[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 225 (Wednesday, November 21, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69925-69926]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-28245]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2012-0301; Notice No. 12-10]


Assessment of Hazardous Materials Incident Data Collection, 
Analysis, Reporting, and Use

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), 
DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice is a request for comments and information to be 
used for an assessment to improve the collection, analysis, reporting, 
and use of data related to accidents and incidents involving the 
transportation of hazardous materials. This notice is being conducted 
in support of the ``Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century'' 
(MAP-21) Act.

DATES: Comments must be received by December 28, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by identification of the docket 
number (PHMSA-2012-12-10) by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Operations, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building, Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Routing 
Symbol M-30, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: To Docket Operations, Room W12-140 on the 
ground floor of the West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and 
docket number for this notice at the beginning of the comment. All 
comments received will be posted without change to the Federal Docket 
Management System (FDMS), including any personal information.
    Docket: For access to the dockets to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov or DOT's Docket 
Operations Office (see ADDRESSES).
    Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of any 
written communications and comments received into any of our dockets by 
the name of the individual submitting the document (or signing the 
document, 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 (Volume 65, Number 70; 
Pages 19477-78).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Lehman or Ms. Yolanda 
Braxton, Office of Hazardous Materials Safety, Department of 
Transportation, Washington, DC 20590; (202) 366-1074.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    PHMSA, and its predecessor agency the Research and Special Programs

[[Page 69926]]

Administration (RSPA), have collected hazardous materials incident 
reports for over 40 years. The Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 
CFR Parts 171-180) establish requirements for an immediate report (see 
Sec.  171.15) and a detailed incident report (Form DOT F5800.1; see 
Sec.  171.16). Over 500,000 detailed incident reports have been 
collected over time. The incident data and information is generally 
used by PHMSA to:
    1. Evaluate regulatory effectiveness;
    2. Determine the need for regulatory changes to address changing 
transportation safety problems;
    3. Identify major problem or risk areas that should receive 
priority attention;
    4. Chart trends;
    5. Identify problems and training inadequacies;
    6. Evaluate packages and packaging;
    7. Assess ways to reduce releases;
    8. Aid the targeting of enforcement activities; and
    9. Assist in evaluating fitness for special permits and approvals.

II. Purpose of This Notice

    Section 33006(a) of MAP-21 (Pub. L. 112-141 Sec.  33006(a), 126 
Stat. 835, July 6, 2012) requires the Department to conduct an 
assessment to improve the collection, analysis, reporting, and use of 
data related to accidents and incidents involving the transportation of 
hazardous materials.
    Section 33006(b) requires the Department to rely on the results of 
the assessment to develop an action plan and timeline for improving the 
collection, analysis, reporting, and use of data related to accidents 
and incidents involving the transportation of hazardous materials.
    The provisions of MAP-21 set an expedited timeline, with the 
assessment due not later than six months after the date of enactment 
(Sec.  33006(a)) and the action plan due three months after (Sec.  
33006(b)). Upon completion of the action plan and timeline the agency 
has fifteen days to submit them to Congress (Sec.  33006(c)).
    In this notice, PHMSA is soliciting information, comments, and 
inputs related to the required elements of the assessment contained in 
MAP-21. Specifically, please provide comments on your view of the 
methods used by PHMSA to collect, analyze, report, and use data. Also, 
please provide comments on the adequacy of and suggestions for 
improvement to:
    1. Information requested on the accident and incident reporting 
forms required to be submitted to PHMSA;
    2. Methods used by PHMSA to verify that the information provided on 
such forms is accurate and complete;
    3. Accident and incident reporting requirements, including whether 
such requirements should be expanded to include shippers and consignees 
of hazardous materials;
    4. Resources of PHMSA related to data collection, analysis, and 
reporting, including staff and information technology; and
    5. The database used by PHMSA for recording and reporting such 
accidents and incidents, including the ability of users to adequately 
search the database and find information.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on November 15, 2012 under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR Part 1.
Magdy El-Sibaie,
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety, Pipeline and 
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-28245 Filed 11-20-12; 8:45 am]
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