G/TBT/N/USA/1518  
21 August 2019  
(19-5377) 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 AME RICA  
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) [1545]  
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):  Hazardous 
materials; Transport (ICS 03.220), Pollution, pollution control and conservation 
(ICS 13.020.40), Wastes (ICS 13.030), Explosion protection (ICS 13.230), Protection 
against excessive pressure (ICS 13.240), Protection against dangerous goods 
(ICS 13.300), Measurement of force, weight and pressure (ICS 17.100), Surface treatment 
and coating (ICS 25.220), Railway rolling stock (ICS 45.060), Sacks. Bags (ICS 55.080), 
Barrels. Drums. Canisters (ICS 55.140), Freight distribution of goods (ICS 55.180), 
Explosives. Pyrotechnics and fireworks (ICS 71.100.30)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Hazardous 
Materials: Adoption of Miscellaneous Petitions To Reduce Regulatory Burdens  
6. Description of content:  This rulemaking re sponds to numerous petitions for rulemaking 
submitted by the regulated community that request PHMSA address a variety of 
provisions, including but not limited to those addressing packaging, hazardous 
communication, and incorporation by reference documents.  PHMSA proposes amendments 
to the Hazardous Materials Regulations to update, clarify, improve the safety of, or provide 
relief from various regulatory requirements. The proposed amendments include adopting a 
phase -out schedule for certain railroad tank car s used to transport materials poisonous by 
inhalation, allowing the continued use of certain portable and mobile refrigerator systems 
commonly used in the produce industry, incorporating an industry standard that can help 
to enhance the production of oil a nd gas wells, and incorporating an updated consensus 
standard which applies to the existing market for fireworks; as well as additional proposed 
amendments derived from PHMSA's petition for rulemaking process.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nat ure of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Protection of human health or safety; Protection of the environment; 
Harmonization; Cost saving and productivity enhancement  G/TBT/N/USA/1518  
 
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  8. Relevant documents:   
84 Federal Register (FR) 41555, 14 August 2019; Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) Parts 107, 171, 172, 173, 178, 179 and 180:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2019-08-14/html/2019 -16675.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2019-08-14/pdf/2019 -16675.pdf  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments:  15 October 2019  
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/2019/TBT/USA/19_4604_00_e.pdf