Hazmat Items in the 5-year, $305B FAST Act Transportation Bill

HR-22, the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act—the five-year, $305 billion transportation bill announced by US Congress earlier this week—includes a number of items of interest to hazmat shippers, carriers, rail operators, manufacturers, oil and gas professionals, and others.

Below is a review of the hazmat items found in Title VII of the FAST Act. The full text of the Act is available online.

General Hazmat Items in the HR-22 FAST Act

• Makes changes to the procedures for hazmat special permits;
• Orders PHMSA to withdraw the “wetlines” rule proposed in January 2011 for external product piping on cargo tanks transporting flammable liquids;
• Requires the US Comptroller General to review the regulations for “third-party labs” that help businesses classify new explosives under 49 CFR 173.56; and
• Allows for states to waive the requirement for a commercial driver to obtain a hazardous materials endorsement on his or her Class A license to carry small volumes of diesel (> 1,000 gal.) when the truck is placarded appropriately and the driver is acting as an employee of a custom harvester operation, agrichemical business, farm retail outlet and supplier, or livestock feeder.

Hazmat by Rail Items in the HR-22 FAST Act

• Orders DOT to create regulations for real-time electronic emergency response hazmat reporting for Class I railroads;
• Requires the Comptroller General to evaluate emergency response information carried by train crews transporting hazardous materials;
• Sets a schedule for phasing out all tank cars that do not meet the requirements of DOT-117, 117P, or 117R specifications;
• Pressures US DOT to finalize the Hazardous Materials: Oil Spill Response Plans for High-Hazard Flammable Trains (HHFTs) rule proposed in August 2014; and
• Orders a number of hazmat transportation studies and reports on topics including crude oil characteristics research, hazmat by rail liability, electronically control pneumatic (ECP) brakes for rail cars.

49 CFR, IATA, and IMDG Hazmat Shipper Certification Training 

To prepare safe, compliant hazmat shipments, you need the knowledge and confidence to work with the latest 49 CFR, IATA DGR, and IMDG Code regulations.  Join experienced hazmat professionals from your area for an engaging learning experience led by instructors who help uncover the real-world meaning of the regulations that affect your job.

The Complete Multimodal Hazmat Shipper Workshops are presented in convenient locations nationwide—enroll now and get 365 days of complete on-the-job support, including access to the Finder Q&A service! 

Tags: DOT, hazmat, new rules