[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 182 (Thursday, September 21, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 65148-65149]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-20440]


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Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 182 / Thursday, September 21, 2023 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 65148]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

49 CFR Parts 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180

[Docket No. PHMSA-2019-0031 (HM-265A)]
RIN 2137-AF47


Hazardous Materials: Modernizing Regulations To Improve Safety 
and Efficiency; Extension of Comment Period

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

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; Extension of comment 
period.

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SUMMARY: On July 5, 2023, PHMSA published an advance notice of proposed 
rulemaking, titled ``Hazardous Materials: Modernizing Regulations to 
Improve Safety and Efficiency (HM-265A),'' seeking comment of 46 topics 
related to modernizing the hazardous materials regulations to increase 
efficiency while maintaining and improving safety. In response to a 
request for an extension of the comment period submitted by the 
American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, PHMSA is 
extending the comment period for the HM-265A notice for an additional 
60 days. Comments to the HM-265A notice will now be due by December 4, 
2023.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published July 5, 2023, 
at 88 FR 43016, is extended. Comments should be received on or before 
December 4, 2023. To the extent possible, PHMSA will consider late-
filed comments.

ADDRESSES: Comments should reference Docket No. PHMSA-2019-0031 (HM-
265A) and may be submitted in the following ways:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    <bullet> Mail: Dockets Management System, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Dockets Operations, M-30, Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: To the Docket Management System: Room W12-
140 on the ground floor of the West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 
SE, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except federal holidays.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the Agency name and 
Docket Number (PHMSA-2019-0031) for this notice at the beginning of the 
comment. To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four 
methods. All comments received will be posted without change to the 
Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) and will include any personal 
information you provide.
    Docket: For access to the dockets to read associated documents or 
comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov or DOT's Docket 
Operations Office (see ADDRESSES).
    Privacy Act: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits 
comments from the public to better inform its process. DOT posts these 
comments without change, including any personal information the 
commenter provides, to https://www.regulations.gov, as described in the 
system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at 
https://www.dot.gov/privacy.
    Confidential Business Information: Confidential Business 
Information (CBI) is commercial or financial information that is both 
customarily and treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA; 5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public 
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this ANPRM contain 
commercial or financial information that is customarily treated as 
private, that you treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive 
to this ANPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted 
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing 
CBI as ``PROPIN'' for ``proprietary information.'' Submissions 
containing CBI should be sent to Eamonn Patrick, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001. 
Any commentary that PHMSA receives that is not specifically designated 
as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eamonn Patrick, Standards and 
Rulemaking Division, 202-366-8553, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 
Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    On July 5, 2023, PHMSA published the HM-265A advance notice of 
proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) \1\ which seeks comment on 46 topics 
related to modernizing the requirements of the Hazardous Materials 
Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR parts 171 through180) to increase efficiency 
while maintaining or improving the safety of hazardous materials 
transportation.
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    \1\ 88 FR 43016.
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II. Comment Period Extension

    PHMSA initially provided a 90-day comment period for the HM-265A 
ANPRM, which closes on October 3, 2023. In response to a request to 
extend the comment period from the American Short Line and Regional 
Railroad Association (ASLRRA),\2\ PHMSA is extending the comment period 
for an additional 60 days. ASLRRA requested the extension to allow for 
additional time to gather feedback on the numerous topics addressed in 
the ANPRM from its member railroads, the majority of which are small 
businesses. The comment period will now close on December 4, 2023. This 
extension provides the public with an additional 60 days and should 
provide adequate opportunity for the public and stakeholders to submit 
comments; however, PHMSA may, at its discretion, extend the comment 
period further if necessary. To the extent possible, PHMSA will also 
consider late-filed comments.
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    \2\ ASLRRA's comment may be reviewed at: https://www.regulations.gov/comment/PHMSA-2019-0031-0011.


[[Page 65149]]


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    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 15, 2023, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR part 1.97.
William S. Schoonover,
Associate Administrator of Hazardous Materials Safety, Pipeline and 
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
[FR Doc. 2023-20440 Filed 9-20-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P