Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration September 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

PHMSA finds that California's meal and rest break requirements create an unnecessary delay in the transportation of hazardous materials, and are therefore preempted with respect to all drivers of motor vehicles that are transporting hazardous materials. The agency also finds that the California meal and rest break requirements are preempted with respect to drivers of motor vehicles that are transporting Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 explosive material and are subject to the attendance requirements of 49 CFR 397.5(a), because it is not possible for a motor carrier employer's drivers to comply with the off-duty requirement of the California rule and the federal attendance requirement. Finally, the California meal and rest break requirements are preempted as to motor carriers who are required to file a security plan under 49 CFR 172.800, and who have filed security plans requiring constant attendance of hazardous materials, because the California requirements are an obstacle to carrying out the requirements of 49 CFR 172.800 with respect to such motor carriers.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is issuing an emergency waiver order to persons conducting operations under the direction of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regions 3 or 4 or United States Coast Guard (USCG) Fifth or Seventh Districts within the Hurricane Florence emergency areas of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. The Waiver is granted to support the EPA and USCG in taking appropriate actions to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a threat to public health, welfare, or the environment caused by actual or potential oil and hazardous materials incidents resulting from Hurricane Florence. This Waiver Order is effective immediately and shall remain in effect for 30 days from the date of issuance.

This notice announces a public meeting of the Voluntary Information-sharing System (VIS) Working Group. The VIS Working Group will convene to discuss and identify recommendations to establish a voluntary information-sharing system.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations, notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein. Each mode of transportation for which a particular special permit is requested is indicated by a number in the ``Nature of Application'' portion of the table below as follows: 1 Motor vehicle, 2Rail freight, 3Cargo vessel, 4Cargo aircraft only, 5Passenger-carrying aircraft.