[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 11, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18438-18439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-8839]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Research and Special Programs Administration
[Notice Number 95-6]


International Radioactive Material Transportation Standards; 
Preliminary Draft of 1996 Revision Available for Comment

AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of document availability and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: A draft revision of the International Atomic Energy Agency's 
(IAEA) ``Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material'' 
(Safety Series No. 6), which is scheduled for publication in 1996, is 
available for review and comment. Public and industry are invited to 
provide comments on the revised draft of Safety Series No. 6 to assist 
RSPA in submitting comments to the IAEA by July 1, 1995. Comments will 
also aid RSPA in preparing U.S. positions on issues that need to be 
resolved prior to the final Revision Panel meeting scheduled for 
September 25-29, 1995 at the IAEA in Vienna, Austria.

DATE: Commments must be received on or before June 1, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Copies can be obtained from, and comments should be 
submitted to, the Dockets Unit (DHM-30), Room 8421, Research and 
Special Programs Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 
Seventh St. SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001; (202) 366-5046.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Richard Boyle, radioactive Materials Branch, Office of Hazardous 
Materials Technology, Research and Special Programs Administration, 
Department of Transportation, Washington, DC 20590-0001; (202) 366-
4545.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Many countries and international transport 
organizations throughout the world have adopted the standards of the 
IAEA's ``Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material'' 
(Safety Series No. 6). The Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR 
Parts 171-180) permit the import and export of radioactive materials, 
under certain conditions, if packages are prepared for shipment in 
accordance with the IAEA regulations. The HMR for domestic 
transportation are periodically amended to achieve consistency with 
most of the IAEA regulations. This most recent draft of the IAEA 
regulations was prepared in January 1995. It is the result of many 
meetings at the IAEA since 1987 in which representatives from member 
nations proposed and reviewed needed changes to improve effectiveness 
of regulation for radioactive materials transportation.
    The IAEA transport regulations are considered by the UN Committee 
on the Transport of Dangerous Goods as the standards to be followed for 
the international transportation of Class 7 hazardous materials. For 
many years, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), 
``Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by 
Air'' and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), 
``International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code'' have 
[[Page 18439]] incorporated essentially all minor and major changes in 
the IAEA standard with negligible variations. All nations with major 
nuclear programs involved with significant commercial transportation of 
nuclear materials incorporate the IAEA standards into their 
transportation regulations; in some cases the IAEA regulations are 
adopted by reference.
    At the present time, both RSPA and the Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission are revising the domestic transportation regulations to 
incorporate most of the provisions of the 1985 IAEA regulations, as 
amended in 1990. It is expected that the U.S. regulations in the future 
will adopt provisions that will be in the 1996 IAEA regulations.
    A few of the expected changes between the 1985 and 1996 IAEA 
regulations involve:

--A higher performance Type C package for large quantities of materials 
transported by air.
--Exclusive use of the International System of Units (SI Units) in the 
regulations and on labels and shipping documents.
--International Commission on Radiological Protection standards (ICRP 
60/61) impacts on radiation protection programs and limitations on 
quantities and classification of radioactive materials.
--For fissile materials, calculational procedures for criticality and 
identification of Criticality Safety Index (CSI) on documents and 
packages.
--Revise shipping names and UN Identification Numbers.
--Specific requirements for uranium hexafluoride, both fissile and non-
fissile.

    It should be noted that during the time since January when the 
current draft was prepared, several technical meetings have been held 
resulting in changes in some of the provisions of the draft 
regulations. Some of these changes concern: content and performance 
criteria for Type C packages; grandfathering for package designs and 
special form; and requirements for uranium hexafluoride. Comments 
received on the January 1995 draft will be reviewed and considered by 
RSPA to the extent possible during meetings at the IAEA.

    Issued in Washington, DC on April 5, 1995 under the authority 
delegated in 49 CFR Part 106, Appendix A.
Alan I. Roberts,
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. 95-8839 Filed 4-10-95; 8:45 am]
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