[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 2, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 22080]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-10953]



[[Page 22079]]

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Part II





Department of Transportation





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Research and Special Programs Administration



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49 CFR Part 107



Hazardous Materials: Temporary Reduction of Registration Fees; Proposed 
Rule

  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 2, 2001 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 22080]]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration

49 CFR Part 107

[Docket No. RSPA-00-8439 (HM-208D)]
RIN 2137-AD53


Hazardous Materials: Temporary Reduction of Registration Fees

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

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; status.

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SUMMARY: RSPA is issuing this document to inform persons of the status 
of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) which it published in the 
Federal Register on December 7, 2000, proposing to: temporarily lower 
the registration fees paid by persons who transport or offer for 
transportation in commerce certain categories and quantities of 
hazardous materials; charge not-for-profit organizations the same 
registration fee as a small business; and use the North American 
Industry Classification System for size criteria for determining if an 
entity is a small business. Consistent with the President's fiscal year 
2002 budget request to Congress, RSPA is delaying final action on these 
proposals pending enactment of the Fiscal Year 2002 Department of 
Transportation appropriations. Therefore, under the existing 
regulations, for registration year 2001-2002, which begins July 1, 
2001, the registration fees remain $300 (including a $25 processing 
fee) for small businesses and $2,000 (including a $25 processing fee) 
for all other businesses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Donaldson, Office of 
Hazardous Materials Planning and Analysis, (202) 366-4484, or Ms. 
Deborah Boothe, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards, (202) 366-
8553, Research and Special Programs Administration, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 7, 2000 (65 FR 76889), RSPA 
issued an NPRM proposing to temporarily lower the registration fee for 
all registrants for the next six registration years (2001-2002 through 
2006-2007) in order to eliminate an unexpended balance (or surplus) in 
the Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) grants fund. The 
HMEP grants program supports hazardous material emergency response 
planning and training activities by States, local governments, and 
Indian tribes and related activities. RSPA also proposed to amend its 
reference to the Small Business Administration (SBA) small business 
criteria to reflect SBA's recent replacement of the Standard Industrial 
Classification (SIC) code system with the North American Industry 
Classification System. In addition, RSPA proposed to allow payment by 
additional credit cards than previously authorized.
    On April 9, 2001 the President submitted his fiscal year 2002 
budget request to Congress. In that budget request, the President 
proposes to fund a portion of RSPA's hazardous materials safety program 
budget from fees collected through the Hazardous Materials Registration 
program. Consistent with the President's budget request to Congress, 
RSPA is delaying final action on all proposals contained in this 
rulemaking pending enactment of the Fiscal Year 2002 Department of 
Transportation appropriations.
    Therefore, under the existing regulations, for registration year 
2001-2002, which begins July 1, 2001, the registration fees remain 
unchanged at $300 (including a $25 processing fee) for small businesses 
and $2,000 (including a $25 processing fee) for all other businesses. 
RSPA is also delaying action on all other proposals contained in the 
December 7, 2000 NPRM. RSPA received 19 comments to the NPRM. These 
comments will be considered in any future rulemaking action published 
under this docket. A copy of the 2001-2002 registration form can be 
obtained after May 1, 2001, from our web site at http://hazmat.dot.gov/register.htm and from our fax-on-demand service at 1-800-467-4922 
(extension 2; document 700) .

    Issued in Washington, DC, on April 27, 2001.
Robert A. McGuire,
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. 01-10953 Filed 5-1-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P