Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration July 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the requirements of 49 U.S.C. 5117(c), PHMSA is publishing the following list of special permit applications that have been in process for 180 days or more. The reason(s) for delay and the expected completion date for action on each application is provided in association with each identified application.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations (49 CFR part 107, Subpart B), notice is hereby given of the actions on special permits applications in (June to June 2014) The mode of transportation involved is identified by a number in the ``Nature of Application'' portion of the table below as follows: 1Motor vehicle, 2Rail freight, 3Cargo vessel, 4Cargo aircraft only, 5Passenger-carrying aircraft. Application numbers prefixed by the letters EE represent applications for Emergency Special Permits. It should be noted that some of the sections cited were those in effect at the time certain special permits were issued.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is proposing to amend the Hazardous Materials Regulations by establishing standards for the safe transportation of bulk explosives. This rulemaking would be responsive to two petitions for rulemaking submitted by industry representatives: P-1557 concerning the continued use of renewal applications, and P-1583 concerning the incorporation of an industry standard publication. Further, developing these requirements would provide wider access to the regulatory flexibility currently only offered by special permit and competent authorities. The requirements of this proposed rule would mirror the majority of provisions contained in nine widely used or longstanding special permits that have established safety records. These proposed revisions are intended to eliminate the need for future renewal requests, thus reducing paperwork burdens and facilitating commerce while maintaining an appropriate level of safety. As proposed, the requirements would authorize the transportation of certain explosives, ammonium nitrates, ammonium nitrate emulsions, and other specific hazardous materials in bulk packagings, which are not otherwise authorized under the regulations. These hazardous materials are used in blasting operations on specialized vehicles, known as multipurpose bulk trucks, which are used as mobile work platforms to create blends of explosives that are unique for each blast site. Finally, this rulemaking addresses the construction of new multipurpose bulk trucks.

PHMSA is issuing this safety advisory to notify the public that any DOT-Specification or DOT-Special Permit high pressure compressed gas cylinder marked as complying with the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) by Always Safe Fire Extinguisher and Safety, LLC (ASFES), Yonkers, New York is not authorized for the transportation of hazardous materials in commerce. ASFES has never been authorized by PHMSA to perform these regulatory functions.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives periodically hold this public forum to generate a National research agenda that fosters solutions for the many challenges with pipeline safety and with protecting the environment. The forum allows public, government and industry pipeline stakeholders to develop a consensus on the technical gaps and challenges for future research. It also reduces duplication of programs, factors ongoing research efforts, leverages resources and broadens synergies. The national research agenda developed through this forum is aligned with the needs of the pipeline safety mission and makes use of the best available knowledge and expertise and considers stakeholder perspectives.

On March 31, 2014, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a notice in the Federal Register (79 FR 18118) notifying the public of its intent to revise two forms under OMB Control Number 2137-0627, PHMSA F 1000.1OPID Assignment Request and PHMSA F 1000.2Operator Registry Notification, and its intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for revised information collection burdens. PHMSA received one comment in response to that notice in support of the proposed changes. PHMSA is publishing this notice to acknowlege the received comment, provide the public with an additional 30 days to comment on the information collection referenced above, and announce that the Information Collection will be submitted to OMB for approval.