🌍DOT Updates NEPA Procedures for Environmental Impact Assessments
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is updating DOT Order 5610.1C "Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts," which establishes procedures for complying with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Order was last updated in 1985. This update is necessary in light of the recent recission of the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ's) NEPA procedures, which DOT's procedures were designed to supplement. In addition, the update incorporates provisions from the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU); Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21); the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA); and the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (FRA 2023) related to the environmental review process. The updated Order promotes collaboration and efficiencies in the implementation of NEPA and modernizes the processes and procedures for environmental review. This update enables DOT to conduct coordinated, consistent, predictable, and timely environmental reviews, thus reducing unnecessary burdens and delays.
Learn More💻Proposed Rule for Electronic Payments in Hazardous Materials Registration
PHMSA proposes to modernize the payment system for hazardous materials registration to require electronic submissions via the Department of Transportation (DOT) e-Commerce internet site and eliminate the option to pay using a paper check. This revision is intended to increase government efficiency by eliminating the burdens associated with processing paper checks from the regulatory community.
Learn More🚛Proposed Rule on Hazardous Materials Regulations by DOT
This NPRM proposes adopting the provisions of Department of Transportation (DOT) Special Permit (SP) 12412 and DOT-SP 11646 into the hazardous materials regulations. These revisions would provide greater regulatory flexibility and eliminate the need for special permit renewal requests, reducing paperwork burdens and facilitating commerce while maintaining an equivalent level of safety.
Learn More🚚Proposed Rulemaking for Hazardous Materials Transportation Regulations
This NPRM proposes to adopt the provisions of DOT special permit (SP) 21379 into the hazardous materials regulations to streamline the transportation of large refrigerating machines filled with flammable gases.
Learn More🚍Rescinded Regulation on Transportation for Elderly and Handicapped Persons
This rulemaking rescinds the FTA regulation on Transportation for Elderly and Handicapped Persons, as FTA finds that the regulation is obsolete and unnecessary.
Learn More📦Proposed Rule to Reduce Costs for Hazardous Materials Shipments
This NPRM proposes to remove undue regulatory burdens by allowing for a reduced sized marking for limited quantity shipments of hazardous materials.
Learn More🚂Updates to Passenger Train Employee Hours and Recordkeeping Regulations
This rule makes administrative updates to FRA's passenger train employee hours of service and recordkeeping regulations, including updating addresses in those regulations.
Learn More🚛Proposed Hazardous Materials Regulation Aims to Reduce Business Burdens
PHMSA proposes to adopt the provisions of DOT special permit (SP) 21478 into the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). Adoption of this special permit would authorize intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) containing a residue of a certain hazardous materials to be transported without shipping papers, placards, and motor vehicle marking of the UN identification (ID) number subject to additional operational controls. The proposed revisions provide relief from undue burdens of hazard communication requirements for low-risk transportation of empty packaging and eliminate the need for special permit renewal requests.
Learn More🚂Proposed Rule to Remove Burdensome Rail Reporting Requirements
PHMSA proposes to remove or replace various rail transportation requirements that are either obsolete, overly burdensome, or conflict with other requirements in the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR).
Learn More🚂Updates to Brake System Safety Standards for Freight Trains
This rule makes administrative updates to FRA's brake system safety standards regulations, including updating addresses in those regulations.
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