G/TBT/N/USA/1801  
9 November 2021  
(21-8486) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), 
Department of Transportation (DOT) [1830]  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to ha ndle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point, Email: usatbtep@nist.gov  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Transport 
of liquefied natural gas by rail; Transport by rail (ICS 03.220.30), Environmental 
protection (ICS 13.020), Natural gas (ICS 75.060)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Hazardous 
Materials: Suspension of HMR Amen dments Authorizing Transportation of Liquefied 
Natural Gas by Rail (15 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  Notice of proposed rulemaking - PHMSA, in coordination with 
the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), proposes to amend the Hazardous M aterials 
Regulations to suspend authorization of liquefied natural gas (LNG)  transportation in rail 
tank cars pursuant to a final rule published in  July 2020, pending the earlier of either 
completion of a separate  rulemaking under RIN 2137 -AF54 evaluating potential 
modifications to  requirements governing rail tank car transportation of LNG, or 30 
June 2024.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Protection of the environment  
8. Relevant documents:   
86 Federal Register (FR) 61731, 8 November 2021; Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) Part 172:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2021-11-08/html/2021 -23132.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2021-11-08/pdf/2021 -23132.pdf  
This notice of proposed rulemaking is identified by Docket Number PHMSA -2021-0058. 
The Docket Folder is available on Regulations.gov at 
https://www.regulations.gov/docket/PHMSA -2021-0058/document  and provides access 
to primary documents as well as  comments received. Documents are also accessible from 
Regulations.gov  by searching the Docket Number. WTO Members and their stakeholders 
are asked to submit comments to the  USA TBT Enquiry Point . Comments received by the G/TBT/N/USA/1801  
 
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  USA TBT Enquiry Point from WTO Members and their stakeholders will be shared with the 
regulator and will also be submitted to the  Docket  on Regulations.gov if received within 
the comment period.  
G/TBT/N/USA/1544/Add.2  - Hazardous Materials: Liquefied Natural Gas by Rail, Final 
Rule; this and earlier notified actions are identified by Docket Num ber PHMSA -2018-0025. 
The Docket Folder is accessible from Regulations.gov  at 
https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=PHMSA -2018-0025, and provides access to 
primary and supporting documents as well as comments received.  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments:  23 December 2021  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/TBT/USA/21_7078_00_e.pdf