[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 201 (Tuesday, October 19, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 56270-56271]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-27333]



[[Page 56270]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

49 CFR Part 1

[Docket No. OST-1999-6189]


Organization and Delegation of Powers and Duties; Rescission of 
Delegation to the Administrator, Federal Highway Administration and 
Redelegation to Director, Office of Motor Carrier Safety

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) rescinds the 
currently delegated authority of the Federal Highway Administrator to 
perform motor carrier safety functions and operations and redelegates 
it to the Director of a new Office of Motor Carrier Safety in the 
Department of Transportation. This action enables the Department to 
continue most of the activities performed by the Federal Highway 
Administration's Office of Motor Carrier Safety consistently with 
section 338 of the FY 2000 Department of Transportation and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This rule is effective on October 9, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Charles Medalen, Office of the 
Chief Counsel, HCC-20, (202) 366-1354, Department of Transportation, 
Federal Highway Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20590; or Ms. Gwyneth Radloff, Office of the General Counsel, (202) 
366-9319, Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded by using a 
computer, modem, and suitable communications software from the 
Government Printing Office's Electronic Bulletin Board Service at (202) 
512-1661. Internet users may reach the Office of the Federal Register's 
home page at: http://www.nara.gov/fedreg and the Government Printing 
Office's database at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara. You can also view 
and download this document by going to the webpage of the Department's 
Docket Management System (http://dms.dot.gov/). On that page, click on 
``search.'' On the next page, type in the four-digit docket number 
shown on the first page of this document (6189). Then click on 
``search.''

Background

    Section 338 of the FY 2000 Department of Transportation and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act (Public Law 106-69) prohibits the Federal 
Highway Administration (FHWA) from spending funds to carry out the 
functions and operations of its Office of Motor Carriers (OMC). The 
legislation provides that, if the Secretary delegates those functions 
and operations outside of the FHWA, the funds shall also be 
transferred. Accordingly, the Secretary is rescinding the current 
delegation of his authority to the Federal Highway Administrator in 49 
CFR 1.48 (h), (i), (p), (u), (v), (w), (z), (aa), (hh), (ii), and (jj) 
to carry out motor carrier functions and operations and gives notice 
that the Director of a new Office of Motor Carrier Safety in the 
Department of Transportation will exercise those functions and 
operations to the full extent permitted by section 338. This rule 
amends 49 CFR 1.4 and adds a new Sec. 1.73 to reflect the Secretary's 
redelegation of these motor carrier functions to the new Office of 
Motor Carrier Safety.
    Duties and powers related to motor carrier safety, vested in the 
Secretary by chapter 5 and 315 of title 49, U.S.C., are specifically 
delegated by statute to the Federal Highway Administrator by 49 U.S.C. 
104(c)(2) and cannot be exercised or transferred by the Secretary 
without legislative approval. However, the second proviso of section 
338 states that ``notwithstanding section 104(c)(2) of title 49, United 
States Code, the Federal Highway Administrator shall not carry out the 
duties and functions vested in the Secretary under 49 U.S.C. 
521(b)(5).'' Because 49 U.S.C. 521 specifically authorizes ``the 
Secretary'' to take enforcement action, 49 U.S.C. 104(c)(2) is merely a 
limitation on the Secretary's power to transfer that authority. Section 
338 now prohibits the Federal Highway Administrator from carrying out 
the imminent hazard authority of 49 U.S.C. 521(b)(5), so the general 
authority of the Secretary to implement that subsection is restored and 
may be redelegated. Accordingly, authority to carry out section 
521(b)(5) is redelegated by this rule to the director of the new Office 
of Motor Carrier Safety. It is the only function from chapters 5 or 315 
of title 49, United States Code, that is subject to this delegation. 
Although civil penalty actions are prohibited, the Secretary has 
authority to take other enforcement actions, such as issuing roadside 
out-of-service orders under 49 CFR 396.9(c) or 395.13 (a) and (b) and 
imminent hazard orders under section 521(b)(5) of title 49, United 
States Code.
    This rule is being published as a final rule and made effective on 
the date signed by the Secretary of Transportation. As the rule relates 
to Departmental organization, procedure, and practice, notice and 
comment on it are unnecessary under 5 U.S.C. 553(b). In addition, the 
functions addressed in this rule had to be transferred immediately in 
order that the Department's motor carrier safety program could continue 
to the extent permitted by section 338 of the FY 2000 Department of 
Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. For this 
reason, the Secretary for good cause finds, under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), 
to make this rule effective in less than 30 days after publication.

List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 1

    Authority delegations (Government agencies), Organization and 
functions (Government agencies).

    In consideration of the foregoing, Part 1 of title 49, Code of 
Federal Regulations, is amended as follows:

PART 1--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for Part 1 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322; 46 U.S.C. 2104(a); 28 U.S.C. 2672; 31 
U.S.C. 3711(a)(2); Pub. L. 101-552, 104 Stat. 2736; Pub L. 106-69, 
113 Stat. 1022.


Sec. 1.4  [Amended]

    2. In Sec. 1.4, remove paragraph (d)(5) and redesignate paragraph 
(d)(6) as new paragraph (d)(5).


Sec. 1.48  [Amended]

    3. In Sec. 1.48, remove and reserve paragraphs (h), (i), (p), (u), 
(v), (w), (z), (aa), (hh), (ii), and (jj).
    4. Add Sec. 1.73 to read as follows:


Sec. 1.73  Delegation to the Director of the Office of Motor Carrier 
Safety.

