94-16726. Report to Congress: ``A Review of Federal Authorities for Hazardous Materials Accident Safety''

[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 131 (Monday, July 11, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-16726]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: July 11, 1994]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5009-9]

 

Report to Congress: ``A Review of Federal Authorities for 
Hazardous Materials Accident Safety''

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of Availability and Request for Public Input on the 
Environmental Protection Agency Report to Congress: ``A Review of 
Federal Authorities for Hazardous Materials Accident Safety''.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to announce the availability of 
the above cited report and provide a public input opportunity on the 
report's findings.

DATES: Written statements should be submitted on or before August 31, 
1994 and should be addressed as indicated below.

ADDRESSES: Requests for the report can be faxed to the Emergency 
Planning and Community Right-to-Know Hotline at [phone] or you 
may contact the Hotline by phone at 1-800-535-0202 to request a copy. 
Statements concerning the report should be sent to: David Speights, 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Chemical Emergency Preparedness 
and Prevention Office, Mail Code: 5101, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, 
DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Swack, Chemical Emergency 
Preparedness and Prevention Office, at [phone].

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Section 112(r)(10) of the Clean Air Act directs 
the President to conduct a review of release prevention, mitigation, 
and response authorities across the Federal government. The 
Environmental Protection Agency, in conjunction with the other member 
agencies of the Federal National Response Team (NRT), conducted the 
review and submitted its report to the Congress in February 1994. The 
report concludes that while the current hazardous materials safety 
system achieves its statutory goals to protect public health and safety 
and the environment, it is overly complex and confusing and, as a 
result, imposes unnecessary costs on government, industry, and the 
public. To address these issues and to consider appropriate remedies, 
the report proposes a second phase involving stakeholder participation 
that will focus on:
     Streamlining the multiple and overlapping statutory terms 
for regulated substances and reportable events,
     Harmonizing multiple and/or redundant hazard 
classification systems,
     Analyzing the efficacy of multiple requirements for 
facility contingency plans and the desirability of a Federal baseline 
standard with added components for special concerns,
     Streamlining accident data collection and management 
systems to improve efficiency, and
     Improving Federal/state/local coordination of emergency 
planning.
    The goal of the second phase of the project is to identify specific 
administrative and statutory changes that will yield a more 
coordinated, rational, and efficient approach to hazardous materials 
safety. The period provided under this notice for statements is 
designed to provide an opportunity for interested parties to have input 
into this process and help shape any potential recommendations.

    Dated: June 25, 1994.
James L. Makris,
Director, Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Office.
[FR Doc. 94-16726 Filed 7-8-94; 8:45 am]
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