The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is scheduled to publish a Request for Information (RFI) on the potential use of electronic communication as an alternative to current physical documentation. The RFI is seeking input as to the benefits and problems with permitting hazardous materials documentation to be provided/transmitted electronically instead of in a physical form. The RFI is very broad and is considering all forms of documentation required by the HMR including:
- Shipping papers (Part 172, subpart C)
- Emergency Response information (Part 172, subpart G)
- Train Consists (§ 174.26)
- Notifications to Pilot in Command (§ 175.33)
- Dangerous cargo manifests (§ 176.30)
- Shipping papers in motor vehicles (§ 177.817)
- Additional documentation such as special permits, approvals, and registrations.
The Pre-publication document can be viewed from the Federal Register publication inspection website. At the moment, the document is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on July 11, 2022.
