[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 15, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24528-24529]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-12178]



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[[Page 24529]]


DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Research and Special Programs Administration
[Notice No. 96-8]


Improving the Hazardous Materials Safety Program; Public Meetings 
Related to Regulatory Review and Customer Service

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces two public meetings, one to be held in 
St. Louis, Missouri, and the other in Atlanta, Georgia, to seek 
information from the public on regulatory reform and improved customer 
service for RSPA's hazardous materials safety program. These meetings 
are a continuation of the initial series of public outreach meetings 
held between April 19, 1995 and January 25, 1996.

ADDRESSES: See Supplementary Information for specific time, location, 
and agenda.

DATES: Public Meetings will be held as follows:
    (1) June 26, 1996, in St. Louis, Missouri.
    (2) September 12, 1996, in Atlanta, Georgia.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Edmund J. Richards, Interagency Hazardous Materials Program 
Coordinator, (202) 366-0656; or Suezett Edwards, Training and 
Information Specialist, (202) 366-4900; Hazardous Materials Safety, 
RSPA, Department of Transportation, Washington, DC 20590-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 4, 1995, President Clinton issued a 
memorandum to heads of departments and agencies calling for a review of 
all agency regulations to eliminate or revise those regulations that 
are outdated or in need of reform. In addition, the President directed 
front line regulators to ``* * * get out of Washington and create 
grassroots partnerships'' with people affected by agency regulations.
    In response to the President's directive, RSPA performed an 
extensive review of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR 
Parts 171-180) and associated procedural rules (49 CFR Parts 106, 107 
and 110). In April and July 1995, RSPA published notices in the Federal 
Register (60 FR 17049 and 60 FR 38888, respectively) that announced 
public meetings and requested comments on ways to improve the HMR and 
the kind and quality of services RSPA's customers expect. RSPA held 12 
public meetings and received over 50 written comments in response to 
the Federal Register notices.
    Based on its review of the HMR and on written and oral comments 
received from the public, RSPA has initiated eight separate rulemakings 
to eliminate or revise those regulations that have been identified as 
being outdated or in need of reform (Dockets HM-200, HM-207C, HM-207E, 
HM-216, HM-220A, HM-220B, HM-222A, HM-222B). Except for Docket HM-200, 
RSPA expects all of these rulemakings to be issued as final rules by 
early June 1996. These rulemakings address areas of the HMR dealing 
with ``materials of trade'', training frequency, 24-hour emergency 
response telephone numbers, incident reporting, shipping papers, 
marketing, labeling, and placarding, elimination of over 100 sections 
of the HMR, restructuring of the Hazardous Materials Table and 
Hazardous Substance Table, restructuring of the cylinder specifications 
and cylinder requalification requirements, and rail and highway modal 
requirements. In addition, RSPA has initiated a two-year pilot 
ticketing program to streamline and simplify enforcement of certain 
violations which do not have a direct impact on the safe transportation 
of hazardous materials, such as failure to register, obtain renewed 
exemptions in a timely manner, retain training records, and file 
incident reports. In the international area, RSPA has incorporated 
requirements for the transportation of radioactive materials that are 
compatible with the regulations of the International Atomic Energy 
Agency, and continued to adopt regulations towards harmonization with 
the United Nations Recommendations and other international regulatory 
bodies.
    Significant actions have also been taken to improve management 
practices and operations. In 1995, RSPA implemented a toll-free number 
for obtaining assistance on the HMR, reporting potential violations of 
the regulations, and obtaining copies of training materials. In 
response to comments to improve responses to inquiries, RSPA has made a 
commitment to respond to phone calls before the end of the next 
business day, and to mail training materials and publications in a 
timely manner.

Conduct of the Meetings

    The meetings will be informal and are intended to produce a 
dialogue between agency personnel and persons affected by the hazardous 
materials safety programs. The meeting officer may find it necessary to 
limit the time allocated each speaker to ensure that all participants 
have an opportunity to speak. Conversely, the meeting may conclude 
before the time scheduled if all persons wishing to participate have 
been heard.
    The meetings will have an open agenda and will be held as follows:
    (1) June 26, 1996, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Henry VIII 
Hotel, 4690 N. Lindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri, 63044 (near 
the airport).
    (2) September 12, 1996, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Omni 
Hotel, 100 CNN Center, Atlanta, Georgia, 30335.

    Issued in Washington, DC on May 10, 1996.
Alan I. Roberts,
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. 96-12178 Filed 5-14-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-M