"Hazardous Matters" is the quarterly newsletter for PHMSA's Office of Hazardous Materials Safety (OHMS). As always, it is packed with the latest news, expert tips, and essential insights for the safe handling and shipment of hazardous materials. Stay informed, stay safe!

April - June 2024

A Message from PHMSA's Associate Administrator

I am excited to share the news with you that, as of this month, the 2024 edition of the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) is available! For decades, the ERG has stood as an indispensable resource for first responders, providing vital support during the critical first phases of hazardous materials incidents.

Our unwavering goal has long been to place an ERG in every public emergency service vehicle nationwide, be it in print or through a mobile application. Part of what makes the ERG invaluable is the meticulous effort invested in each edition. Collaborating with an international team of chemists, response professionals, and partners like CANUTEC, PHMSA strives to deliver the best possible guidance to our dedicated responders.

The release of the 2024 edition marks the culmination of four years of intense collaboration, resulting in crucial updates aimed at enhancing safety outcomes for both responders and the public. As of this writing, I am delighted to inform you that print copies of the ERG 2024 are already on their way to state coordinators nationwide. PHMSA is proud to contribute 1.8 million free copies to firefighters, law enforcement, Native American Tribes, and other first responders, reaffirming our commitment to enhancing safety and preparedness. Furthermore, ERG 2024 will be available in three languages—English, Spanish, and French—to meet the diverse needs of our response community.

This edition marks the second ERG revision completed during my tenure as Associate Administrator of the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety. Each time, it has been incredibly gratifying to witness this invaluable resource placed in the hands of our first responders, ensuring they are well-equipped to handle a hazardous materials incident.

As we continue our shared commitment to safety and preparedness, I invite you to explore the ERG 2024 book, download the app, review the ERG2024 Summary of Changes brochure and join us in celebrating another milestone in our collective dedication to the well-being of our communities.

William S. Schoonover
Associate Administrator, PHMSA

Now Available: Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) 2024

First responders and law enforcement can request hard copies of the book from their state coordinators.

Other available ERG 2024 resources include:

• Full PDFs of the ERG 2024 are available in English, Spanish, and French on the PHMSA ERG Website under "Resources." PDFs include accessibility features.
   
• The ERG 2024 mobile app is available on iOS and Android. For users who have already downloaded the 2020 version, your app should automatically update. The app is available in English, Spanish, and French via the in-app settings.
   
• Want to know what's changed since 2020? The Summary of Changes, available as a PDF in both English and Spanish, highlights major updates from the ERG 2020. Print copies of this document will be available in the future by contacting training@dot.gov.
   
• Commercial Suppliers can request publishing files for ERG 2024 by contacting ERGcomments@dot.gov.
   
• PHMSA is discontinuing the ERG for Windows application, previously available for ERG 2020. We encourage you to join over 1.4M users who have downloaded the mobile app, or accessing the PDF versions of the book.

Stay tuned to the PHMSA ERG website for more updates!

Now Available: Expanded Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Statistics

The U.S. Census Bureau and PHMSA's OHMS jointly developed the 2021-2022 Expanded Hazmat Supplement (EHS), a first-of-its-kind dataset for public release. This dataset is an expansion of the 2022 Commodity Flow Survey (CFS), informed by supplemental questions about hazardous materials and new data from hazmat shippers who use DOT-regulated specification packaging.

This data includes types of hazmat shipped, packaging specifications, quantity and weight of hazmat, and the primary mode of transportation. Making this data available will help to enhance public and first responder safety, research and data-driven decision-making, social and environmental responsibility, and risk assessment and mitigation.

Access the dataset here: https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat-program-management-data-and-statistics/hazardous-material-commodity-flow-statistics.

Spotlight: Hazardous Materials Registration

The 2024-2025 registration year officially begins on July 1^st and ends on June 30^th of the following year, with early registration opening May 1^st. The updated 2024 registration brochure will be available in mid-April. To download or print this brochure, visit our website.

The tips below are intended to help you prepare for the upcoming 2024 registration year.

• To avoid errors and processing delays, please do not submit your registrations for the 2024 registration year prior to May 1st. Any registrations submitted before this date will not be processed.
   
