Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration August 18, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is proposing to amend the Hazardous Materials Regulations to incorporate provisions contained in certain widely used or longstanding special permits that have general applicability and established safety records. Special permits allow a company or individual to package or ship a hazardous material in a manner that varies from the regulations provided that an equivalent level of safety is maintained. The revisions in this proposed rule are intended to provide wider access to the regulatory flexibility offered in special permits and eliminate the need for numerous renewal requests, thus reducing paperwork burdens and facilitating commerce while maintaining an appropriate level of safety. This rulemaking also proposes to respond to two petitions for rulemaking, P-1497 concerning the use of electronic shipping papers, and P-1567 concerning the removal of the Association of American Railroad's (AAR's) AAR-600 portable tank program for previously adopted standards that meet or exceed the AAR-600 requirements.