[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 223 (Wednesday, November 19, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61859-61860]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-30352]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration
[Notice No. 97-12]


Information Collection Activities

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, RSPA 
invites comments on certain information collections pertaining to 
hazardous materials transportation for which RSPA intends to request 
renewal from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
January 20, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Address written comments 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. 
Comments may also be submitted by e-mail to: rules @ rspa.dot.gov, or 
faxed to (202) 366-3753. Comments should identify the Notice number 
(97-12) and the appropriate Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
Control Number(s). Mailed written comments should be submitted in two 
copies. Persons wishing to receive confirmation of receipt of their 
mailed written comments should include a self-addressed, stamped 
postcard showing the Notice number. Public information may be reviewed 
between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.
    Requests for a copy of an information collection should be directed 
to Deborah Boothe, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards (DHM-10), 
Research and Special Programs Administration, Room 8102, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590-0001, Telephone (202) 366-8553.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deborah Boothe, Office of Hazardous 
Materials Standards (DHM-10), Research and Special Programs 
Administration, Room 8102, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 
20590-0001, Telephone (202) 366-8553.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 1320.8 (d), Title 5, Code of Federal 
Regulations requires that RSPA provide interested members of the public 
and affected agencies an opportunity to comment on information 
collection and recordkeeping requests. This notice identifies 
information collections that RSPA is submitting to OMB for renewal and 
extension. These collections are contained in the Hazardous Materials 
Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR parts 171-180). RSPA 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) summary of the information collection 
activity; (4) description of affected public; (5) estimate of total 
annual reporting and recordkeeping burden; and (6) frequency of 
collection. RSPA 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.
    RSPA requests comments on the following information collections:
    Title: Hazardous Materials Shipping Papers and Emergency Response 
Information (Former Title: Hazardous Materials Shipping Papers).
    OMB Control Number: 2137-0034.
    Summary: Shipping papers and emergency response information are a 
basic communication tool used in the safe transportation of hazardous 
materials. They serve as a principal means of identifying hazardous 
materials during transportation, including emergencies, by providing 
the proper shipping name, hazard class, UN identification number, 
packing group, and quantity of each hazardous material

[[Page 61860]]

being transported. Shipping papers also provide emergency response 
information for use in the mitigation of an incident, and an emergency 
response telephone number for use in the event of an emergency. The 
telephone number must be monitored at all times the hazardous material 
is in transportation, by a person who is either knowledgeable of the 
hazardous material being shipped and has comprehensive emergency 
response and incident mitigation information for that material, or has 
immediate access to a person who possesses such knowledge and 
information. Shipping papers also serve as a means of notifying 
transport workers that hazardous materials are present, so that the 
proper loading, unloading, handling and safety procedures may be 
followed. This information collection renewal includes new requirements 
for: shippers and carriers to retain shipping papers for one year as 
mandated by Section 5110(e) under the Federal hazardous material 
transportation law; compliance with the HMR by intrastate shippers and 
carriers, published under Docket HM-200, ``Hazardous Materials in 
Intrastate Commerce; Final Rule'', on January 8, 1997 (62 FR 1108); and 
the President's initiative to reduce the regulatory burdens imposed by 
the Federal government.
    Affected Public: Shippers and carriers of hazardous materials in 
intrastate, interstate, and foreign commerce.
    Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping:
    Number of Respondents: 250,000.
    Total Annual Responses: 260,000,000.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 6,500,000.
    Frequency of collection: On occasion.

    Title: Radioactive Materials (RAM)Transportation Requirements.
    OMB Control Number: 2137-0510.
    Summary: The requirements for transportation of RAM are provided in 
49 CFR parts 171-180. Information collection requirements for RAM 
include shipper notification to consignees of the dates of shipment of 
RAM, expected arrival, special loading/unloading instructions; 
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 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 establish that proper 
packages are used for the type of radioactive material being 
transported, external radiation levels do not exceed prescribed limits, 
packages are handled appropriately and delivered in a timely manner, so 
as to ensure the safety of the general public, transport workers and 
emergency responders. This information collection has been adjusted to 
reflect program changes regarding responsibility for the routing of 
highway controlled quantities of radioactive materials.
    Affected Public: Shippers and carriers of radioactive materials.
    Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping:
    Number of Respondents: 3,807.
    Total Annual Responses: 21,319.2.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 14,480.
    Frequency of collection: On occasion.

    Issued in Washington, DC on November 14, 1997.
Edward T. Mazzullo,
Director, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards.
[FR Doc. 97-30352 Filed 11-18-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P