Industry Moves To Force Quicker, Less Costly Action On Applications For Special Permits And Approvals

摘要

PHMSA faces challenges on two fronts over its process for issuing variances from hazmat regulations. Industry lawyers say the agency's application review procedures violate the Administrative Procedure Act and lobbyists, meanwhile, convinced a key congressional committee to approve legislation to hasten the issuance of Special Permits and Approvals.The Approvals and Permits Division ("A&P") of PHMSA's Office of Hazardous Materials Safety recently implemented more than 100 pages of new Standard Operating Procedures ("SOPs") for processing the multiple thousands of applications the agency receives each year from hazmat shippers, carriers, manufacturers and companies that make packaging.