ASLRRA Petition for Rail Hazardous Materials Rulemaking

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) submitted a petition for rulemaking to PHMSA requesting regulatory changes related to hazardous materials transportation by rail. The petition was posted for public comment, and the comment period has now closed. The specific regulatory changes requested by ASLRRA are detailed in the petition attachment.

PHMSA will now review the petition and any comments received before determining whether to initiate a formal rulemaking proceeding. If PHMSA decides to proceed, it would issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) with specific regulatory text and a new comment period. Affected transportation companies and rail operators should monitor PHMSA's response to determine whether the requested changes will proceed to formal rulemaking.