[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 245 (Monday, December 22, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 66900-66902]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-33030]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration

49 CFR Part 172

[Docket No. RSPA-97-2850 (HM-169B)]
RIN 2137-AD14


Hazardous Materials: Radiation Protection Program Requirement

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

ACTION: Final Rule; extension of compliance date.

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SUMMARY: RSPA is extending until October 1, 1999, the date for 
mandatory compliance with the Radiation Protection Program (RPP) 
requirements adopted in the final rule issued September 28, 1995. 
During this period, RSPA intends to consider in a separate rulemaking 
whether the RPP requirements should be withdrawn or revised because of 
the difficulties and complexities concerning implementation of and 
compliance with the RPP requirements. RSPA believes that compliance 
should not be required with requirements that may be withdrawn or 
substantially revised, and that overall safety in the transportation of 
radioactive materials will be advanced by reexamining the RPP 
requirements before requiring compliance with the current requirements.

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 22, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Fred Ferate II, Office of 
Hazardous Materials Technology, 202-366-4545, or Charles E. Betts, 
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards, 202-366-8553, RSPA, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 
20590-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 28, 1995, RSPA published a 
final rule in the Federal Register in this docket as part of RSPA's 
ongoing effort to harmonize the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR), 
49 CFR Parts 171-180, with international standards and to improve 
safety for workers and the public during the transportation of 
radioactive materials. (60 FR 50292). One of the substantive regulatory 
changes in the September 28, 1995 final rule is the requirement to 
develop and maintain a written radiation protection program (RPP).
    The RPP requirements apply, with certain exceptions, to each person 
who offers for transportation, accepts for transportation, or 
transports Class 7 (radioactive) materials. The RPP

[[Page 66901]]

requirements are set forth in Subpart I of Part 172 of the HMR. 
Implementation provisions for rail, air, vessel, and highway are 
contained in Secs. 174.705, 175.706, 176.703, and 177.827, 
respectively. Compliance with the RPP requirements has been required 
since October 1, 1997.
    RSPA's regulatory evaluation prepared in support of the September 
28, 1995 final rule considered that carriers would be primarily 
affected by the RPP requirements. (Some carriers of radioactive 
materials are already covered by monitoring requirements contained in 
exemptions from quantity limitations in the HMR.) Many shippers of 
radioactive material, especially those who are Department of Energy 
contractors, or Nuclear Regulatory Commission or Agreement State 
licensees, are already subject to RPP requirements, and the September 
28, 1995 final rule provides that the RPP requirements are satisfied by 
any radiation protection program that has been approved by an 
appropriate Federal or State agency. 49 CFR 172.803(d)(2).
    On May 8, 1996, RSPA published in the Federal Register editorial 
corrections to the September 28, 1995 final rule and a denial of the 
one petition for reconsideration (from the Radiopharmaceutical Shippers 
and Carriers Conference [RSCC]) that had been timely filed. [61 FR 
20747]. The editorial corrections included changes to Sec. 172.803.
    In addition, on April 19, 1996, RSPA published in the Federal 
Register a request for comments on the implementation of the RPP 
requirements, in response to questions or comments expressing 
difficulties in implementing or complying with the RPP requirements. 
Notice 96-7 (61 FR 17349). In Notice 96-7, RSPA stated its intention to 
develop guidance for the radioactive material industry to facilitate 
compliance with the RPP requirements.
    In response to Notice 96-7, RSPA received numerous comments, a new 
petition for rulemaking from RSCC (that expanded upon its denied 
petition for reconsideration), and three additional documents 
purporting to be ``petitions for reconsideration'' of the September 28, 
1995 final rule (which were treated as comments in response to Notice 
96-7, rather than petitions for reconsideration, because they were not 
submitted within 30 days after publication of the September 28, 1995 
final rule). After considering these comments and petitions, RSPA 
decided that the concerns expressed could not all be resolved through 
guidance. The concerns were significant enough that RSPA determined it 
would be preferable to withdraw the RPP requirements completely, and 
reconsider this matter from the beginning, rather than try to amend 
Subpart I before the upcoming October 1, 1997 compliance date.
    For this reason, RSPA published a direct final rule on September 2, 
1997, withdrawing the RPP requirements effective September 30, 1997, 
unless (in accordance with RSPA's procedural rules at 49 CFR 106.39) an 
adverse comment or notice of intent to file an adverse comment was 
received by September 30, 1997. [62 FR 46214]. Because two persons 
submitted adverse comments on the direct final rule, RSPA is publishing 
a separate document, revoking the direct final rule and leaving the RPP 
requirements in effect.
    As noted above and in the direct final rule, many shippers of 
radioactive materials are already subject to an RPP requirement. RSPA 
considers that it may also be appropriate to establish in the HMR some 
form of RPP requirement for carriers and any shippers not already 
covered by other existing requirements, to provide a formal and 
structured framework for ensuring safety during radioactive material 
transportation activities. However, RSPA has also concluded that the 
problems with the current RPP requirements in Subpart I of 49 CFR Part 
172 are sufficiently great that compliance with them should not be 
required while RSPA reconsiders this entire matter.
    As a first step, RSPA intends to publish a notice of proposed 
rulemaking (NPRM) in the near future to address the merits of all the 
comments and petitions directed to the RPP requirements and to request 
additional comments concerning the need to withdraw or revise the RPP 
requirements. To allow this separate rulemaking to proceed in an 
orderly fashion, without the threat of enforcement or liability based 
on noncompliance, and in response to a request for a stay of the 
compliance date from RSCC, RSPA is extending the date for mandatory 
compliance with the RPP requirements until October 1, 1999. As also 
discussed below, RSPA has concluded that a lack of approval by the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for information collection 
requirements precludes Federal enforcement of the RPP requirements at 
this time.

