threshold is changed annually on July 1.

Reportable for Hazardous Liquids per 49 CFR Part §195.52 Immediate notice of certain accidents.

At the earliest practicable moment following discovery of a release of the hazardous liquid or carbon dioxide transported resulting in an event described in § 195.50, but no later than one hour after confirmed discovery, the operator of the system must give notice, in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section of any failure that:

1. Caused a death or a personal injury requiring hospitalization.
2. Resulted in either a fire or explosion not intentionally set by the operator.
3. Caused estimated property damage, including the cost of cleanup and recovery, value or lost product, and damage to the property of the operator or others, or both, exceeding $50,000.
4. Resulted in pollution of any stream, river, lake, reservoir, or other similar body of water that violated applicable water quality standards, caused a discoloration of the surface of the water or adjoining shoreline, or deposited a sludge or emulsion beneath the surface of the water or upon adjoining shorelines; or
5. In the judgment of the operator was significant even though it did not meet the criteria of any other paragraph of the section.

Natural Gas, LNG, and UNGSF Safety-Related Conditions per 49 CFR Part §191.23

Filing of Natural Gas, LNG, and UNGSF Safety Related Condition reports is required when the existence of any conditions involving facilities in service as noted in 49 CFR Part §191.23.

Each report of a safety-related condition under §191.23(a)(1) through (9) must be filed (received by the Associate Administrator) in writing within 5 working days (not including Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holidays) after the day a representative of an operator first determines that the condition exists, but not later than 10 working days after the day a representative of an operator discovers the condition. Separate conditions may be described in a single report if they are closely related. Reporting methods and report requirements are described in paragraph (c) of §191.25. Reports must be filed by email to InformationResourcesManager@dot.gov or by facsimile to 202-366-7128.

Hazardous Liquid Safety-Related Conditions per 49 CFR Part §195.55

Filing of Hazardous Liquid Safety-Related Conditions is required when the existence of any conditions involving pipeline in service is noted in 49 CFR Part §195.55.

Each report of a safety-related condition under §195.55(a) must be filed (received by OPS) within five working days (not including Saturday, Sunday, or Federal Holidays) after the day a representative of the operator first determines that the condition exists, but not later than 10 working days after the day a representative of the operator discovers the condition. Separate conditions may be described in a single report if they are closely related. Reports may be transmitted electronically to InformationResourcesManager@dot.gov or by facsimile at 202-366-7128.

General Report Submission Requirements

Any reporting required by parts of 49 CFR shall be made to the National Response Center (NRC) by telephone to 800-424-8802 or electronically at https://nrc.uscg.mil. See applicable code sections for what information is required.

1. After the initial submission of information to the NRC, and within 48 hours, an update is required. Operators should try to provide additional information than previously reported. An update should rarely have “no status change” as the update.
2. Safety-related conditions. An operator must submit concurrently to the applicable State agency a safety-related condition report required by § 191.23 or § 195.55 for an intrastate pipeline or when the State agency acts as an agent of the Secretary with respect to interstate pipelines. Minnesota OPS does act as an interstate agent for PHMSA.