The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation released draft legislative language to reauthorize the federal hazardous materials regulatory program. This language, which has not yet been introduced, would likely be included in the Senate version of the highway program reauthorization bill and would have to be squared with any version passed by the House of Representatives before it became law.
The Senate hazmat legislation would:
• Authorize a pilot program on the use of paperless hazard communications systems;
• Require an assessment to improve the collection, analysis, reporting and use of data related to accidents and incidents involving the transportation of hazardous material;
• Require a rulemaking to establish uniform procedures for the safe loading and unloading of hazardous materials on and off tank cars and cargo tank trucks, including procedures for equipment inspection, personnel protection, and necessary safeguards;
• Increase of the maximum civil penalties for violations of the Hazardous Materials Regulations;
• Revise the requirements for special permit and approval applications consistent with procedures already established by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, and mandate rulemakings to consider the procedures and standards for granting special permits and approvals; and
• Require that states update their hazmat vehicle highway routing designations every 2 years.
