[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 40 (Monday, March 1, 2004)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 9565-9567]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-4401]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration

49 CFR Parts 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, and 178

[Docket No. RSPA-04-17167 (Notice No. 04-02)]


Regulatory Flexibility Act Section 610 and Plain Language Reviews

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

ACTION: Notice of regulatory review; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: RSPA requests comments on the economic impact of its 
regulations on small entities. As required by the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act and as published in DOT's Semi-Annual Regulatory 
Agenda, we are analyzing the rules applicable to the transportation of 
explosives and of hazardous materials in cylinders to identify 
requirements that may have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities. We also request comments on ways 
to make these regulations easier to read and understand.

DATES: Comments must be received by June 1, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Address written comments to the Dockets Management System, 
U.S. Department of Transportation, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Identify the docket number RSPA-04-
17167 at the beginning of your comments and submit two copies. If you 
want to receive confirmation of receipt of your comments, include a 
self-addressed, stamped postcard. You can also submit comments by e-
mail by accessing the Dockets Management System on the Internet at 
http://dms.dot.gov. or by fax to (202) 366-3753.
    The Dockets Management System is located on the Plaza Level of the 
Nassif Building at the Department of Transportation at the above 
address. You can review public dockets there between the hours of 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. In 
addition, you can review comments by accessing the Dockets Management 
System at http://dms.dot.gov.
    Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments 
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT''s 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477) or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Gorsky, Office of Hazardous 
Materials Standards, Research and Special Programs Administration, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, telephone (202) 366-8553; or Donna 
O'Berry, Office of Chief Counsel, Research and Special Programs 
Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, telephone (202) 366-
4400.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act

A. Background and Purpose

    Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-
354), as amended by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness 
Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-121), requires agencies to conduct periodic 
reviews of rules that have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small business entities. The purpose of the 
review is to determine whether such rules should be continued without 
change, amended, or rescinded, consistent with the objectives of 
applicable statutes, to minimize any significant economic impact of the 
rules on a substantial number of such small entities.

B. Review Schedule

    The Department of Transportation (DOT) published its Semiannual 
Regulatory Agenda on December 9, 2002, listing in Appendix D (67 FR 
74799) those regulations that each operating administration will review 
under section 610 during the next 12 months. Appendix D also contains 
DOT's 10-year review plan for all of its existing regulations.
    The Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA, we) has 
divided its Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) 
into 10 groups by subject area. Each group will be reviewed once every 
10 years, undergoing a two-stage process--an Analysis Year and Section 
610 Review Year. For purposes of the review announced in this notice, 
the Analysis year began in December 2002, coincident with the Fall 2002 
publication of the Semiannual Regulatory Agenda, and will conclude in 
the fall of 2003.
    During the Analysis Year, we will analyze each of the rules in a 
given year's group to determine whether any rule has a significant 
impact on a substantial number of small entities and, thus, requires 
review in accordance with section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility 
Act. In each fall's Regulatory Agenda, we will publish the results of 
the analyses we completed during the previous year. For rules that have 
a negative finding, we will provide a short explanation. For parts, 
subparts, or other discrete sections of rules that do have a 
significant impact on a substantial number of small entities, we will 
announce that we will be conducting a formal section 610 review during 
the following 12 months.
    The section 610 review will determine whether a specific rule 
should be revised or revoked to lessen its impact on small entities. We 
will consider: (1) The continued need for the rule; (2) the nature of 
complaints or comments received from the public; (3) the complexity of 
the rule; (4) the extent to which the rule overlaps, duplicates, or 
conflicts with other federal rules or with state or local government 
rules; and (5) the length of time since the rule has been evaluated or 
the degree to which technology, economic conditions,

[[Page 9566]]

or other factors have changed in the area affected by the rule. At the 
end of the Review Year, we will publish the results of our review.
    The following table shows the 10-year analysis and review schedule:

                                     RSPA Section 610 Review Plan--1999-2009
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                    Title                                 Regulation              Analysis  year   Review  year
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Incident reports............................  Sec.  Sec.   171.15 and 171.16....            1988             N/A
Hazmat safety procedures....................  Parts 106 and 107.................            1999             N/A
General Information, Regulations, and         Part 171..........................
 Definitions.
Carriage by Rail and Highway................  Parts 174 and 177.................            2000             N/A
Carriage by Vessel..........................  Part 176..........................            2001             N/A
Radioactive Materials.......................  Parts 172, 173, 174, 175, 176,                2002            2003
                                               177, 178.
Explosives..................................  Parts 172, 173, 174, 176, 177.....            2003            2004
Cylinders...................................  Parts 172, 173, 174, 176, 177,
                                               178, 180.
Shippers--General Requirements for Shipments  Part 173..........................            2004            2005
 and Packagings.
Specifications for Non-bulk Packagings......  Part 178..........................            2005            2006
Training and planning grants................  Part 110..........................
Specifications for Bulk Packagings..........  Parts 178, 179, 180...............            2006            2007
Hazardous Materials Table, Special            Part 172..........................            2007            2008
 Provisions, Hazardous Materials
 Communications, Emergency Response
 Information, and Training Requirements.
Carriage by Aircraft........................  Part 175..........................
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C. Regulations Under Analysis

