[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