Cascade Natural Gas has indicated it will not contest the issues raised in a Feb. 22 Notice of Amendment issued by the federal Office of Pipeline Safety and will make the requested revisions to its Operations and Maintenance plans and procedures.
The Notice of Amendment was based on a review of Cascade's procedures manual for the K-B pipeline and supporting materials. A Washington UTC pipeline safety inspector, acting as an agent for the federal regulatory agency, found that the manual did not have written procedures that satisfied federal pipeline safety requirements. The inspection was conducted in June 2005.
The 18-mile Kelso-Beaver (K-B) Pipeline connects a co-generation facility and gypsum plant near Rainier, Oregon with the Williams Northwest Pipeline meter station located northeast of Kelso. The pipeline is jointly owned by Northwest Natural Gas (NWN), Portland General Electric (PGE) and U.S. Gypsum Companies. Cascade will provide the necessary amended procedures by May 27, 2006.
Posted/updated: 03/01/2007
Grade Crossing Protective Fund