Review - HR 10673 Introduced – Li-Battery Placards

Earlier this month, Rep Hageman (R,WY) introduced HR 10673, the Battery Safety Placarding Act. The bill would require DOT to update the Hazardous Materials Regulations to require an external placard to be displayed on any freight container, unit load device, transport vehicle, or rail car transporting a certain quantity of lithium-ion batteries. No new funding is authorized. 

According to a press release from Hageman’s office:  

“The lithium-ion battery market has exploded by more than 20 percent since 2024 with nearly every mode of transportation now involved in carrying this $150 billion dollar industry. A series of recent conflagrations across multiple modes of transit, however, have demonstrated the need to reduce safety risks associated with delivering this highly combustible technology nationwide. The danger presented by lithium-ion battery fires are often exacerbated by thermal runaway, wherein a violent chain of chemical reactions lead to extreme temperatures, toxic gas release, and an occasional explosion.” 

Moving Forward  

Hageman is not a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to which this bill was assigned for consideration. This means that there is probably not sufficient influence to see this bill considered by that Committee. I do not see anything in this bill that would engender any organized opposition. I suspect that there would be some level of bipartisan support for this bill if it were considered by the Committee, but I am not sure that it would be sufficient to see the bill considered by the full House under the suspension of the rules process. In any case, it is probably too late in the session for any action to be taken on this bill. 

For more information on the provisions of this bill, including a commentary on the potential for PHMSA action absent legislation, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/hr-10673-introduced-li-battery-placards - subscription required.