In an effort to “drive down energy costs”, the U.S. Department of Transportation is making several amendments to its hazardous materials regulations.
On Wednesday, Jan. 14, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration published a final rule in the Federal Register that would alter several hazardous materials regulations. According to the agency, the amendments are intended to “reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens associated with the safe transportation of hazardous materials.”
For carriers, the most notable change concerns hazardous-material placards, specifically the marking requirements for transporting multiple petroleum distillate fuels. Under the amended regulations, carriers will now be able to mark tankers with the identification number of the fuel with the lowest flashpoint transported in the same or previous day.
The agency said this change was being made “to eliminate the need for continuous changes in identification numbers in many operations where gasoline and fuel oil are transported in the same cargo tank on different trips during the same day.”
Another amendment concerns the use of external coverings other than paint to meet reflectivity requirements for uninsulated cargo tanks. Under the new rules, tanks can now use wraps or covers as an alternative means to provide reflectivity.
PHMSA is also modifying regulations governing the inspection of cargo tanks. The agency will now permit the use of video cameras or video optics equipment for use in cargo tank inspections or tests.
All of the new regulations will go into effect on Feb. 13.
According to the agency, the modifications to the hazardous materials regulations will result in over $600 million in annualized cost savings for the transportation industry.
“The amendments adopted in this final rule provide substantial cost savings by reducing unnecessary burdens on the transportation of petroleum distillate fuels, such as gasoline and diesel fuel, by motor carriers,” the agency said. “This final rule also provides cost savings to the hazardous materials packaging industry by removing an unnecessary training requirement and adopting measures allowing the use of technologies that introduce efficiencies for cargo tank tests and inspections.”
The amendments were part of a notice of proposed rulemaking originally published in Oct. 2024 titled “Hazardous Materials: Advancing Safety of Highway, Rail, and Vessel Transportation”. The agency said several of the proposals from that NPRM were not being advanced.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we’re driving down energy costs by encouraging innovation and cutting unnecessary red tape,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement. “These commonsense changes will make day-to-day life more affordable for American families while continuing to maintain the highest levels of safety.” LL
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