2021-06871. Hazardous Materials: Notice of Public Meetings in 2021 for International Standards on the Transport of Dangerous Goods

AGENCY:

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Hazardous Materials Safety, Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION:

Notice of 2021 public meetings.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces that PHMSA's Office of Hazardous Materials Safety will host four public meetings during 2021 in advance of certain international meetings. The first meeting will be held in preparation of the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Dangerous Goods Panel (DGP) Working Group 21 (WG/21) virtual meeting scheduled for May 24-28, 2021. The second meeting will be held in preparation of the 58th session of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UNSCOE TDG) scheduled for June 28 to July 2, 2021, in Geneva, Switzerland. The third meeting will be held in preparation of the ICAO DGP 28 Meeting (DGP/28) scheduled for September 27 to October 1, 2021. The fourth meeting will be held in preparation of the 59th session of the UNSCOE TDG scheduled for November 29 to December 8, 2021. For each of these meetings, PHMSA will solicit public input on current proposals.

ADDRESSES:

Each public meeting will take place virtually approximately two weeks preceding the international meeting. If the guidelines concerning the global health emergency change, PHMSA may hold the meeting(s), concurrent with the virtual sessions, at DOT Headquarters, West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001. Specific information for each meeting will be posted when available on the PHMSA website at https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/​international-program/​international-program-overview under “Upcoming Events.” This information will include the public meeting date, time, conference call-in number, and details for advanced registration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Steven Webb or Aaron Wiener, PHMSA, U.S. Department of Transportation. Telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The purpose of PHMSA's public meetings held in advance of certain international meetings is to allow the public to give input on the current proposals being considered by the international standards setting bodies.

The 58th and 59th sessions of the UNSCOE TDG will represent the first and second meetings scheduled for the 2021-2022 biennium. The UNSCOE TDG will consider proposals for the 23rd Revised Edition of the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods: Model Regulations (Model Regulations), which may be implemented into relevant domestic, regional, and international regulations starting January 1, 2025. Copies of working documents, informal documents, the agenda, and the post-meeting final report may be obtained from the United Nations Transport Division's website at: http://www.unece.org/​trans/​danger/​danger.html.

The ICAO WG/21 and DGP/28 meetings will represent the second and final meetings of the 2020-2021 biennium. The ICAO DGP will consider proposals for the 2023-2024 edition of the Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (Doc 9284). Copies of working papers, information papers, the agenda, and the post-meeting final report may be obtained from the ICAO DGP website at: https://www.icao.int/​safety/​DangerousGoods/​Pages/​DGPMeetings.aspx.

Signed in Washington, DC, on March 30, 2021.

William S. Schoonover,

Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.