Hazardous Matters April - June 2025
"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 2025
Introducing New Leadership
PHMSA is pleased to welcome Mr. Ben Kochman as Deputy Administrator and current Acting Administrator. Ben joins us from the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA), where he served as Director of Pipeline Safety Policy. In this role, he led efforts to advocate for effective federal safety policy on behalf of the interstate natural gas pipeline and storage industry.
This appointment marks a return for Mr. Kochman, who held executive level appointed positions within the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) previously, including serving as PHMSA's Director of Governmental, International, and Public Affairs. In that role, he served as the lead executive representing the Agency before Congress, the media, and stakeholder groups. Mr. Kochman also served as a Senior Congressional Affairs Officer on behalf of former Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao, where he acted as a liaison with Congress for a variety of issues, including assisting with outreach for PHMSA. Learn more about Mr. Kochman here.
Deputy Administrator Kochman is committed to President Trump's goal of alleviating unnecessary regulatory burdens while maintaining our safe transportation system. Share your input with us today!
Also returning to PHMSA is Keith Coyle, who has been appointed to PHMSA's leadership team as our new Chief Counsel. Before joining PHMSA, Mr. Coyle was a Shareholder in the Washington, D.C. office of Babst Calland, where he focused on matters involving energy and natural resources, including the regulation of pipelines and transportation of hazardous materials.
Previously, Mr. Coyle served as Legislative Counsel for former U.S. Representative Kevin Brady (R-TX), who was then the Vice Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee and a Subcommittee Chairman on the Ways and Means Committee, and was an Attorney Advisor for PHMSA between 2008–2012. See Mr. Coyle's full bio, here.
New to the team, but no stranger to PHMSA, Emily Wong joins as the Director of Governmental, International, and Public Affairs for PHMSA. Prior to joining PHMSA, Ms. Wong was Director of Federal Relations at the American Petroleum Institute (API), where she advocated on environmental and midstream segment issues, including legislation and regulations impacting pipelines and the transportation of hazardous materials, on behalf of the oil and natural gas industry. Ms. Wong has also served as Director of Legislative Affairs for the American Public Gas Association, as a Senior Advisor at the Department of Transportation and an Attorney Advisor at the Department of Energy during President Trump's first administration, and as counsel for two committees in the U.S. House of Representatives. See Ms. Wong's full bio here.
Hazardous Materials Registration
The 2025–2026 registration year begins officially on July 1st and ends on June 30th of the following year, with early registration opening May 1st. The updated 2025 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 2025 registration year.
- To avoid errors and processing delays, please do not submit your registrations for the 2025 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 email register@dot.gov or phone. The registration help desk can be reached 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
- (202) 934-1630 for businesses beginning with the letters A–M
- Registrants should also contact the registration help desk for assistance with any of the following:
- Confirming the status of registrations submitted by mail or ACH (registrants should allow up to 14 days for processing);
- Assistance with locating previously-submitted registrations;
- Assistance with financial payment issues, such as disputes, refunds, or other concerns.
- Confirming the status of registrations submitted by mail or ACH (registrants should allow up to 14 days for processing);
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: While PHMSA initiated the rulemaking process to adjust the registration fee structure, following the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, there will be no changes for the 2025–2026 registration year.
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). So far, PHMSA has published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) , a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), and held a Public Meeting to solicit public input on possible changes.
New Process for PHMSA's Letters of Interpretation
On April 8, 2025, PHMSA announced its updated interpretations process to allow stakeholders to play a role in reviewing and providing feedback on interpretations requests. The updated process not only offers more transparency, but also provides stakeholders with an opportunity to provide feedback on best practices for compliance with safety requirements covering the transportation of hazardous materials and the operation of natural gas and hazardous liquid pipeline systems.
Through PHMSA's updated interpretations process, stakeholders can review and comment on interpretations requests prior to issuance of the agency's final written interpretation. Stakeholders will have up to 30-days following the submission of a request to provide feedback related to compliance with the regulation in question. Prior to the new process, stakeholders were only made aware of new interpretations after their issuance.
To submit a request for interpretation or learn more about the new process, visit PHMSA's interpretations webpage. Stakeholders interested in receiving email notifications when new interpretation requests are added to PHMSA's website for comment can sign up here.
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.
Opportunity for Collaboration: RD&T Releases RFI on Pressure Relief Devices
On March 19, 2025, PHMSA's Research, Development, & Technology Program (RD&T) published a Request for Information (RFI) titled "Determining the Effectiveness of Pressure Relief Devices (PRDs) on Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPVs)." This RFI aims to gather more information to inform bonfire testing for various PRDs on different COPVs. The knowledge gained will help guide the RD&T program's future research efforts and support the development of improved safety guidance for COPVs. We invite professionals and experts in the field of COPVs to contribute their expertise by responding to the RFI. Your input is invaluable in advancing safety and innovation in this important area. The RFI can be found in the Federal Register Notice at the link below. We look forward to your responses and collaboration!
