[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 50 (Thursday, March 14, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 11456]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-6122]


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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; use the North American Industry 
Classification System for size criteria for determining if an entity is 
a small business; and allow payment by additional credit cards than 
previously authorized. Consistent with the President's Fiscal Year 2003 
budget request to Congress, RSPA is further delaying final action on 
these proposals pending enactment of the Fiscal Year 2003 Department of 
Transportation appropriations. Therefore, under the existing 
regulations, for registration year 2002-2003, which begins July 1, 
2002, the registration fees remain $300 (including a $25 processing 
fee) for small businesses and $2,000 (including a $25 processing fee) 
for all other registrants.

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 a 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, training and related activities by States, local governments, 
and Indian tribes. RSPA also proposed to charge not-for-profit 
organizations the same registration fee as a small business; amend its 
reference to the Small Business Administration's (SBA) small business 
criteria to reflect SBA's replacement of the Standard Industrial 
Classification (SIC) code system with the North American Industry 
Classification System; and allow payment by additional credit cards 
than previously authorized.
    On May 2, 2001 (66 FR 22080), RSPA published a status document in 
the Federal Register stating that, consistent with the President's 
Fiscal Year 2002 budget request to Congress, it was delaying final 
action on the proposals in the NPRM pending enactment of the Fiscal 
Year 2002 Department of Transportation appropriations. In that budget 
request, the President proposed to fund a portion of RSPA's hazardous 
materials safety program from fees collected through the Hazardous 
Materials Registration program. Although that proposal was not adopted 
by Congress in the Fiscal Year 2002 DOT appropriations, the President's 
Fiscal Year 2003 budget request to Congress again proposes to fund a 
portion of RSPA's hazardous materials safety program budget from fees 
collected through the Hazardous Materials Registration program. 
Therefore, consistent with the President's current budget request to 
Congress, RSPA is again delaying final action on the proposals 
contained in this rulemaking to temporarily reduce registration fees 
pending enactment of the Fiscal Year 2003 Department of Transportation 
appropriations.
    Consistent with current regulations, for registration year 2002-
2003, which begins July 1, 2002, 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 registrants. 
Later this year, RSPA intends to issue a final rule on other proposals 
contained in the December 7, 2000 NPRM. A copy of the 2002-2003 
registration form can be obtained after May 1, 2002, 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 March 8, 2002.
Frits Wybenga,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. 02-6122 Filed 3-13-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P