G/TBT/N/USA/914  
 
22 July 2014  
(14-4232)  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 Administ ration (PHMSA), 
Department of Transportation (DOT) [931] 
Name and address (including telephon e and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above : 
Please submit comments to: 
USA WTO TBT Inquiry Point Email:  ncsci@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 applic able, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable): Transportation of bulk 
explosives. Explosion protection (ICS 13.230), Protection against dangerous goods (ICS 13.300), Products of the chemical industry (ICS 71.100) 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Hazardous 
Materials: Requirements for the Safe Transportation of Bulk Explosives (RRR) (27 pages, in 
English) 
6. Description of content: The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is 
proposing to amend the Hazardous Materials Re gulations by establishing standards for the 
s a f e  t r a n s p o r t a t i o n  o f  b u l k  e x p l o s i v e s .  T h i s  r u l e m a k i n g  w o u l d  b e  r e s p o n s i v e  t o  t w o  petitions for rulemaking submitted by industry representatives: P-1557 concerning the continued use of renewal applications, and P-1583 concerning the incorporation of an 
industry standard publication. Further, developing these requirements would provide wider 
access to the regulatory flexibility currently only offered by special permit and competent 
authorities.  
The requirements of this proposed rule would mirror the majority of provisions contained 
in nine widely used or longstanding special permits that have established safety records. These proposed revisions are intended to eliminate the need for future renewal requests, 
thus reducing paperwork burdens and faci litating commerce while maintaining an 
appropriate level of safety. As proposed, the requirements would authorize the transportation of certain explosives, ammonium nitrates, ammonium nitrate emulsions, and other specific hazardous materials in bulk packagings, which are not otherwise 
authorized under the regulations. These hazardous materials are used in blasting 
operations on specialized vehicles, known as multipurpose bulk trucks, which are used as mobile work platforms to create blends of explosives that are unique for each blast site. 
Finally, this rulemaking addresses the construction of new multipurpose bulk trucks. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: 
Protection of Human health or Safety; Protection of the environment.  G/TBT/N/USA/914 
 
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  8. Relevant documents:  79 Federal Register (FR) 41185, 15 July 2014; Title 49 Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 171, 172, 173 and 177.  Will appear in the Federal Register 
when adopted. 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   To be determined 
Proposed date of entry into force:   To be determined   
10. Final date for comments: 15 September 2014 
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [  ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:   
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR -2014-07-15/html /2014-16382.htm  
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR -2014-07-15/pd f/2014-16382.pdf