Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2009/05/08/E9-10684/information-collection-activities-under-omb-review-2009-renewals
Timestamp: 2017-11-22 15:31:50
Document Index: 758908768

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 105', 'arts 171', 'art 105', 'art 106', 'art 107', 'art 107', 'arts 110', 'arts 105', 'art 106', 'art 107']

Federal Register :: Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review; 2009 Renewals
Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review; 2009 Renewals
A Notice by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration on 05/08/2009
Docket No. PHMSA-2009-0019 (Notice No. 09-2)
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/E9-10684 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/E9-10684
In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the Information Collection Requests (ICR) abstracted below will be forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comments. The ICRs describe the nature of the information collections and their expected burden. A Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on these collections of information was published in the Federal Register on February 5, 2009 [74 FR 6215] under Docket No. PHMS-2009-0019 (Notice No. 09-1).
Deborah Boothe or Steven Andrews, U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards (PHH-11), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., East Building, 2nd Floor, Washington, DC. 20590-0001, Telephone (202) 366-8553.
Section 1320.8 (d), Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations requires Federal agencies to provide interested members of the public and affected agencies an opportunity to comment on information collection and recordkeeping requests. This notice identifies information collection requests that PHMSA will be submitting to OMB for renewal and extension. These information collections are contained in 49 CFR Parts 105, 106, 107 and the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). PHMSA has revised burden estimates, where appropriate, to reflect current reporting levels or adjustments based on changes in proposed or final rules published since the information collections were last approved. The following information is provided for each information collection: (1) Title of the information collection, including former title if a change is being made; (2) OMB control number; (3) abstract of the information collection activity; (4) description of affected persons; (5) estimate of total annual reporting and recordkeeping burden; and (6) frequency of collection. PHMSA will request a three-year term of approval for each information collection activity and, when approved by OMB, publish notice of the approval in the Federal Register.
Summary: This collection of information applies to the agency's procedures for developing rulemaking, granting special permits, and addressing preemption. Specific areas covered in this information collection include Part 105, Subpart A and Subpart B, Start Printed Page 21733“Hazardous Materials Program Definitions and General Procedures;” Part 106, Subpart B, “Participating in the Rulemaking Process;” Part 107, Subpart B, “Special Permits;” and Part 107, Subpart C, “Preemption.” The Federal hazardous materials transportation law directs the Secretary of Transportation to prescribe regulations for the safe transportation of hazardous materials in commerce. We are authorized to accept petitions for rulemaking and appeals, as well as applications for exemptions, preemption determinations and waivers of preemption. The types of information collected include:
(1) Petitions for Rulemaking: Any person may petition the Office of Hazardous Materials Standards to add, amend, or delete a regulation in Parts 110, 130, or 171 through 180, or may petition the Office of the Chief Counsel to add, amend, or delete a regulation in Parts 105, 106 or 107.
The information collected under these application procedures is used by PHMSA to determine the merits of the petitions for rulemakings and for reconsideration of rulemakings, as well as applications for special permits, preemption determinations and waivers of preemption. The procedures governing petitions for rulemaking and for reconsideration of rulemakings are covered in Subpart B of Part 106. Applications for special permits, preemption determinations and waivers of preemption are covered under Subparts B and C of Part 107. Information collected under rulemaking procedures enables PHMSA to determine if a rule change is warranted and consistent with public interest. Information collected under special permit procedures is used to determine if the requested relief provides for a comparable level of safety as provided by the HMR or is consistent with the public interest. Preemption procedures provide information for PHMSA to determine whether a requirement of a State, political subdivision, or Indian tribe is preempted under 49 U.S.C. 5125, or regulations issued thereunder, or whether a waiver of preemption should be issued.
One person submitted comments pertaining to the renewal of the Special Permit aspect of this information collection in response to the Federal Register Notice published on February 5, 2009. In its comment, the Institute of Makers of Explosives (IME) provided suggestions for administrative improvements to the Special Permits and Competent Authority Approval programs. These comments are beyond the scope of this notice, but PHMSA will evaluate the recommendations and consider program changes as necessary and appropriate.
Title: Radioactive Materials (RAM) Transportation Requirements.
Summary: This information collection consolidates and describes the information collection provisions in the HMR involving the transportation of radioactive materials in commerce. Information collection requirements for RAM include: (1) Shipper notification to consignees of the dates of shipment of RAM; (2) expected arrival; (3) special loading/unloading instructions; (4) verification that shippers using foreign-made packages hold a foreign competent authority certificate and verification that the terms of the certificate are being followed for RAM shipments being made into this country; and (5) specific handling instructions from shippers to carriers for fissile RAM, bulk shipments of low specific activity RAM and packages of RAM which emit high levels of external radiation. These information collection requirements help to ensure that proper packages are used for the type of radioactive material being transported; external radiation levels do not exceed prescribed limits; and packages are handled appropriately and delivered in a timely manner, so as to protect the safety of the general public, transport workers, and emergency responders.
Summary: The HMR require that shipping papers and emergency response information accompany each shipment of hazardous materials in commerce. In addition to the basic shipping description information, we also require the subsidiary hazard class or subsidiary division number(s) to be entered in parentheses following the primary hazard class or division number on shipping papers. This requirement Start Printed Page 21734was originally required only for transportation by vessel. However, the absence of this information for other transport modes posed problems with regard to compliance with segregation, separation, and placarding requirements, resulting in a reduced level of safety. For example, if a motor vehicle were transporting a material with a subsidiary hazard that necessitates special handling procedures or additional regulatory requirements, the lack of information on the subsidiary hazard could result in improper loading or handling by transport workers or inadequate or ineffective emergency response in an accident. Therefore, the HMR require the subsidiary hazard class or subsidiary division number(s) to be entered on the shipping paper. Shipping papers must also include an indication of the number and type of packagings to be indicated on the shipping paper.
Shipping papers serve as a principal means of identifying hazardous materials during transportation emergencies. Firefighters, police, and other emergency response personnel are trained to refer to the shipping papers when responding to hazardous materials transportation emergencies. The availability of accurate information concerning the hazardous materials being transported significantly improves response efforts in these types of emergencies. The additional information on subsidiary hazards and the number and types of packagings being transported aids emergency responders by more clearly identifying the hazard that must be addressed.
Issued in Washington, DC on Monday, May 4, 2009.
[FR Doc. E9-10684 Filed 5-7-09; 8:45 am]