PHMSA Publishes Petition Based NPRM

Today the DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register (81 FR 42609-42625) for revisions to the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) based upon public petitions. Twenty-one topics are addressed in this NPRM.

The topics include (Petition #):

• Testing for Aerosols - (P-1606), the Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles (COSTHA);

• Cargo Tank Specification - (P-1615), The Walker Group;

• Chlorine Institute Publications - (P-1619), the Chlorine Institute;

• International Label and Placard Consistency - (P-1620), Labelmaster Services;

• Limited Quantities of Ammonium Nitrate by Vessel - (P-1624), Horizon Lines, LLC;

• Use of Combination Packages Tested With a Liquid - (P-1625), HAZMATPAC;

• Shipping Names for Roadway Striping Vehicles - (P-1634), 3M Company;

• Toxic by Inhalation Tank Car Lifespan - (P-1636), the Chlorine Institute;

• Limited Quantity Pallets - (P-1638), Labelmaster Services;

• Emergency Response Numbers - (P-1639), Horizon Lines, LLC;

• Units of Measurement for Limited Quantities of Ethyl Alcohol - (P-1640), the Association of HAZMAT Shippers;

• Cylinder Valves and Protection Caps - (P-1641), CGA;

• Recordkeeping Requirements for Portable Tanks - (P-1644), HAZMAT Resource;

• Printing Tolerances for Labels and Placards - (P-1650), Labelmaster Services;

• Incorporation of Department of Defense Standards - (P-1651), the Department of Defense (DoD) Explosives Safety Board;

• Definitions for “Basic Description” and “Shipping Description” - (P-1655), the Dangerous Goods Trainers Association (DGTA);

• Service Pressure Marking for DOT 8 and DOT 8L Cylinders - (P-1656), Norris Cylinder;

• Incorporation of CGA Publication - (P-1657), CGA;

• Use of Electronic Manifest (P-1659), COSTHA;

• Marked Date of Manufacture on Composite IBCs - (P-1662), Rigid Intermediate Bulk Container Association of North America (RIBCNA); and

• Basis Weight Tolerances for Liners and Mediums Used in the Manufacture of Specification UN 4G Fiberboard Boxes - (P-1663), COSTHA.

PHMSA is soliciting public comments on the proposed rulemaking. Comments can be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal {www.Regulations.gov; Docket #PHMSA-2015-0102 (HM-219A)}. Comments should be submitted by August, 29^th, 2016.