Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration October 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to the Federal pipeline safety laws, PHMSA is publishing this notice of a special permit request received from a pipeline operator seeking relief from compliance with certain requirements in the Federal pipeline safety regulations. This notice seeks public comments on this request, including comments on any safety or environmental impacts. At the conclusion of the 30-day comment period, PHMSA will evaluate the request and determine whether to grant or deny a special permit.

This final rule corrects editorial errors and amends certain requirements in response to administrative appeals submitted by persons affected by certain final rules published in the Federal Register.

This document clarifies PHMSA's policy regarding applications for specialty fireworks devices. Specialty fireworks devices are fireworks devices in various shapes that produce multiple effects, simultaneously. In this document, we are establishing our policy regarding specialty fireworks devices.

PHMSA is addressing certain matters identified in the Hazardous Materials Transportation Safety Improvement Act of 2012 related to the Department's enhanced inspection, investigation, and enforcement authority. Specifically, PHMSA is amending the package opening provision to include procedures for an agent of the Secretary of Transportation to open packages of perishable hazardous materials and to provide notification to the responsible party that an agent has exercised a safety inspection or investigation authority. In addition, we are establishing equipment requirements for agents. The Department's enhanced inspection, investigation, and enforcement procedures were previously established through notice and comment rulemaking and thoroughly address the hazardous material transportation matters identified by Congress. This final rule is required to codify changes to Federal hazardous materials transportation law and to ensure transparency and consistency for hazardous materials inspectors across all modes of transportation. As it affects only agency enforcement procedures, there are no additional compliance costs to industry associated with this final rule.

This final rule corrects editorial errors, makes minor regulatory changes and, in response to requests for clarification, improves the clarity of certain provisions in the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). The intended effect of this rule is to enhance the accuracy and reduce misunderstandings of the regulations. The amendments contained in this rule are non-substantive changes and do not impose new requirements.