(a) Use these procedures to select surface sampling sites for natural gas pipe to determine its PCB surface concentration for abandonment-in-place or removal and disposal off-site in accordance with § 761.60(b)(5).

(b) “Pipe segment” means a length of natural gas pipe that has been removed from the pipeline system to be disposed of or reused, and that is usually approximately 12.2 meters (40 feet) or shorter in length. Pipe segments are usually linear.

(c) “Pipeline section” means a length of natural gas pipe that has been cut or otherwise separated from the active pipeline, usually for purposes of abandonment, and that is usually longer than 12.2 meters in length. Pipeline sections may be branched.

(a) Collect a surface sample from a natural gas pipe segment or pipeline section using a standard wipe test as defined in § 761.123. Detailed guidance for the entire wipe sampling process appears in the document entitled, “Wipe Sampling and Double Wash/Rinse Cleanup as Recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency PCB Spill Cleanup Policy,” dated June 23, 1987, and revised on April 18, 1991. This document is available on EPA's website at https://www.epa.gov/pcbs, or from the Program Implementation and Information Division, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (5303T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001.

(b) Collect a surface sample from a minimum surface area of 100 cm 2 at each sampling site selected. The EPA Regional Administrator may approve, in writing, requests to collect a sample from smaller surface areas, when <100 cm 2 of surface eligible for sampling is present; e.g., when sampling a small diameter pipe, a small valve, or a small regulator. When smaller surfaces are sampled, convert the measurement to the equivalent measurement for 100 cm 2 for purposes of comparison to standards based on 100 cm 2.

(a) General. (1) Select the pipe segments to be sampled by following the directions in paragraph (b) of this section.

(2) Locate the proper position along the length of the pipe segment that you have selected for sampling, by following the directions in paragraph (c) of this section.

(3) Select the proper sampling position around the circumference of the pipe segment that you have selected for sampling, by following the directions in paragraph (d) of this section.

(4) Prior to removing pipe from the ground or lifting the pipe from its location during former operations, mark the top side of the pipe.

(5) Do not sample if there are free-flowing liquids in the pipe segment. Free-flowing liquids must be removed prior to sampling.

(b) Selecting pipe segments to sample. Select the pipe segment(s) that you will sample from a length of pipe or group of pipe segments, as follows:

(1) Do not sample a pipe segment that is longer than 12.2 meters (40 feet). If a segment is longer than 12.2 meters in length, cut the segment so that all resulting segments are 12.2 meters or less in length.

(2) Determine which pipe segments to sample as follows:

(i) When a length of pipe having seven or fewer segments is removed for purposes of disposal, sample each pipe segment.

(ii) When removing a length of pipe having multiple contiguous segments less than 3 miles in total length, take samples from a total of seven segments.

(A) Sample the first and last segments removed.

(B) Select the five additional segments according to one of the two following procedures:

(1) Assign all segments a unique sequential number. Then select five numbers using a random number table or random number generator. If the random number generator or random number table produces either the first pipe segment, the last pipe segment, or any previously selected segment, select another random number until there are seven different numbers, each corresponding to a different pipe segment.

(2) Divide the total number of segments, save one, by six. The resulting number is the interval between the segments you will sample. Do not round this interval. For example, cut a 2.9-mile length of pipe into segments of no more than 40 feet by first, dividing 2.9 miles (15,312 feet) by 40 feet per segment, resulting in 382.8 total segments. Do not round this result. Subtract 1 from the total number of segments and then divide the remaining number of segments, 381.8, by six. The resulting number in this example is 63.6. Do not round. Add 63.6 to the first segment (number 1) to select segment 64.6. Next, add 63.6 to 64.6 to select segment 128.3. Continue in this fashion to select all seven segments: 1, 64.6, 128.3, 191.9, 255.5, 319.2, and 382.8. Now round these numbers to the nearest whole number to determine which segment to sample: 1, 65, 128, 192, 256, 319, and 383.

(iii) When removing a length of pipe having multiple contiguous segments more than 3 miles in total length for purposes of disposal, take samples of each segment that is 1/2 mile distant from the segment previously sampled. Sample a minimum of seven segments.

(c) Selecting the sampling position—length. Select the sampling position along the length of the pipe segment, as follows:

(1) Take samples at the end upstream of the former gas flow of each segment removed.

(2) If the pipe segment is cut with a torch or other high temperature heat source, take the sample at least 15 cm (6 inches) inside the cut end of the pipe segment.

(3) If the pipe segment is cut with a saw or other mechanical device, take the sample at least 2 cm (1 inch) inside the end of the pipe segment.

(4) If the sample site location selected in the procedure at paragraph (c)(2) or (c)(3) of this section is a porous surface (for example, there is significant corrosion so that the wipe material will be shredded), then move the sample site further inside the pipe segment (away from the end of the pipe or pipe segment) until there is no such porous surface. For purposes of this subpart, natural gas pipe with a thin porous corrosion preventive coating is a non-porous surface.

