PHMSA Withdraws Proposed Rule to Increase HM Registration Fees. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has withdrawn a proposed rule to increase the registration fees for persons who transport, or offer for transportation, certain categories and quantities of hazardous materials.
In the notice, PHMSA is withdrawing its proposal to increase the annual registration fee to be paid by registrants qualifying as a small business or not-for-profit organization to $375 (i.e., a $125 increase), and to be paid by registrants not qualifying as a small business or not-for-profit organization to $3,000 (i.e., a $425 increase).
By separate rulemaking notices, however, PHMSA will go forward with proposals to implement an electronic-only payment system and to clarify fee program requirements.
PHMSA Announces Data Driven Approach to Enforcement. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has released a memorandum outlining a new data-driven framework on outreach, inspection, and enforcement practices within its Office of Hazardous Materials Safety. The agency said its inspection priorities target the highest-risk areas in hazardous materials transportation, including:
- General hazardous materials shippers: Routine oversight of shippers helps ensure that the foundational requirements of the HMR are consistently met.
- Cylinder requalification facilities: Proper cylinder maintenance and requalification are essential to preventing catastrophic failures during transportation.
- Cylinder manufacturing (both foreign and domestic entities): Ensuring compliance at the point of manufacture supports the safe distribution and use of cylinders throughout the supply chain.
- Drum manufacturing operations: Quality oversight at manufacturing facilities minimizes risks associated with packaging failures.
- Drum recertification entities: Verifying recertification processes protects the integrity of reused packaging and prevents unsafe containers from re-entering commerce.
- Follow-up inspections of companies with previous major safety violations (recidivism focus): Revisiting high-risk companies reinforces compliance expectations and helps deter repeat violations.
- Shippers of lithium batteries: Increased oversight in this rapidly growing sector helps prevent incidents associated with improperly packaged or declared batteries.
- ndeclared hazardous material shippers operating via e-commerce platforms: Targeting undeclared shipments strengthens our ability to address emerging risks in an evolving marketplace.