Update: Expanded HazMat Supplement (EHS) Experimental Commodity Flow Data
In April 2024, PHMSA OHMS released its Expanded Hazmat Supplement (EHS)—a groundbreaking dataset designed to enhance understanding and management of hazardous materials transportation.
Developed in collaboration with the U.S. Census Bureau, the EHS represents a significant expansion of the 2022 Commodity Flow Survey (CFS). This innovative dataset incorporates supplemental questions and new self-reported data from hazardous materials (hazmat) shippers utilizing DOT-regulated specification packaging. The EHS provides critical insights into key areas, including the types of hazardous materials shipped, packaging specifications, quantities and weights, and the primary modes of transportation.
The availability of this data marks a pivotal step forward in advancing public safety, supporting first responders, and enabling data-driven decision-making. By offering a more comprehensive understanding of hazmat flows, the EHS is expected to inform risk assessments, enhance mitigation strategies, and promote research aimed at improving safety outcomes.
To further support the effective use of this experimental data product, OHMS is pleased to announce the release of additional resources. These resources include a new User Guidance Document to help users better understand and utilize the data for informed decision making. You can access this new resource online here: https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/82010.
Additional helpful materials are coming soon:
- Tutorials: Instructional videos will be made available in the future to assist users in navigating the dataset, understanding its structure, and leveraging its insights.
- Data Visualizations: OHMS is developing a series of visual tools to highlight key trends and observations derived from the data. These visualizations will be accessible on the PHMSA website to facilitate user engagement and understanding.
This initiative underscores OHMS's commitment to advancing hazardous materials safety through transparency, innovation, and collaboration. Stakeholders are encouraged to monitor the PHMSA website for updates and to explore the EHS dataset as a valuable resource for enhancing safety and decision-making in the hazmat sector.
For more information and to access the dataset, please visit the PHMSA website. Together, we can work toward a safer and more informed future.
Request for Proposal: Risk Assessment for HAZMAT Packages in an Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Environment
The RD&T program published a Request for Proposal titled "Risk Assessment for HAZMAT Packages in an Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Environment." The RFP seeks out expertise, capabilities, and experience to evaluate the safety performance of existing dangerous goods packaging requirements in an unmanned aerial systems (UAS) environment. The work will account for operational conditions specific to the carriage of dangerous goods via UAS, the corresponding hazards, the safety performance of existing packaging standards, and will identify appropriate risk mitigation measures. It will also identify potential hazards associated with malfunctions of UAS package containment systems at various cruise altitudes, up to 400 feet above ground level (AGL), which could drop items during transit, inadvertently.
More information on how to submit a proposal can be found at the link below or interested parties can search and find the information from the SAM.gov home page, by selecting "Contract Opportunities" and searching by the RFP number 693JK325R0002.
Read the RFP, here: https://sam.gov/opp/4461103b19b04e8db1a0422f7e3da8ed/view
Check the Box: Hazardous Matt & Friends Poster Series
PHMSA's Check the Box campaign steps into a colorful new dimension with the launch of the "Hazardous Matt & Friends" poster series. Featuring the playful character Hazardous Matt and his hazardous material friends, the collection makes hazmat safety accessible, memorable, and even whimsical—without compromising on the seriousness of the message. The posters can be printed and displayed at home, at work, or in school to encourage hazardous materials awareness, with a QR code to direct the public to more helpful resources.
PHMSA will be revealing the posters every other week on social media – follow us on X and LinkedIn and share the posters with your network!
ERG2024: One Year Anniversary
PHMSA is celebrating the one-year anniversary of the 2024 Emergency Response Guidebook! The ERG provides life-saving information to first responders in the immediate aftermath of a hazmat transportation incident. In the last year, PHMSA distributed over 1.8 million free books to fire fighters, police officers, emergency services, tribal nations, and more. In addition, join the 2.6 million users around the world and download the free ERG mobile app. Download it on the iOS or Google Play stores.
The "How to Use the ERG 2024" video from the International Association of Firefighters (IAFC) is now available on YouTube. For more information and ERG resources, go to https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/training/hazmat/erg/emergency-response-guidebook-erg.
Have a comment on the ERG? Send it to ERGcomments@dot.gov. PHMSA is already working on updates for the ERG 2028 and welcomes your feedback!
PHMSA develops compliance assistance materials that make it easier to understand and comply with the HMR. Electronic versions of these resources 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
Questions or suggestions for the next newsletter? Email Training@dot.gov, with the subject: "Newsletter."
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Last updated: Wednesday, April 23, 2025