[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 11, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18438-18439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-8839]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Research and Special Programs Administration
[Notice Number 95-6]
International Radioactive Material Transportation Standards;
Preliminary Draft of 1996 Revision Available for Comment
AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of document availability and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: A draft revision of the International Atomic Energy Agency's
(IAEA) ``Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material''
(Safety Series No. 6), which is scheduled for publication in 1996, is
available for review and comment. Public and industry are invited to
provide comments on the revised draft of Safety Series No. 6 to assist
RSPA in submitting comments to the IAEA by July 1, 1995. Comments will
also aid RSPA in preparing U.S. positions on issues that need to be
resolved prior to the final Revision Panel meeting scheduled for
September 25-29, 1995 at the IAEA in Vienna, Austria.
DATE: Commments must be received on or before June 1, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Copies can be obtained from, and comments should be
submitted 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; (202) 366-5046.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Richard Boyle, radioactive Materials Branch, Office of Hazardous
Materials Technology, Research and Special Programs Administration,
Department of Transportation, Washington, DC 20590-0001; (202) 366-
4545.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Many countries and international transport
organizations throughout the world have adopted the standards of the
IAEA's ``Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material''
(Safety Series No. 6). The Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR
Parts 171-180) permit the import and export of radioactive materials,
under certain conditions, if packages are prepared for shipment in
accordance with the IAEA regulations. The HMR for domestic
transportation are periodically amended to achieve consistency with
most of the IAEA regulations. This most recent draft of the IAEA
regulations was prepared in January 1995. It is the result of many
meetings at the IAEA since 1987 in which representatives from member
nations proposed and reviewed needed changes to improve effectiveness
of regulation for radioactive materials transportation.
The IAEA transport regulations are considered by the UN Committee
on the Transport of Dangerous Goods as the standards to be followed for
the international transportation of Class 7 hazardous materials. For
many years, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO),
``Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by
Air'' and the International Maritime Organization (IMO),
``International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code'' have
[[Page 18439]] incorporated essentially all minor and major changes in
the IAEA standard with negligible variations. All nations with major
nuclear programs involved with significant commercial transportation of
nuclear materials incorporate the IAEA standards into their
transportation regulations; in some cases the IAEA regulations are
adopted by reference.
At the present time, both RSPA and the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission are revising the domestic transportation regulations to
incorporate most of the provisions of the 1985 IAEA regulations, as
amended in 1990. It is expected that the U.S. regulations in the future
will adopt provisions that will be in the 1996 IAEA regulations.
A few of the expected changes between the 1985 and 1996 IAEA
regulations involve:
--A higher performance Type C package for large quantities of materials
transported by air.
--Exclusive use of the International System of Units (SI Units) in the
regulations and on labels and shipping documents.
--International Commission on Radiological Protection standards (ICRP
60/61) impacts on radiation protection programs and limitations on
quantities and classification of radioactive materials.
--For fissile materials, calculational procedures for criticality and
identification of Criticality Safety Index (CSI) on documents and
packages.
--Revise shipping names and UN Identification Numbers.
--Specific requirements for uranium hexafluoride, both fissile and non-
fissile.
It should be noted that during the time since January when the
current draft was prepared, several technical meetings have been held
resulting in changes in some of the provisions of the draft
regulations. Some of these changes concern: content and performance
criteria for Type C packages; grandfathering for package designs and
special form; and requirements for uranium hexafluoride. Comments
received on the January 1995 draft will be reviewed and considered by
RSPA to the extent possible during meetings at the IAEA.
Issued in Washington, DC on April 5, 1995 under the authority
delegated in 49 CFR Part 106, Appendix A.
Alan I. Roberts,
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. 95-8839 Filed 4-10-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-M
