[Federal Register: June 23, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 120)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 36365-36366]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23jn05-26]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
49 CFR Parts 107, 171, 172, 173, 178, and 180
[Docket No. RSPA-2005-17463 (HM-220E)]
RIN 2137-AD91
Hazardous Materials: Requirements for Cylinders; Extension of
Comment Period
AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA),
Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM); extension of comment
period.
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SUMMARY: PHMSA is extending until September 6, 2005, the period for
interested persons to submit comments on the March 9, 2005 notice of
proposed rulemaking. In the March 9, 2005 NPRM, we proposed to amend
the Hazardous Materials Regulations to adopt standards for the design,
construction, maintenance and use of cylinders and multiple-element gas
containers (MEGCs) based on the standards contained in the United
Nations (UN) Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods.
Aligning the HMR with the UN
[[Page 36366]]
Recommendations will promote flexibility, permit the use of
technological advances for the manufacture of pressure receptacles,
provide for a broader selection of pressure receptacles, reduce the
need for exemptions, and facilitate international commerce in the
transportation of compressed gases.
DATES: Submit comments by September 6, 2005. To the extent possible, we
will consider comments received after this date in developing a final
rule.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by the docket number
PHMSA-2005-17463 (HM-220E) by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Web site: http://dms.dot.gov Follow the instructions for
submitting comments on the DOT electronic docket site.
Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
Mail: Docket Management System; U.S. Department of
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401,
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Hand Delivery: To the Docket Management System; Room PL-
401 on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
Instructions: You must include the agency name (Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration) and docket number (PHMSA-
2005-17463 (HM220E)) or the Regulatory Identification Number (RIN 2137-
AD91) for this notice at the beginning of your comments. You should
submit two copies of your comments if you submit them by mail. If you
wish to receive confirmation that PHMSA received your comments, you
must include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Note that all comments
received will be posted without change to http://dms.dot.gov, including
any personal information provided, and will be accessible to Internet
users. Please see the Privacy Act section of this document.
Docket: You may view the public docket through the Internet at
http://dms.dot.gov or in person at the Docket Management System office
at the above address.
for further information contact: Ms. Hattie L. Mitchell, Office of
Hazardous Materials Standards, (202) 366-8553, Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400
Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
supplementary information:
I. Background
On March 9, 2005, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration (PHMSA, we) published a notice of proposed rulemaking
(NPRM) under Docket No. PHMSA-2005-17463 (HM-220E) (70 FR 11768). In
the NPRM, we proposed to amend the Hazardous Materials Regulations
(HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) to adopt standards for the design,
construction, maintenance and use of cylinders and multiple-element gas
containers (MEGCs) based on the standards contained in the United
Nations (UN) Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods.
Aligning the HMR with the UN Recommendations will promote flexibility,
permit the use of technological advances for the manufacture of
pressure receptacles, provide for a broader selection of pressure
receptacles, reduce the need for exemptions, and facilitate
international commerce in the transportation of compressed gases. We
proposed to incorporate by reference 21 new standards developed by the
International Standards Organization (ISO) that contain the design,
construction, testing and requalification requirements for the new UN
cylinders and MEGCs. The 120-day comment period for the proposed rule
was to end on July 7, 2005.
On June 10, 2005, Mr. Lawrence W. Bierlein filed comments to the
docket on behalf of Arrowhead Industrial Services, Inc., requesting an
extension of the comment period of an additional 90 days, until October
6, 2005. Arrowhead stated that after ordering the ISO standards, the
comment period remaining provides insufficient time for them to
complete their analysis, draft comments, and coordinate with
associations and others involved in the process.
We agree the comment period should be extended to allow additional
time for commenters to address the proposals. Therefore, we are
allowing an additional 60 days for submission of comments, until
September 6, 2005. We will consider comments received after this date
to the extent possible in developing a final rule.
II. Regulatory Notice
Privacy Act
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 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 19477-78) or you may visit
http://dms.dot.gov.
Issued in Washington, DC, on June 17, 2005, under the authority
delegated in 49 CFR Part 106.
Robert A. McGuire,
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. 05-12459 Filed 6-22-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-M