About the Program

The New York State Public Service Commission through its pipeline safety program develops and enforces safety standards for natural gas, hazardous liquid, and steam distribution pipelines located within the state. The program also inspects portions of interstate natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines located within New York State on behalf of the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) under an Interstate Agency Agreement with the USDOT. Although DPS conducts the inspections of interstate pipeline located within the state, PHMSA sets the minimum safety standards and retains all enforcement authority with respect to interstate pipeline companies.

 

Program Manager: Kevin Speicher
[email protected]
Phone: 518-474-5453
Fax: 518-473-5625
3 Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12223

Regulated Pipeline Companies

DPS conducts audits and inspections of regulated pipeline companies to evaluate compliance with Federal and State Pipeline Safety Regulations. Regulated pipeline companies deliver energy services which include:
 

  • Natural Gas (NG) including:
    • Local Distribution Companies (LDCs)
    • Municipal Gas Systems
    • Intrastate Transmission Companies
    • Interstate Transmission Companies
    • Intrastate Storage Companies
    • Interstate Storage Companies
    • Gas Gathering Line Companies
  • Hydrogen Gas Transmission Line Companies
  • Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Storage Companies
  • Liquid (or Liquefied) Petroleum Gas (LPG)
  • Hazardous Liquid Trunk (or Transmission) Line Companies
  • Steam


NYS has:

  • 11 Large NG LDCs
  • 6 smaller NG LDCs
  • 3 municipal NG LDCs
  • 15 intrastate NG Transmission Line companies
  • 11 interstate NG Transmission Line companies
  • 4 intrastate Hazardous Liquid (HL) Transmission Line Companies
  • 6 interstate HL Transmission Line Companies
  • 3 intrastate LNG facilities
  • 2 Hydrogen Gas Transmission Line Companies
  • One large Steam LDC


In total there are more than:

  • 4,550 miles of NG transmission lines
  • 48,680 miles of NG distribution mains
  • 3,210,800 natural gas service lines
  • 1,150 miles of HL trunk lines

Call Before You Dig - 811

The Commission also has responsibility for developing and enforcing regulations for the protection of underground facilities known as Part 753 or Code Rule 53 and more commonly referred to as 811, Call Before You Dig, or UDig NY.

NYS has two One Call Notification Centers covering the state. Excavators may provide notice of intent to excavate by contacting the appropriate One Call Notification Center.

  • UDig NY (dial 811 or 800-962-7962) covers all counties except Bronx, Kings, New York, Kings, Richmond, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk.
  • New York 811 (dial 811) covers all of New York City (Bronx, Kings, New York, Kings, Richmond, and Queens counties) and Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk counties).

Find more information about the Commission's Underground Damage Prevention.

Pipeline Safety Regulations

 
State
Title 16 NYCRR
Federal
49 CFR
Incorporated By Reference 
Notice of Interruption of Service (Natural Gas)
 
Transmission and Distribution of Gas
Inspection and Maintenance of Gas Holders*
 
Liquefied Petroleum Gas Plants*
 
Transportation of Liquid Petroleum (Hazardous Liquid Pipelines)
Liquefied Natural Gas
Piping Beyond the Meter
(Natural Gas)
 
Drug and Alcohol Testing
Part 40
Part 199
Distribution of Steam
 
Protection of Underground Facilities

* All jurisdictional facilities have been decommissioned. Regulations have not yet been repealed.

Historical Note: Part 260 contained regulations related to Synthetic Gas Plants (Manufactured Gas).

 

 

NYS Siting Process for Pipelines

The siting of major pipelines used in intrastate commerce purposes in New York State is through an Article VII proceeding. Please see Article VII Major Electric and Gas Transmission Facilities for more information on this process. Siting and routing for pipelines used for interstate commerce purposes is performed under Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s jurisdiction. 

Within NYS, Gas Corporations are entities that own and operate gas plant (e.g., any facility to be used for the manufacture, conveying, transportation, distribution, sale or furnishing of gas (natural or manufactured or mixture of both) for light, heat or power). Pursuant to Public Service Law §68, no gas corporation shall begin construction of gas plant without first having obtained the permission and approval of the commission. The process of obtaining this permission is referred to as Section 68 Proceeding and leads to the granting of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN). Once granted, pipeline company may begin construction and operation within the limitations of the CPCN, which generally includes authority to construct pipelines not covered under the Article VII process.

Key Pipeline Safety Program Staff

[email protected]
DPS staff email format: [email protected]
Phone: 518-474-5453, Fax: 518-473-5625
3 Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12223

 

Downstate

Utility Supervisor – Suresh Thomas

  • NYC - Long Island Office – Field Supervisor: Arpit Mehta
    Companies: National Grid - NYC and Long Island
    Counties: Kings, Queens, Richmond, Nassau, Suffolk
  • NYC - Lower Hudson Office – Field Supervisor: Jonathan Mercurio
    Companies: Consolidated Edison and Orange & Rockland Utilities
    Counties: New York, Bronx, Queens, Orange, Rockland, Westchester

Upstate - Western Region

Utility Supervisor – Brett Mahan

  • Syracuse Office – Field Supervisor: Kimberly Guzzo
    Counties: Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Franklin, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Oswego, Otsego, Seneca, St. Lawrence, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Wayne, Yates
  • Buffalo Office – Field Supervisor: Kristi Fogle 
    Counties: Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming

Upstate - Eastern Region

Utility Supervisor - Jeffrey Kline

  • Albany Office – Field Supervisor: Michael Moll
    Counties: Albany, Clinton, Columbia, Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Putnam, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster, Warren, Washington, Essex 
  • Main Office - Damage Prevention Enforcement - Supervisor: Michael Pasinella
  • Main Office - Pipeline Safety Code Enforcement - Supervisor: Valerica Oreifej

NYS Pipeline Emergency Response Initiative (NYSPERI)

The NYS Pipeline Emergency Response Initiative advances the ability of New York State’s emergency responders to manage pipeline emergencies through improved training, cooperation and communication with pipeline operators.