PHMSA

Thirteen state Attorneys General, led by Pennsylvania AG Michelle Henry (pictured), are recommending five additions to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s proposed rule on communications between railroads and emergency first responders.

AG Coalition Seeks Expansion of PHMSA First Responder Rule Proposal

Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry on Oct. 27 reported leading a coalition of 13 state Attorneys General in supporting the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) proposed rule on communications between railroads and emergency first responders and charging the agency with expanding that proposal.

NTSB: How Not to Blow a Gasket

The National Transportation Safety Board has released findings and safety recommendations on DOT-117 tank cars that address the performance of gaskets employed in sealing manway covers and valves in a derailment, and

PHMSA Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown

PHMSA Eyes Rail Safety Rule to Aid First Responders in Hazmat Incidents (UPDATED Aug. 15)

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) on June 21 reported proposing a new rule that would require all railroads to “always maintain—and update in real-time—accurate, electronic information about rail hazmat shipments in a train consist that would be accessible to authorized emergency response personnel.” On Aug. 15, the government agency extended the comment period for that proposal.

PHMSA Seeks ANPR Comments

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to solicit feedback on initiatives PHMSA is considering “that may modernize Hazardous Materials Regulations and improve efficiencies while maintaining or improving a current high level of safety.”

Your Questions Answered: DOT-111 Ethanol Phase-Out

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) have released a “Frequently Asked Questions” document on implementing the upcoming phase-out of DOT-111 specification tank cars from ethanol service.

PHMSA Issues DOT-111 Tank Car Safety Advisory

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), on March 22 released a safety advisory, which it said was to “re-emphasize previously raised concerns about the survivability of DOT-111 tank cars and encourage tank car owners and shippers of flammable liquids to voluntarily upgrade their tank car fleets to the newest, and safest, available tank car design authorized for flammable liquid service—the DOT-117 specification tank car.”

“Our new Multimodal Freight Office will lead coordination of our work to strengthen supply chains—including the FLOW data initiative helping companies and ports make better-informed decisions—so that they can move goods more efficiently and keep costs down for Americans," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

PHMSA: More Than $25MM to Improve Hazmat and Pipeline Safety

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced March 20 more than $25 million available in grant funding through its pipeline and hazardous materials (hazmat) safety programs for projects that will “train first responders, strengthen safety programs, improve safety, reduce environmental impacts, and educate the public on local safety initiatives.”