(5) If there is not a non-porous surface accessible by paragraphs (c)(2) and (c)(3) of this section, use one of the following three options:

(i) Sample the downstream end of the pipe segment using the same sample site location procedure as for the upstream end.

(ii) Select another pipe segment using the random selection procedure described in paragraph (b) of this section.

(iii) If there is no other pipe segment in the population to be sampled and both ends of a pipe segment have porous surfaces at all possible sample collection sites, then assume that the pipe segment contains ≥50 ppm PCB but <500 ppm PCB.

(d) Selecting the sample position—circumference. Based on the mark on the top of the pipe segment made prior to removing pipe from the ground or lifting the pipe from its location during former operations, sample the inside center of the bottom of the pipe being sampled. Make sure the sample is centered on the bottom of the pipe segment; that is, sample an equal area on both sides of the middle of the bottom of the pipe segment for the entire length of the sample.

This procedure is for the sample site selection for a pipeline section to be abandoned, in accordance with § 761.60(b)(5)(i)(B).

(a) General. (1) Select sample collection sites in the pipeline section(s) by following the directions in paragraph (b) of this section.

(2) Select the proper sampling position along the pipe by following the directions in § 761.247 (c) and (d).

(3) Assure, by visual inspection, the absence of free-flowing liquids in the pipe by affirming no liquids at all liquid collection points and all ends of the pipeline section to be abandoned.

(b) Selection sample collection sites. At a minimum, sample all ends of all pipeline sections to be abandoned in place.

(1) If the pipeline section to be abandoned is between the pressure side of one compressor station and the suction side of the next compressor station downstream of the former gas flow, at a minimum, sample all ends of the abandoned pipe.

(2) If the pipeline section to be abandoned is longer than the distance between the pressure side of one compressor station and the suction side of the next compressor station downstream of the former gas flow, divide the pipeline section, for purposes of sampling, into smaller pipeline sections no longer than the distance from the pressure side of one compressor station to the suction side of the next compressor station downstream of the former gas flow. Consider each of the smaller sections to be a separate abandonment and sample each one, at a minimum, at all ends.

(3) Use the following procedure to locate representative sample collection sites in pipeline sections at points other than the suction and pressure side of compressor stations, or the ends of the pipeline section to be abandoned.

(i) First, assign a unique identifying sequential number to each kilometer or fraction of a kilometer length of pipe within the entire pipeline section.

(ii) Use a random number table or a random number generator to select each representative sample collection site from a complete list of the sequential identification numbers.

(iii) Samples may be collected by removing any covering soil, cutting the pipe to gain access to the sampling location, and collecting the surface sample with the pipe in place, rather than completely removing the pipeline sections to collect the surface sample.

(a) Select applicable method(s) from the following list to extract PCBs and determine the PCB concentration from the standard wipe sample collection medium: SW-846 Method 3540C, Method 3550C, Method 3541, Method 3545A, Method 3546, or Method 8082A (all standards incorporated by reference in § 761.19). Modifications to the methods listed in this paragraph or alternative methods not listed may be used if validated under Subpart Q of this part or authorized in a § 761.61(c) approval.

(b) Report all PCB sample concentrations in µg/100 cm 2 (16 square inches) of surface sampled. If sampling an area smaller than 100 cm 2, report converted sample concentrations in accordance with § 761.243(b).

(a) For purposes of removal for disposal of a pipe segment that has been sampled, the sample results for that segment determines its PCB surface concentration. Determine the PCB surface concentration of a segment which was not sampled as follows:

(1) If the unsampled pipe segment is between two pipe segments which have been sampled, assume that the unsampled segment has the same PCB surface concentration as the nearest sampled pipe segment.

(2) If an unsampled pipe segment is equidistant between two pipe segments which have been sampled, assume the PCB surface concentration of the unsampled segment to be the arithmetic mean of the PCB surface concentrations measured in the two equidistant, sampled, pipe segments.

(b) For purposes of abandonment of a pipeline section, assume that the PCB surface concentration for an entire pipeline section is the arithmetic mean of the PCB surface concentrations measured at the ends of the pipeline section. If additional representative samples were taken in a pipeline section, assume that the PCB surface concentration for the entire pipeline section is the arithmetic mean of the concentrations measured in all representative samples taken.

(c) For purposes of removal for disposal under § 761.60(b)(5)(ii)(A)(1) or abandonment under § 761.60(b)(5)(i)(B), if the surface PCB concentration of a pipe segment, determined by direct measurement or in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section, or of a pipeline section as determined in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section, is >10 µg/100 cm 2, but <100 µg/100 cm 2, then that segment or section is PCB-Contaminated.