Regulatory Analyses and Notices

A. Executive Order 12866 and DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures

    This rule provides relief to persons who offer for transportation, 
accept for transportation, or transport Class 7 (radioactive) materials 
by extending until October 1, 1999, the requirement to develop and 
maintain a radiation protection program. The effect of this rule is not 
considered a significant regulatory action under Section 3(f) of 
Executive Order 12866, and this rule was not reviewed by the Office of 
Management and Budget. This rule is not considered significant under 
the regulatory policies and procedures of the Department of 
Transportation. [44 FR 11034 (February 26, 1979)].
    RSPA has not prepared a regulatory evaluation that specifically 
addresses the issue of extending the date for developing and 
maintaining a radiation protection program. The regulatory evaluation 
prepared in support of the September 28, 1995 final rule considered 
that the health benefits to the transportation community of limiting 
radiation exposures, through a radiation protection program, would be 
significant. That regulatory evaluation also estimated that the 
benefits of making U.S. regulations for the transportation of 
radioactive materials consistent with international standards would 
exceed the total estimated costs of the September 28, 1995 final rule 
involved in converting to the international system of units (SI) and 
meeting the RPP requirements. However, the costs of implementing the 
RPP requirements will be greatly increased (and overall safety will 
likely be reduced) if compliance with the current regulations is 
required, then if these requirements are withdrawn or significantly 
revised. RSPA, in support of the NPRM, will be preparing a regulatory 
evaluation to address the issue of removing the radiation protection 
program requirement from the HMR.

B. Executive Order 12612

    This rule has been analyzed in accordance with the principles and 
criteria contained in Executive Order 12612 (``Federalism''). The 
Federal hazardous material transportation law contains express 
preemption provisions at 49 U.S.C. 5125 that preempt State, local, and 
Indian tribe requirements if
    (1) Complying with a requirement of the State, political 
subdivision, or Indian tribe and Federal hazardous material 
transportation law or regulations is not possible;
    (2) The requirement of the State, political subdivision, or Indian 
tribe, as applied or enforced, is an obstacle to accomplishing and 
carrying out Federal hazardous material transportation law or 
regulations; or

[[Page 66902]]

