2019-16675: Hazardous Materials: Adoption of Miscellaneous Petitions To Reduce Regulatory Burdens

Summary

This rulemaking responds to numerous petitions for rulemaking submitted by the regulated community that request PHMSA address a variety of provisions, including but not limited to those addressing packaging, hazardous communication, and incorporation by reference documents. PHMSA proposes amendments to the Hazardous Materials Regulations to update, clarify, improve the safety of, or provide relief from various regulatory requirements. The proposed amendments include adopting a phase-out schedule for certain railroad tank cars used to transport materials poisonous by inhalation, allowing the continued use of certain portable and mobile refrigerator systems commonly used in the produce industry, incorporating an industry standard that can help to enhance the production of oil and gas wells, and incorporating an updated consensus standard which applies to the existing market for fireworks; as well as additional proposed amendments derived from PHMSA's petition for rulemaking process.

The agency’s own summary, as published.

What this changes

Amends 7 parts of the Code of Federal Regulations — the standing rules this notice rewrites.

• 49 CFR 107 Hazardous Materials Program Procedures
• 49 CFR 171 General Information, Regulations, and Definitions
• 49 CFR 172 Hazardous Materials Table, Special Provisions, Hazardous Materials Communications, Emergency Response Information, Training Requirements, and Security Plans
• 49 CFR 173 Shippers—General Requirements for Shipments and Packagings
• 49 CFR 178 Specifications for Packagings
• 49 CFR 179 Specifications for Tank Cars
• 49 CFR 180 Continuing Qualification and Maintenance of Packagings