The commission has approved and adopted a settlement agreement that resolves the agency’s complaint against Cascade Natural Gas Corporation for violations of state pipeline safety regulations. The terms of the settlement provide for full remediation, continued compliance monitoring and reporting by Cascade and agency Staff, and payment by Cascade of a penalty of $75,000. (Docket No. 030438 - For more information see complete document list or follow link at the bottom of this page.)

The UTC's pipeline safety staff and Cascade submitted the proposed settlement on Feb. 24, 2005. The commission filed its complaint against Cascade on Dec. 1, 2004, alleging 35 violations of federal and state pipeline safety rules identified during staff inspections of the company's facilities in Skagit and Whatcom counties in 2003 and 2004. The settlement resolved this complaint.

During their inspections, UTC pipeline safety inspectors found that the company’s pipeline system repeatedly exceeded its maximum allowable pressure at four separate monitoring sites. Commission staff also found examples where the company was not testing, inspecting or maintaining its natural-gas system frequently enough to comply with federal regulations.

In agreeing to pay the penalty and accepting the commission’s complaint, Cascade committed to a five-page action plan that will bring the company into compliance with pipeline safety regulations. The plan includes a comprehensive review of pressure levels throughout its system, and creating a central source for information to make it easier to investigate occasions when pipeline pressure exceeds the allowed level. Cascade has committed to completing the plan within one year. The plan applies to the company’s system throughout the state of Washington.

The commission's order approving the settlement, states: "The audits and action plan that Cascade agrees to implement reflect an effort by the company to address problems on a company-wide basis that staff found on a more limited geographic basis in its investigations. The action plan will substantially enhance the safety of Cascade’s system and improve the company’s overall pipeline safety efforts."

Cascade, headquartered in Seattle, serves approximately 142,000 customers in the cities of Aberdeen, Anacortes, Bellingham, Bremerton, Longview, Kelso, Kennewick, Moses Lake, Mt. Vernon, Poulsbo, Prosser, Richland, Shelton, Walla Walla, Wenatchee, and Yakima.