    (3) The requirement of the State, political subdivision, or Indian 
tribe concerns any of the following ``covered subjects'' and is not 
substantially the same as a provision of Federal hazardous material 
transportation law or regulations:
    (A) The designation, description, and classification of hazardous 
material;
    (B) The packing, repacking, handling, labeling, marking, and 
placarding of hazardous material;
    (C) The preparation, execution, and use of shipping documents 
related to hazardous material and requirements related to the number, 
contents, and placement of those documents;
    (D) The written notification, recording, and reporting of the 
unintentional release in transportation of hazardous material; and
    (E) The design, manufacture, fabricating, marking, maintenance, 
reconditioning, repairing, or testing of a packaging or container 
represented, marked, certified, or sold as qualified for use in 
transporting hazardous material.
    Federal law (49 U.S.C. 5125(b)(2) provides that if DOT issues a 
regulation concerning any of the covered subjects, DOT must determine 
and publish in the Federal Register the effective date of Federal 
preemption. The effective date may not be earlier than the 90th day 
following the date of issuance of the final rule and not later than two 
years after the date of issuance.
    RSPA is not aware of any State, local, or Indian tribe requirement 
that would be preempted by an extension of the date for compliance with 
the RPP requirements.

C. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601-612, directs agencies 
to consider the potential impact of regulations on small business and 
other small entities. In the regulatory evaluation originally prepared 
to consider RPP requirements, RSPA estimated a total of 497 carriers 
(primarily motor carriers) would be subject to these requirements. All 
but a few of these carriers are thought to meet criteria of the Small 
Business Administration as ``small business,'' e.g., motor freight 
carriers with annual revenue less than $18.5 million.
    Extending the date for compliance with the RPP requirements will 
allow those carriers to continue to transport radioactive materials, 
until October 1, 1999, without having to develop and implement a 
written plan (or for those carriers transporting radioactive materials 
under an exemption, a plan that goes beyond what is now required). 
Based on the above, I certify that this rule will not have a 
significant adverse economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities.

D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995

    This rule does not impose unfunded mandates under the Unfunded 
Mandates Reform Act of 1995. It does not result in costs of $100 
million or more, in the aggregate, to any of the following: State, 
local, or Indian tribal governments, or the private sector. This rule 
is the least burdensome alternative that achieves the objective of the 
rule.

E. Paperwork Reduction Act

    This rule does not impose any information collection burdens. RSPA 
has concluded that the information collection approval under OMB 
control number 2137-0510 (which expires January 31, 1998, unless 
renewed) does not cover the information collection requirements in the 
RPP requirements. Because Subpart I of 49 CFR Part 172 does not display 
a valid OMB control number, no person is required to respond to its RPP 
requirements.
    If RSPA decides to retain the RPP requirements, in the form of 
Subpart I of 49 CFR Part 172 or otherwise, RSPA will submit this 
information collection and recordkeeping requirement to OMB for 
approval. As part of that process, RSPA will provide interested members 
of the public and affected agencies an opportunity to comment on 
information collection and recordkeeping requests, as provided in OMB's 
regulations.

F. Regulation Identifier Number (RIN)

    A regulation identifier number (RIN) is assigned to each regulatory 
action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulations. The 
Regulatory Information Service Center publishes the Unified Agenda in 
April and October of each year. The RIN contained in the heading of 
this document can be used to cross-reference this action with the 
Unified Agenda. The September 28, 1995 final rule and the May 8, 1996 
final rule were published under RIN 2037-AB60.

List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 172

    Hazardous materials transportation, Hazardous waste, Labeling, 
Packaging and containers, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    In consideration of the foregoing, the following provisions in 49 
CFR part 172 is amended as follows:

PART 172--HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TABLE, SPECIAL PROVISIONS, HAZARDOUS 
MATERIALS COMMUNICATIONS, EMERGENCY RESPONSE INFORMATION, AND 
TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

    1. The authority citation for part 172 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 5101-5127, 49 CFR 1.53.

    2. Section 172.807 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 172.807  Transitional provisions.

    Compliance with the requirements of this subpart is required after 
October 1, 1999.

    Issued in Washington, DC on December 12, 1997, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR Part 1.
Kelley S. Coyner,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 97-33030 Filed 12-19-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P