    The Director of the Office of Motor Carrier Safety is delegated 
authority to:
    (a) Carry out the functions and exercise the authority vested in 
the Secretary by 49 U.S.C., Subtitle IV, part B:
    (1) Chapter 131, relating to general provisions on transportation 
policy;
    (2) Chapter 133, relating to administrative provisions;
    (3) Chapter 135, relating to jurisdiction;
    (4) Chapter 137, sections 13702(a), 13702(c)(1), 13702(c)(2), 
13702(c)(3), 13704, 13707, and 13708, relating to rates, routes, and 
services;
    (5) Chapter 139, relating to registration and financial 
responsibility requirements;

[[Page 56271]]

    (6) Chapter 141, subchapter I and sections 14121 and 14122 of 
subchapter II, relating to operations of motor carriers;
    (7) Chapter 145, sections 14501, 14502, and 14504, relating to 
Federal-State relations;
    (8) Chapter 147, sections 14701 through 14708, relating to 
enforcement remedies, investigations, and motor carrier liability; and
    (9) Chapter 149, sections 14901 through 14913, relating to civil 
and criminal penalties for violations of 49 U.S.C., Subtitle IV, part 
B.
    (b) Carry out the functions and exercise the authority vested in 
the Secretary by sections 104, 403(a), and 408 of the ICC Termination 
Act of 1995, Public Law 104-88, 109 Stat. 803, relating to 
miscellaneous motor carrier provisions, railroad-highway grade crossing 
regulation and fatigue-related issues pertaining to commercial motor 
vehicle safety.
    (c) Carry out the functions vested in the Secretary by 42 U.S.C. 
4917 relating to procedures for the inspection, surveillance and 
measurement of commercial motor vehicles for compliance with interstate 
motor carrier noise emission standards and related enforcement 
activities including the promulgation of necessary regulations.
    (d)(1) Carry out the functions vested in the Secretary by 49 U.S.C. 
5121(a), (b), and (c), 5122(a) and (b), 5123, and 5124, relating to 
investigations, records, inspections, penalties, and specific relief so 
far as they apply to the transportation or shipment of hazardous 
materials by highway, including the manufacture, fabrication, marking, 
maintenance, reconditioning, repair or test of containers which are 
represented, marked, certified, or sold for use in the bulk 
transportation of hazardous materials by highway.
    (2) Carry out the functions vested in the Secretary by 49 U.S.C. 
5112 relating to highway routing of hazardous materials; 5109 relating 
to motor carrier safety permits, except subsection (f); 5125(a) and 
(c)-(f), relating to preemption determinations or waivers of preemption 
of hazardous materials highway routing requirements; 5105(e) relating 
to inspections of motor vehicles carrying hazardous material; 5119 
relating to uniform forms and procedures; and 5127(f) and (g) relating 
to credits to appropriations and availability of amounts.
    (e) Carry out the functions vested in the Secretary by 49 U.S.C. 
chapter 313 relating to commercial motor vehicle operators.
    (f) Carry out the functions vested in the Secretary by 49 U.S.C. 
13906, 31138 and 31139 relating to financial responsibility 
requirements for motor carriers, brokers, and freight forwarders.
    (g) Carry out the functions vested in the Secretary by subchapters 
I and III of chapter 311, title 49, U.S.C., relating to commercial 
motor vehicle programs and safety regulation.
    (h) Carry out the functions vested in the Secretary by 49 U.S.C. 
5708 relating to food transportation inspections; 5710 relating to the 
Secretary's powers to administer the sanitary food transportation 
regulations; 5711 relating to enforcement of sanitary food 
transportation regulations and applicable penalties; 5712 and 5714 
relating to Federal-State relations; and 5113 and 31144 relating to 
safety fitness of owners and operators.
    (i) Carry out the functions vested in the Secretary by 49 U.S.C. 
5118 relating to the use of inspectors to promote safety in the highway 
transportation of radioactive material; and 49 U.S.C. 31142(f) relating 
to application of State regulations to government-leased vehicles and 
operators.
    (j) Carry out the functions vested in the Secretary by 49 U.S.C. 
521(b)(5) relating to operations that pose an imminent hazard to 
safety.
    (k) Carry out the functions and exercise the authority delegated to 
the Secretary in section 2(d)(2) of Executive Order 12777 (3 CFR, 1992 
Comp., p. 351), with respect to highway transportation, relating to the 
approval of means to ensure the availability of private personnel and 
equipment to remove, to the maximum extent practicable, a worst case 
discharge, the review and approval of response plans, and the 
authorization of motor carriers, subject to the Federal Water Pollution 
Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1321), to operate without approved response 
plans, except as delegated in 49 CFR 1.46(m).

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 9, 1999.
Rodney E. Slater,
Secretary of Transportation.

Appendix to Preamble--Possible Congressional Action

    There is a possibility of further Congressional action regarding 
motor carrier functions and operations. If any subsequent law is 
enacted, the redelegation will be amended accordingly and published 
in the Federal Register as soon as practicable.

[FR Doc. 99-27333 Filed 10-15-99; 1:47 pm]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P