• Online registration is the quickest and most effective way to obtain your Hazardous Materials Registration Certificate! To register online, enter through the PHMSA Portal at: https://portal.phmsa.dot.gov.
   
• When renewing your registrations, please use your HM Company ID to avoid errors in typing business name and company address. If you don't know your HM Company ID, please contact our registration help desk for assistance by phone, or email register@dot.gov.
   
• If you are in need of assistance with registration questions or concerns, please contact the Registration help desk at the following numbers:

  
  (202) 934-1630 for businesses beginning with the letters A-M
  (202) 934-1631 for businesses beginning with the letters N-Z

• If you submitted a registration by mail or ACH, please allow up to 14 days for processing. You can also call our registration help desk after 7 days to check on the status.
   
• Please check to see if you have a previous registration prior to registering or call our registration help desk for assistance if you are unsure.
   
• For financial payment issues such as disputes, refunds, or other concerns, contact the registration help desk.

Please submit only business contact information. Please note that the contact information you submit during the registration process, including names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses, may be disclosed in response to requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. § 552.

For more information, visit: https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/registration/registration-overview

Note: In response to authorization from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, PHMSA has initiated the rulemaking process, published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM), and held a Public Meeting to solicit public input on possible changes to the registration fee structure and submission options.

For additional information and access to the dockets or comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov or DOT's Docket Operations Office. The docket number for this rulemaking activity is PHMSA-2022-0033 (HM-208J). These changes have not been enacted for the 2024-2025 registration year.

Final Rule: HM-219D Adoption of Miscellaneous Petitions and Updating Regulatory Requirements

On March 4, PHMSA published the final rule HM-219D "Adoption of Miscellaneous Petitions and Updating Regulatory Requirements" in the Federal Register. This rulemaking amends the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) to update, clarify, improve the safety of, or streamline various regulatory requirements. Specifically, this rulemaking responds to petitions for rulemaking submitted by the regulated community between May 2018 and October 2020.

The rule includes revisions to regulations on compressed gas cylinders, streamlined hazard communication requirements, and the incorporation by reference of specified Compressed Gas Association (CGA) documents.

This final rule is effective on April 3, 2024, with a delayed compliance date of March 4, 2025.

Training Requirements: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

On March 13, PHMSA published a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) related to hazardous materials training requirements, as established in 49 CFR §172.700-704. The questions in this FAQ were developed in response to previous Letters of Interpretation (LOI) requests in past years, covering such topics as the definitions of a "hazmat employer" and "hazmat employee," what training must include, record keeping requirements, and more.

For more on training, consult PHMSA's compliance-assistance resources on Hazmat Transportation Training Requirements and Developing a Hazmat Training Program. PHMSA also maintains online Hazmat Transportation Training Modules, which may meet the requirements for general awareness/familiarization training and security awareness training.

This set of FAQ is the third in a series, and part of a larger initiative to address recurring requests for common letters of interpretation. Previous sets of FAQ have focused on the applicability of the Hazardous Material Regulations and incident reporting requirements.

Interested in being the first to know when PHMSA posts notices and rulemakings to the Federal Register? Receive email notifications from the Federal Register whenever PHMSA posts by visiting the Federal Register site and clicking 'Subscribe' at https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/pipeline-and-hazardous-materials-safety-administration.

Lithium Batteries in Reverse Logistics

Do you deal with lithium batteries in the returns stream?

Lithium cells and batteries are not eligible for the reverse logistics exception, due to the risks they pose in transportation. PHMSA has created the following resources to help you package and ship lithium batteries safely:

• Lithium Battery Guide for Shippers, for determining how to package and ship lithium batteries
   
• Understanding the Risks of Damaged, Defective, or Recalled (DDR) Lithium Batteries for identifying and shipping DDR batteries.

Coming soon: "Safe Returns: Understanding Hazmat Returns and the Reverse Logistics Exception"

PHMSA develops compliance assistance materials that make it easier to understand and comply with the HMR. All resources below are available at: https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/training/hazmat/publications.

For additional information contact:
The Hazardous Materials Info Center
1.800.HMR.4922 or (1.800.467.4922)
E-mail: infocntr@dot.gov
https://www.phmsa.dot.gov

Questions or suggestions for the next newsletter? Email Training@dot.gov, with the subject: "Newsletter."

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