[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 223 (Wednesday, November 19, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61859-61860]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-30352]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Research and Special Programs Administration
[Notice No. 97-12]
Information Collection Activities
AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, RSPA
invites comments on certain information collections pertaining to
hazardous materials transportation for which RSPA intends to request
renewal from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
January 20, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Address written comments to the Dockets Unit (DHM-30), Room
8421, Research and Special Programs Administration, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 400 Seventh St., SW, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Comments may also be submitted by e-mail to: rules @ rspa.dot.gov, or
faxed to (202) 366-3753. Comments should identify the Notice number
(97-12) and the appropriate Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Control Number(s). Mailed written comments should be submitted in two
copies. Persons wishing to receive confirmation of receipt of their
mailed written comments should include a self-addressed, stamped
postcard showing the Notice number. Public information may be reviewed
between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.
Requests for a copy of an information collection should be directed
to Deborah Boothe, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards (DHM-10),
Research and Special Programs Administration, Room 8102, 400 Seventh
Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590-0001, Telephone (202) 366-8553.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deborah Boothe, Office of Hazardous
Materials Standards (DHM-10), Research and Special Programs
Administration, Room 8102, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC
20590-0001, Telephone (202) 366-8553.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 1320.8 (d), Title 5, Code of Federal
Regulations requires that RSPA provide interested members of the public
and affected agencies an opportunity to comment on information
collection and recordkeeping requests. This notice identifies
information collections that RSPA is submitting to OMB for renewal and
extension. These collections are contained in the Hazardous Materials
Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR parts 171-180). RSPA has revised burden
estimates, where appropriate, to reflect current reporting levels or
adjustments based on changes in proposed or final rules published since
the information collections were last approved. The following
information is provided for each information collection: (1) Title of
the information collection, including former title if a change is being
made; (2) OMB control number; (3) summary of the information collection
activity; (4) description of affected public; (5) estimate of total
annual reporting and recordkeeping burden; and (6) frequency of
collection. RSPA will request a three-year term of approval for each
information collection activity and, when approved by OMB, publish
notice of the approval in the Federal Register.
RSPA requests comments on the following information collections:
Title: Hazardous Materials Shipping Papers and Emergency Response
Information (Former Title: Hazardous Materials Shipping Papers).
OMB Control Number: 2137-0034.
Summary: Shipping papers and emergency response information are a
basic communication tool used in the safe transportation of hazardous
materials. They serve as a principal means of identifying hazardous
materials during transportation, including emergencies, by providing
the proper shipping name, hazard class, UN identification number,
packing group, and quantity of each hazardous material
[[Page 61860]]
being transported. Shipping papers also provide emergency response
information for use in the mitigation of an incident, and an emergency
response telephone number for use in the event of an emergency. The
telephone number must be monitored at all times the hazardous material
is in transportation, by a person who is either knowledgeable of the
hazardous material being shipped and has comprehensive emergency
response and incident mitigation information for that material, or has
immediate access to a person who possesses such knowledge and
information. Shipping papers also serve as a means of notifying
transport workers that hazardous materials are present, so that the
proper loading, unloading, handling and safety procedures may be
followed. This information collection renewal includes new requirements
for: shippers and carriers to retain shipping papers for one year as
mandated by Section 5110(e) under the Federal hazardous material
transportation law; compliance with the HMR by intrastate shippers and
carriers, published under Docket HM-200, ``Hazardous Materials in
Intrastate Commerce; Final Rule'', on January 8, 1997 (62 FR 1108); and
the President's initiative to reduce the regulatory burdens imposed by
the Federal government.
Affected Public: Shippers and carriers of hazardous materials in
intrastate, interstate, and foreign commerce.
Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping:
Number of Respondents: 250,000.
Total Annual Responses: 260,000,000.
Total Annual Burden Hours: 6,500,000.
Frequency of collection: On occasion.
Title: Radioactive Materials (RAM)Transportation Requirements.
OMB Control Number: 2137-0510.
Summary: The requirements for transportation of RAM are provided in
49 CFR parts 171-180. Information collection requirements for RAM
include shipper notification to consignees of the dates of shipment of
RAM, expected arrival, special loading/unloading instructions;
verification that shippers using foreign-made packages hold a foreign
competent authority certificate and verification that the terms of the
certificate are being followed for RAM shipments being made into this
country; and specific handling instructions from shippers to carriers
for fissile RAM, bulk shipments of low specific activity RAM and
packages of RAM which emit high levels of external radiation. These
information collection requirements help to establish that proper
packages are used for the type of radioactive material being
transported, external radiation levels do not exceed prescribed limits,
packages are handled appropriately and delivered in a timely manner, so
as to ensure the safety of the general public, transport workers and
emergency responders. This information collection has been adjusted to
reflect program changes regarding responsibility for the routing of
highway controlled quantities of radioactive materials.
Affected Public: Shippers and carriers of radioactive materials.
Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping:
Number of Respondents: 3,807.
Total Annual Responses: 21,319.2.
Total Annual Burden Hours: 14,480.
Frequency of collection: On occasion.
Issued in Washington, DC on November 14, 1997.
Edward T. Mazzullo,
Director, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards.
[FR Doc. 97-30352 Filed 11-18-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P
