[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 15, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24528-24529]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-12178]
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[[Page 24529]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Research and Special Programs Administration
[Notice No. 96-8]
Improving the Hazardous Materials Safety Program; Public Meetings
Related to Regulatory Review and Customer Service
AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces two public meetings, one to be held in
St. Louis, Missouri, and the other in Atlanta, Georgia, to seek
information from the public on regulatory reform and improved customer
service for RSPA's hazardous materials safety program. These meetings
are a continuation of the initial series of public outreach meetings
held between April 19, 1995 and January 25, 1996.
ADDRESSES: See Supplementary Information for specific time, location,
and agenda.
DATES: Public Meetings will be held as follows:
(1) June 26, 1996, in St. Louis, Missouri.
(2) September 12, 1996, in Atlanta, Georgia.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Edmund J. Richards, Interagency Hazardous Materials Program
Coordinator, (202) 366-0656; or Suezett Edwards, Training and
Information Specialist, (202) 366-4900; Hazardous Materials Safety,
RSPA, Department of Transportation, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 4, 1995, President Clinton issued a
memorandum to heads of departments and agencies calling for a review of
all agency regulations to eliminate or revise those regulations that
are outdated or in need of reform. In addition, the President directed
front line regulators to ``* * * get out of Washington and create
grassroots partnerships'' with people affected by agency regulations.
In response to the President's directive, RSPA performed an
extensive review of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR
Parts 171-180) and associated procedural rules (49 CFR Parts 106, 107
and 110). In April and July 1995, RSPA published notices in the Federal
Register (60 FR 17049 and 60 FR 38888, respectively) that announced
public meetings and requested comments on ways to improve the HMR and
the kind and quality of services RSPA's customers expect. RSPA held 12
public meetings and received over 50 written comments in response to
the Federal Register notices.
Based on its review of the HMR and on written and oral comments
received from the public, RSPA has initiated eight separate rulemakings
to eliminate or revise those regulations that have been identified as
being outdated or in need of reform (Dockets HM-200, HM-207C, HM-207E,
HM-216, HM-220A, HM-220B, HM-222A, HM-222B). Except for Docket HM-200,
RSPA expects all of these rulemakings to be issued as final rules by
early June 1996. These rulemakings address areas of the HMR dealing
with ``materials of trade'', training frequency, 24-hour emergency
response telephone numbers, incident reporting, shipping papers,
marketing, labeling, and placarding, elimination of over 100 sections
of the HMR, restructuring of the Hazardous Materials Table and
Hazardous Substance Table, restructuring of the cylinder specifications
and cylinder requalification requirements, and rail and highway modal
requirements. In addition, RSPA has initiated a two-year pilot
ticketing program to streamline and simplify enforcement of certain
violations which do not have a direct impact on the safe transportation
of hazardous materials, such as failure to register, obtain renewed
exemptions in a timely manner, retain training records, and file
incident reports. In the international area, RSPA has incorporated
requirements for the transportation of radioactive materials that are
compatible with the regulations of the International Atomic Energy
Agency, and continued to adopt regulations towards harmonization with
the United Nations Recommendations and other international regulatory
bodies.
Significant actions have also been taken to improve management
practices and operations. In 1995, RSPA implemented a toll-free number
for obtaining assistance on the HMR, reporting potential violations of
the regulations, and obtaining copies of training materials. In
response to comments to improve responses to inquiries, RSPA has made a
commitment to respond to phone calls before the end of the next
business day, and to mail training materials and publications in a
timely manner.
Conduct of the Meetings
The meetings will be informal and are intended to produce a
dialogue between agency personnel and persons affected by the hazardous
materials safety programs. The meeting officer may find it necessary to
limit the time allocated each speaker to ensure that all participants
have an opportunity to speak. Conversely, the meeting may conclude
before the time scheduled if all persons wishing to participate have
been heard.
The meetings will have an open agenda and will be held as follows:
(1) June 26, 1996, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Henry VIII
Hotel, 4690 N. Lindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri, 63044 (near
the airport).
(2) September 12, 1996, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Omni
Hotel, 100 CNN Center, Atlanta, Georgia, 30335.
Issued in Washington, DC on May 10, 1996.
Alan I. Roberts,
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. 96-12178 Filed 5-14-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-M
