[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 3 (Thursday, January 4, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 847-848]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-239]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration

[Docket No. RSPA-00-7283; Notice No. 01-03]


Hazardous Materials Safety: Public Meeting Related to Customer 
Service and Regulatory Review

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: RSPA will hold a public meeting to seek information from the 
public on improving safety, reducing costs (especially to small 
businesses) and increasing customer service through RSPA's management 
of the national hazardous materials transportation safety program. This 
meeting is being held in conjunction with a Hazardous Materials 
Multimodal Training Seminar sponsored by RSPA on February 6 and 7, 
2001.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the Westin Long Beach 
Hotel, 333 East Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90802 (562-436-3000). For 
information on facilities or services for individuals with disabilities 
or to request special assistance at the meetings, contact Michael 
Johnsen at the address or phone number listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT as soon as possible.

DATES: The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 7, 2001, 
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; however, the meeting may end prior to 5:00 
p.m., dependent upon public interest.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Johnsen, Office of Hazardous 
Materials Standards, RSPA, Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Phone (202) 366-8553.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Focus on Issues of Interest to Affected Parties

    RSPA (``we'' and ``our'') is interested in soliciting comments on 
the kind and quality of services our customers want and their level of 
satisfaction with the services we currently provide to promote 
understanding and compliance with the Hazardous Materials Regulations 
(HMR; 49 CFR parts 171-180). These services include the following:
    (1) Hazardous Materials Information Center (HMIC). A staff of three 
persons is available Monday to Friday (except Federal holidays) between 
9:00 am and 5:00 pm (Eastern time) to address telephonic inquiries from 
shippers, carriers, packaging manufacturers and other persons 
concerning requirements in the HMR for the safe transportation of 
hazardous materials. In 2000, the HMIC handled more than 33,000 calls. 
The toll-free number is 1-800-HMR-4922.
    (2) Internet access. Our site on the worldwide web (http://hazmat.dot.gov) provides information concerning hazardous materials 
rulemakings, exemptions, letters of clarification, international 
activities, incident data, the 2000 Emergency Response Guidebook and 
much more.
    (3) Fax on demand. For persons who do not have access to the 
internet, we operate an automated fax-back system that allows callers 
access to more than 600 pages of informational materials, including 
letters of clarification and recently published rulemakings, through 
their own fax machines. A facsimile copy of the catalog of available 
documents may be obtained by accessing the fax-on-demand feature 
through our HMIC number 1-800-HMR-4922.
    (4) Training. To promote compliance with the HMR, we distribute 
brochures, charts, publications, training materials, videotapes, and 
other safety-related information to hazmat employers and hazmat 
employees in the private and government sectors, as well as to the 
general public. Hazardous materials training is provided to Federal, 
State and local enforcement agencies, industry, and emergency response 
personnel. In addition, we provide personal computer based self-study 
programs through a CD-ROM modular training series.
    (5) Government-Industry partnerships. To the extent permitted 
through our limited resources, we participate in meetings, conferences, 
training workshops, and the like sponsored by public sector, industry, 
and international organizations having an interest in the safe 
transportation of hazardous materials.

Regulations and Administrative Procedures

    On December 20, 1999, we published a notice of regulatory review 
(Docket No. RSPA-99-5143, 64 FR 71098) requesting comments on the 
economic impact of the regulations on small entities. This year we are 
analyzing rules in 49 CFR parts 174 and 177, Carriage by Rail and 
Carriage by Public Highway, respectively. Meeting participants are 
invited to take this opportunity to suggest whether specific rules in 
these parts should be revised or revoked to lessen the impact on small 
entities.
    We are interested, also, in receiving comments on the quality of 
our processing of written requests for information, applications for 
exemptions and approvals, registration statements, and other 
administrative actions. Meeting participants are encouraged to provide 
suggestions on how we may improve our performance in processing these 
administrative actions.
    We welcome all comments on ways to improve understanding and 
compliance with the HMR, including removal of obsolete requirements, 
revisions to conflicting or confusing requirements, and the use of 
plain language in regulations. We will address inquiries concerning new 
or proposed requirements, including recently

[[Page 848]]

published rulemaking actions concerning:
     RSPA's registration and fee assessment program (Docket No. 
RSPA-00-8439; 65 FR 76890, December 7, 2000); and
     Harmonization of requirements in the HMR pertaining to the 
transportation of hazardous materials with standards published by the 
United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, the 
International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, and the International 
Civil Aviation Organization's Technical Instructions for the Safe 
Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (Docket No. RSPA-2000-7702; 65 FR 
63294, October 23, 2000).
    Representatives from the United States Coast Guard, Federal 
Aviation Administration, Federal Railroad Administration and Federal 
Motor Carrier Safety Administration will participate with RSPA in this 
public meeting and address modal-specific issues.

Conduct of the Meeting

    This is an informal meeting intended to produce a dialogue between 
agency personnel and persons affected by the hazardous materials 
transportation safety program. The presiding official may find it 
necessary to limit the time available to each person to ensure that all 
participants have an opportunity to speak. Conversely, this meeting may 
conclude early if all persons wishing to participate have been heard. 
While there will be no transcript of the meeting, RSPA will prepare a 
written summary of the meeting and post it in this notice's docket 
(RSPA-00-7283). Persons interested in participating in this public 
meeting need not be registered for the Hazardous Materials Multimodal 
Training Seminar.

    Issued in Washington, D.C. on December 29, 2000.
Robert A. McGuire,
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. 01-239 Filed 1-3-01; 8:45 am]
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