Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration March 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces that PHMSA will host four public meetings during 2019 in advance of certain international meetings. For each of these meetings, PHMSA will solicit public input on current proposals. The first meeting will be held in preparation to the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Dangerous Goods Panel (DGP) Working Group 19 meeting (WG/19) being held April 1-5, 2019, in Montreal, Canada. The second meeting will be held in preparation to the 55th session of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UNSCOE TDG) being held July 1-5, 2019, in Geneva, Switzerland. The third meeting will be held in preparation to the 27th meeting of the ICAO DGP (DGP/27) being held September 9-20, 2019, in Montreal, Canada. Finally, the fourth meeting will be held in preparation to the 56th session of the UNSCOE TDG being held December 2-11, 2019, in Geneva, Switzerland. Time and Location: Each public meeting will take place approximately two weeks preceding the international meeting at DOT Headquarters, West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001. Specific information for each meeting will be posted when available on the PHMSA website at https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/ international-program/international-program-overview under ``Upcoming Events.'' This information will include the public meeting date, time, conference call-in number, and details for advanced registration.

PHMSA is publishing this notice to seek public comments on a request for a special permit, seeking relief from compliance with certain requirements in the Federal pipeline safety regulations. At the conclusion of the 30-day comment period, PHMSA will review the comments received from this notice as part of its evaluation to grant or deny the special permit request.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, PHMSA invites comments on two information collections that will be expiring in 2019. PHMSA will request an extension, without change, for the information collections identified by OMB control number 2137-0578 and 2137-0605.

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.

PHMSA issues this interim final rule (IFR) to revise the Hazardous Materials Regulations for lithium cells and batteries transported by aircraft. This IFR prohibits the transport of lithium ion cells and batteries as cargo on passenger aircraft; requires lithium ion cells and batteries to be shipped at not more than a 30 percent state of charge aboard cargo-only aircraft when not packed with or contained in equipment; and limits the use of alternative provisions for small lithium cell or battery shipments to one package per consignment. This IFR does not restrict passengers or crew members from bringing personal items or electronic devices containing lithium cells or batteries aboard aircraft, or restrict cargo-only aircraft from transporting lithium ion cells or batteries at a state of charge exceeding 30 percent when packed with or contained in equipment or devices.