[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 164 (Thursday, August 24, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44113-44114]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-21023]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration Revision of the 
Emergency Response Guidebook, Notice of Public Meetings; Request for 
Comments

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises interested persons that RSPA will conduct 
public meetings to discuss the development and publication of the 1996 
North American Emergency Response Guidebook (NAERG). At the first 
meeting, the concept of the NAERG will be introduced; a draft document 
will be presented at the second meeting. The NAERG will supersede the 
1993 Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) and will encompass information 
from both the U.S. Department of Transportation's 1993 ERG and 
Transport Canada's Initial Emergency Response Guide 1992. The 
development of the NAERG is a joint effort involving the transportation 
agencies of the United States, Canada and Mexico. This notice solicits 
comments on the development of the NAERG, particularly from those who 
have used the ERG during hazardous materials incidents.

DATES: Public Meetings. The first public meeting will be held on 
September 21, 1995, in Room 332, Federal Trade Commission, 6th & 
Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20580. The second meeting 
will be November 8, 1995, in Room 8236 of the Nassif Building, 400 
Seventh Street S.W., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Meeting times are from 
9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The public is invited to attend without advance 
notification.
    Comments. Written comments should be submitted on or before October 
19, 1995, to the Office of Hazardous Materials Initiatives and Training 
(DHM-50), Research and Special Programs Administration, U.S. Department 
of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street S.W., Washington, DC 20590-0001; 
comments may be faxed to (202) 366-7342; or E-mailed via the Internet 
to [email protected]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Henry or Gigi Corbin, Research 
and Special Programs Administration (DHM-50), 400 Seventh Street S.W., 
Washington, DC 20590-0001; (202) 366-4900; Internet E-mail to 
[email protected] or [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Federal hazardous materials transportation law, 49 U.S.C. 5101 
et seq, empowers the Secretary of Transportation to issue and enforce 
regulations deemed necessary to ensure the safe transport of hazardous 
materials. In addition, the law directs the Secretary of Transportation 
to provide law enforcement and fire fighting personnel with technical 
information and advice for meeting emergencies connected with the 
transportation of hazardous materials.
    The Emergency Response Guidebook was developed by RSPA for use by 
emergency services personnel to provide guidance for initial response 
to hazardous materials incidents. Since 1980, it has been the goal of 
RSPA for all emergency response vehicles, including fire fighting, 
police and rescue squad vehicles, to carry a copy of the ERG. To 
accomplish this, RSPA has published five editions of the ERG and has 
distributed over 4.9 million copies to emergency services agencies, 
without charge.
    The NAERG is being jointly developed by RSPA, Transport Canada and 
the Secretary of Communication and Transport of Mexico. The NAERG will 
supersede the 1993 ERG and will be published in English, French and 
Spanish for use by emergency response personnel in each of the three 
North American Free Trade Agreement countries. Publication of the 1996 
NAERG will facilitate transport of hazardous materials through North 
America and increase public safety by providing consistent emergency 
response procedures to hazardous materials accidents and incidents in 
North America. In order to continually improve the ERG, RSPA actively 
solicits comments from interested parties, especially those who have 
used the ERG during hazardous materials incidents. RSPA will continue 
to use a network of state agencies to distribute the NAERG to state and 
local emergency responders.

Request for Comments

    Comments are solicited on ERG user concerns and on the following 
questions:
    1. Has the National Response Center (NRC) provided accurate and 
timely assistance to emergency responders during hazardous materials 
incidents?
    2. Have emergency responders experienced a problem of inconsistent 
guidance between the 1993 ERG and other sources of technical 
information? If so, in what way could the NAERG be revised to reduce 
this inconsistency?
    3. Have emergency responders experienced confusion or difficulty in 
understanding the scope or purpose of the 1993 ERG? If so, in what way 
could the NAERG be revised to reduce this difficulty?
    4. Have emergency responders experienced confusion or difficulty in 
understanding the application of the 1993 ERG? If so, in what way could 
the NAERG be revised to reduce this difficulty?
    5. How could the ``Table of Initial Isolation and Protective Action 
Distances'' or its introduction be made easier to comprehend and use?
    6. In the ``Table'' does the distinction between day and night 
protective action distances add useful information for the first 
responder? How could the distinction be improved?
    7. Should the guidebook in any way describe materials which emit 
poisonous vapors when spilled in water? If so, what format would be 
best? 

[[Page 44114]]
(i.e. separate guide, distinct list, special footnote attached to these 
material names, etc.)
    8. Have emergency responders experienced difficulty understanding 
the capabilities of chemical protective clothing, and the limitations 
of structural fire fighter's protective clothing in hazardous materials 
incidents? If so, in what way can the NAERG be revised to improve 
understanding?
    9. Aside from Gasoline, has any identification number (ID No.) been 
incorrectly assigned to a material (Name of Material)?
    10. Has any identification number/material been assigned to the 
``wrong'' guide?
    11. Are the responses on each guide appropriate for the material 
assigned to the guide?
    12. Have emergency responders experienced difficulty with 
legibility of the 1993 ERG's print style, its format or its durability?
    13. Have emergency response agencies experienced difficulty in 
obtaining copies of 1993 ERG for their vehicles?
    Supporting data and analyses will enhance the value of comments 
submitted.
Alan I. Roberts,
Associate Administrator for
Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. 95-21023 Filed 8-23-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P