WASHINGTON, D.C.–U.S. Rep. Sam Graves inserted several provisions into the 2012 Highway Bill that was introduced today. Graves took direct aim at the type of regulations that increase the amount of red tape, but slow job creation. 

“These are exactly the type of taxes and regulations that stifle job creation and result in bureaucratic red tape,” said Graves, the Chairman of the Small Business Committee. “We have thousands of pages of regulations that result in confusion, time delays and lawyer’s fees. The amount of regulations coming from Washington is dizzying and it’s time to push back.”

Graves was able to attach language to:

• Requires the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHSMA) to incorporate all special permits that have been in continuous effect for 6 years into the Hazardous Materials Regulations. This would end the need to reapply for the permit every two years and incorporate special permits into the Hazardous Materials regulations.

• Blocks $12 million in requested new taxes on a small subset of businesses involved in the transportation of hazardous materials. In over a decade, no fatalities have been attributed to transportation activities that were permitted by PHSMA.

• Require PHSMA to conduct a formal rulemaking on fitness determination for transportation of hazardous materials. The procedure used in 2010 resulted in a complex standard that was not transparent and did not provide an opportunity for feedback.

• Requires the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to recommend changes to the Hazardous Materials Safety Permit program. The current program has resulted in arbitrary standards and is tilted against short-haul carriers with specialized equipment.

The bill, H.R. 7, was introduced and referred to the House Transportation Committee this week.

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