Commission approves settlement for Weyerhaeuser Operator Qualification case
On Nov. 22, 2005, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission accepted a settlement between its state pipeline safety program and Weyerhaeuser Company regarding a operator qualification complaint against the company's pipeline filed earlier in the year.

As a result of the order approving the settlement, Weyerhaeuser will pay a $75,000 penalty and to submit to a third-party audit of its Operator Qualification program in the fourth quarter of 2006.

On May 2, 2005, the UTC filed a complaint against Weyerhaueser, alleging that the company's natural gas pipeline operator failed to comply with state and federal Operator Qualification requirements. The complaint was based on a 2004 inspection. Weyerhaeuser owns and operates a 10-mile pipeline that connects its Longview Mill to the Williams Northwest Pipeline east of I-5 and the city of Longview. Federal and state safety rules require all natural gas operators to develop a plan on operator qualifications and complete the tasks outlined by the plan. At the time of the 2004 inspection, staff investigation found nine probable violations with the company's operator qualification plan. During the ensuing months, Weyerhaeuser retained an outside expert and developed an updated operator qualification plan. After review by the UTC's pipeline safety staff, Weyerhaeuser completed additional refinements to ensure compliance with state and federal safety standards. The 2006 audit, required under the proposed settlement, would review implementation of the plan.