Hazardous Materials: Incorporation of Special Permits Into Regulations

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is amending the Hazardous Materials Regulations to incorporate provisions contained in certain widely used or longstanding special permits that have an established safety record. Special permits allow a company or individual to package or ship a hazardous material in a manner that varies from the regulations so long as an equivalent level of safety is maintained. The revisions in this final rule are intended to provide wider access to the regulatory flexibility offered in special permits and eliminate the need for numerous renewal requests, thus reducing paperwork burdens and facilitating commerce while maintaining an appropriate level of safety.