Hazmat, EPA, and Safety Regulations to Watch in 2022

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) just published the Fall 2021 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and De-regulatory Actions to the Federal Register. The semi-annual Agenda details new regulations that Federal agencies like US EPA, US DOT, and OSHA have planned for the near future.

Lion Members can log in to view a comprehensive breakdown of the environmental, hazmat, and safety regulations in the Member Bulletins section at Lion.com. 

Below is a recap of forthcoming industry regulations to watch in 2022.

DOT Hazmat Actions to Watch

US DOT plans to revise the 49 CFR regulations for shipping lithium batteries by air and amend the rules for shipping liquefied natural gas (LNG) by rail.

DOT/PHMSA will amend the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) to maintain alignment with international standards like the UN Model Regulations, the IMDG Code, the ICAO Technical Instructions, and updated industry consensus standards. 

EPA Hazardous Waste Actions to Watch

US EPA is planning to establish a new Federal permitting program for disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR). This would likely affect facilities with CCR disposal units subject to regulation under 40 CFR 257, Subpart D, that are located in Indian Country and in nonparticipating states.

Remaining CCR facilities would be regulated by an approved State program and would not be subject to Federal permitting requirements.

Other Environmental (US EPA) Rules to Watch

EPA will also move forward with TSCA Section 6(a) rulemakings to address “unreasonable risks” posed by chemical substances including asbestos, trichloroethylene, carbon tetrachloride, and others. Also on the agenda is a two-part rule to establish a clear, legally-sound definition for Waters of the United States (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act.

Final Rule Alert: Effective December 27, 2022, EPA added natural gas processing facilities to the list of industrial sectors subject to Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) reporting requirements under EPCRA.

OSHA Health & Safety Actions to Watch

OSHA (part of the Department of Labor) plans to update a few broadly applicable general industry standards in the near future, including lockout/tagout, powered industrial trucks (e.g., forklifts), and Hazard Communication or HazCom.

In October 2021, OSHA issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) that aims to protect indoor and outdoor workers from heat hazards and solicited public comments on relevant topics: heat-stress thresholds, heat-acclimatization planning, and exposure monitoring.

Instructor-led DOT Hazmat Training 

Develop in-depth expertise to keep hazmat shipments in full compliance with the latest 49 CFR Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR), including shippers' responsibilities for incident reporting.

Join an instructor for in-person hazmat training in Houston, Chicago, Cincinnati, San Diego, San Jose, and St. Louis in early 2022. Or join us for comprehensive, instructor-led Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification Webinar on February 7–8 or March 7–8. 

Or train at your own pace with Lion's online DOT hazmat training.
 

Tags: DOT, EPA, osha, regulatory agenda