    During Year 6 (2003-2004), the Analysis Year, we will conduct a 
preliminary assessment of the rules in 49 CFR Parts 172, 173, 174, 176, 
177, 178, and 180 applicable to explosives transportation and to the 
transportation of hazardous materials in cylinders. The review will 
include the following parts and subparts applicable to the 
transportation of explosives:

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           Subpart                               Title
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                                Part 172
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Subpart B....................  Table of Hazardous Materials and Special
                                Provisions.
Subpart C....................  Shipping Papers.
Subpart D....................  Marking.
Subpart E....................  Labeling.
Subpart F....................  Placarding.
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                                Part 173
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Subpart C....................  Definitions, Classification, and
                                Packaging for Explosives.
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                                Part 174
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Subpart E....................  Class 1 (Explosive) Materials.
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                                Part 176
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Subpart G....................  Detailed Requirements for Class 1
                                (Explosive) Materials.
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                                Part 177
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Subpart B:                     Loading and Unloading:
  Sec.   177.835.............    Class 1 (explosive) Materials.
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    The review will include the following parts and subparts applicable 
to the transportation of hazardous materials in cylinders:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Subpart                               Title
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                Part 172
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Subpart B....................  Table of Hazardous Materials and Special
                                Provisions.
Subpart C....................  Shipping Papers.
Subpart D....................  Marking.
Subpart E....................  Labeling.
Subpart F....................  Placarding.
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[[Page 9567]]

 
                                Part 173
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Subpart B:
  Sec.   173.40..............  General packaging requirements for toxic
                                materials packaged in cylinders.
Subpart E....................  Non-bulk Packaging for Hazardous
                                Materials Other than Class 1 and Class
                                7.
Subpart G....................  Gases; Preparation and Packaging.
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                                Part 174
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Subpart F....................  Detailed Requirements for Class 2 (Gases)
                                Materials.
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                                Part 176
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Subpart H....................  Detailed Requirements for Class 2
                                (Compressed Gas) Materials.
------------------------------
                                Part 177
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Subpart B:                     Loading and Unloading:
  Sec.   177.840.............    Class 2 (gases) Materials
  Sec.   177.841.............    Division 6.1 (poisonous) and Division
                                  2.3 (poisonous gas) materials.
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                                Part 178
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Subpart C....................  Specifications for Cylinders.
------------------------------
                                Part 180
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Subpart C....................  Qualification, Maintenance, and Use of
                                Cylinders.
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    We are seeking comments on whether any requirements for explosives 
transportation or the transportation of hazardous materials in 
cylinders in Parts 172, 173, 174, 176, 177, and 178 have a significant 
impact on a substantial number of small entities. ``Small entities'' 
include small businesses, not-for-profit organizations that are 
independently owned and operated and are not dominant in their fields, 
and governmental jurisdictions with populations under 50,000. If your 
business or organization is a small entity and if any of the 
transportation requirements applicable to the transportation of 
explosives or cylinders in Parts 172, 173, 174, 176, 177, and 178 has a 
significant economic impact on your business or organization, please 
submit a comment explaining how and to what degree these rules affect 
you, the extent of the economic impact on your business or 
organization, and why you believe the economic impact is significant.

II. Plain Language

A. Background and Purpose

    Plain language helps readers find requirements quickly and 
understand them easily. Examples of plain language techniques include:
    (1) Undesignated center headings to cluster related sections within 
subparts.
    (2) Short words, sentences, paragraphs, and sections to speed up 
reading and enhance understanding.
    (3) Sections as questions and answers to provide focus.
    (4) Personal pronouns to reduce passive voice and draw readers into 
the writing.
    (5) Tables to display complex information in a simple, easy-to-read 
format.
    For an example of a rule drafted in plain language, you can refer 
to RSPA's final rule entitled ``Revised and Clarified Hazardous 
Materials Safety Rulemaking and Program Procedures,'' which was 
published June 25, 2002 (67 FR 42948). This final rule revised and 
clarified the hazardous materials safety rulemaking and program 
procedures by rewriting 49 CFR Part 106 and Subpart A of Part 107 in 
plain language and creating a new part 105 that contains definitions 
and general procedures.

B. Review Schedule

    In conjunction with our section 610 reviews, we will be performing 
plain language reviews of the HMR over a 10-year period on a schedule 
consistent with the section 610 review schedule. Thus, our review of 
requirements in Parts 172, 173, 174, 176, 177, and 178 applicable to 
the transportation of explosives and of hazardous materials in 
cylinders will also include a plain language review to determine if the 
regulations can be reorganized and/or rewritten to make them easier to 
read, understand, and use. We encourage interested persons to submit 
draft regulatory language that clearly and simply communicates 
regulatory requirements, and other recommendations, such as putting 
information in tables or consolidating regulatory requirements, that 
may make the regulations easier to use.

    Issued in Washington, DC on February 23, 2004 under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR Part 106.
Robert A. McGuire,
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety Research and 
Special Programs Administration.
[FR Doc. 04-4401 Filed 2-27-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P