[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 138 (Thursday, July 18, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 42998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17201]



[[Page 42998]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2013-0067]


Hazardous Materials: Improving the Safety of Railroad 
Transportation of Hazardous Materials

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials, Safety Administration 
(PHMSA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Announcement of public meeting and establishment of public 
docket.

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SUMMARY: FRA and PHMSA invite interested persons to participate in a 
public meeting addressing the transportation of hazardous materials by 
rail. FRA and PHMSA are undertaking a comprehensive review of 
operational factors that affect the safety of the transportation of 
hazardous materials by rail and are seeking input from stakeholders and 
interested parties.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for August 27-28, 2013, from 
8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held in the Oklahoma Room in the 
DOT Conference Center, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 
20590.
    In order to ensure that all interested parties are provided ample 
opportunity to speak at the meeting, any person wishing to present an 
oral statement should notify Mr. Kurt Eichenlaub, Railroad Safety 
Specialist, Hazardous Materials Division, Office of Safety Assurance 
and Compliance, FRA, at least 4 business days prior to the date of the 
public meeting. Mr. Eichenlaub can be reached at (202) 493-6050 or 
[email protected]. To request special assistance or services for 
persons with disabilities, please contact Mr. Eichenlaub as soon as 
possible.
    FRA will make a teleconference line available for any interested 
party who wishes to attend the meeting by phone. Anyone interested in 
attending by phone should contact Mr. Eichenlaub prior to the meeting 
to obtain a conference call telephone number.
    Interested parties are also invited to participate in these 
proceedings by submitting written views, data, or comments. All 
communications concerning these proceedings should identify the 
appropriate docket number and may be submitted by any of the following 
methods:
     Web site: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-6478.
     Mail: Docket Operations Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 
20590.
     Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal Holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Kurt Eichenlaub, Railroad Safety 
Specialist, FRA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Mailstop 25, Washington, 
DC 20590, (202) 493-6050, [email protected]; or Mr. Karl Alexy, 
Staff Director, Hazardous Materials Division, FRA, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE., Mailstop 25, Washington, DC 20590, (202) 493-6245 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) 
has authority over all areas of railroad safety (49 U.S.C. 20101 et 
seq.) and has delegated this authority to FRA. 49 CFR 1.89(a) through 
(q). The Federal hazardous materials transportation laws, 49 U.S.C. 
5101 et seq., and the Federal Hazardous Materials Regulations.
    (HMR; Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 171-180) 
govern the safe, efficient, and secure transportation of hazardous 
materials in commerce. PHMSA administers the HMR, and FRA consults 
directly with PHMSA on regulatory matters that affect the 
transportation of hazardous materials by rail. FRA is delegated 
responsibility to carry out the functions vested in the Secretary of 
Transportation with regard to the transportation or shipment of 
hazardous materials by railroad. 49 CFR 1.89(j).
    In an effort to continually improve the agencies' hazardous 
materials safety program, FRA and PHMSA are currently conducting a 
comprehensive review of operational factors that affect the safety of 
the transportation of hazardous materials by rail. The agencies invite 
all stakeholders and interested parties to participate in this 
comprehensive review. We will consider all relevant comments, data, and 
other input presented at this public meeting. As noted above, FRA has 
established a public docket (Docket No. FRA-2013-0067) to provide 
interested parties with a central location to both send and review 
relevant information concerning the transportation of hazardous 
materials by rail. An agenda outlining the scope of the meeting will be 
posted in the public docket at least 30 days prior to the meeting. FRA 
and PHMSA encourage meeting participants to focus their discussion at 
the meeting on the topics identified in the agenda.
    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 comment (or signing the document, 
if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). 
See http://www.regulations.gov/#!privacyNotice for the privacy notice 
of regulations.gov or interested parties may review DOT's complete 
Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 
2000 (65 FR 19477).

Robert C. Lauby,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Regulatory and Legislative 
Operations.
[FR Doc. 2013-17201 Filed 7-17-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P