[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 17 (Friday, January 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 3912]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-341]



[[Page 3912]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration


International Standards on the Transport of Dangerous Goods; 
Public Meeting

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice is to advise interested persons that PHMSA's 
Office of Hazardous Materials Safety's Office of International 
Standards will conduct a public meeting to review and solicit input on 
the program of work agreed to by the UN Sub-Committee of Experts on the 
Transport of Dangerous Goods (UN SCOE) for its 2007-2008 biennium and 
in particular, to solicit input relative to requirements for the 
transport of dangerous goods in limited quantities, including consumer 
commodities, which is a major item on this program of work. In 
addition, the Office of International Standards is developing a five 
year work plan to address international and domestic harmonization 
efforts taking into account its role in representing the U.S. in 
international forums. The public is invited to comment on any areas of 
a general or specific interest which should be included in this plan.

DATES: February 28, 2007; 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at DOT Headquarters, Nassif 
Building, Room 3200, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Duane Pfund, Director, Office of 
International Standards, Office of Hazardous Materials Safety, 
Department of Transportation, Washington, DC 20590; (202) 366-0656.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: At its December 2006 session, the UN SCOE 
discussed a program of work for its 2007-2008 biennium. Proposals 
adopted during the 2007-2008 biennium will form the basis for the 16th 
Revised Edition of the UN Model Regulations which will come into force 
in the relevant national and international regulations from January 1, 
2011. A major item on the program of work anticipated to be of interest 
to our stakeholders is requirements for the transport of dangerous 
goods in limited quantitites, including consumer commodities. These 
requirements are found in Chapter 3.4 of the UN Model Regulations and 
have been adopted to various extents within national and international 
regulations including the International Civil Aviation Organization's 
Technical Instructions on the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air, 
the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, and the European 
Agreement for the Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road. During the 
public meeting a presentation outlining the various requirements of 
these regulations will be provided and input will be solicited as to 
possible ways to improve the current system taking into account the 
different views which exist world-wide on this topic. The goal of the 
limited quantities discussion will be to develop a strategy for the 
U.S. position on the issue and to solicit comments on approaches for 
any U.S. proposals on the topic which may be submitted to the UN SCOE 
this biennium.
    In addition, the Office of International Standards is developing a 
work plan to better focus its efforts and resources over the next five 
years. The goal is to develop the plan in partnership with affected 
parties to ensure an enterprise approach which fosters a plan capable 
of meeting the needs of its stakeholders. The specific elements of the 
items on the work plan are a work in progress but some general areas 
include:

--Enhancing safety through improvements to hazard communication, 
packaging, and classification requirements.
--Enhancing security by ensuring that international and national 
regulations adequately address new technologies with potential for 
improving the secure transport of hazardous materials.
--Enhancing safety and security through improved exchange and review of 
private and public sector data relevant to the transport of hazardous 
materials.
--Improving cross-sector regulatory consistency by ensuring that 
international and domestic transport requirements are properly 
integrated with the Globally Harmonized System for the Classification 
and Labeling of Chemicals.
--Facilitating global trade by improving mutual recognition of 
approvals granted by competent authorities, particularly those issued 
in relation to cylinders and portable tanks.
--Ensuring stakeholder needs are met by improved dialogue and outreach 
to affected parties to ensure that changes to the regulations are in 
step with the marketplace realities.
--Improve supply-chain efficiencies through the use of electronic 
documentation.

    The public is invited to attend without prior notification. Due to 
the heightened security measures participants are encouraged to arrive 
early to allow time for security checks necessary to obtain access to 
the building.

Additional Information

    For more information on the UNSCOE visit the United Nations 
Transport Division's Web site at: http://www.unece.org/trans/main/dgdb/dgsubc/c3age.html. This site may also be accessed through PHMSA's 
Hazardous Materials Safety Homepage at http://hazmat.dot.gov/regs/intl/intstandards.htm. PHMSA's site provides additional information 
regarding the UNSCOE and related matters such as summaries of decisions 
taken at previous sessions of the UNSCOE.

Duane Pfund,
Director of International Standards for Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. 07-341 Filed 1-25-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-M