Hazardous Materials; Temporary Reduction of Registration Fees

The Federal hazardous materials transportation law requires DOT to adjust the amount of the annual registration fee to account for any unexpended balance in the Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) Fund. Due to an unexpended balance that has accumulated in the Fund, PHMSA is lowering the registration fees for registration year 2013-2014 for all persons, as defined in PHMSA regulations, that transport or offer for transportation in commerce certain categories and quantities of hazardous materials. Specifically, for registration year 2013-2014 the fee for a small business or not- for-profit organization is revised to be $125 (plus a $25 processing fee), and for all other businesses the fee is $1300 (plus a $25 processing fee). After the 2013-2014 registration year, the registration fees will return to 2012-2013 registration year levels. Additionally, PHMSA is making an editorial change to its regulations to clarify the appropriate fee amounts; there are no substantive changes other than the addition of the fees for 2013-2014 and for 2014-2015 and later. In order to make the change effective for the 2013-2014 registration year and thus draw down the unexpended balance as soon as possible, PHMSA is issuing this final rule without a prior notice of proposed rulemaking in accordance with good cause exemption specified in the Administrative Procedures Act. Additionally, for good cause this final rule is effective immediately.