HR 1013 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish and carry out a hazardous materials cooperative research program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

February 12, 2009CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. CUMMINGS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science and TechnologyCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish and carry out a hazardous materials cooperative research program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Act of 2009’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

Congress finds the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) There are more than 1,000,000 shipments per day in the United States of materials identified as hazardous by the Department of Transportation. These shipments are estimated to total 2,100,000,000 tons of hazardous cargo per year and to comprise more than 18 percent of the total freight tonnage moved in the United States annually.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) Hazardous materials are shipped by all transportation modes, and it is estimated that there are currently 400,000 large trucks, 115,000 railroad tank cars, and 3,000 tank barges dedicated to the shipment of hazardous materials.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) More than a dozen Federal agencies have regulatory, enforcement, and operational responsibilities for ensuring the safety and security of hazardous materials shipments. In addition, a variety of State and local agencies have responsibility for developing and enforcing State-level regulations and for responding to incidents involving hazardous materials.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) Decisions regarding the packaging and routing of hazardous materials shipments, the development and implementation of procedures to ensure both the safety and security of such shipments, and the regulation of hazardous materials shipments are made by industry groups and government entities at a variety of levels and in all modal administrations of the Department of Transportation on a daily basis.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) The Federal agencies involved in the regulation and oversight of hazardous materials shipments, as well as State and local governments, carriers, shippers, and other groups, conduct on-going research on the transportation of hazardous materials. However, much of this research is program or mode-specific and as such is focused on addressing only the regulatory, inspection, enforcement, or operational needs of the group undertaking the research.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) There is a documented need for the establishment of a cooperative research program that will engage all modes and actors, both public and private, involved in the transportation of hazardous materials in conducting cross-cutting assessments of hazardous materials transportation issues that are national and multi-modal in scope and application.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM.

(a) In General- The Secretary of Transportation shall establish and carry out a hazardous materials cooperative research program in accordance with the requirements of this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Governing Board- The Secretary shall establish an independent governing board to select projects and studies to be carried out under the hazardous materials cooperative research program. The governing board shall be comprised of one voting representative from each of the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) The Federal Aviation Administration.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) The Federal Motor Carrier Administration.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) The Federal Transit Administration.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) The Federal Railroad Administration.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) The Maritime Administration.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) The Research and Innovative Technology Administration.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(8) The Department of Homeland Security.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(9) The Department of Energy.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(10) The Environmental Protection Agency.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(11) A State department of transportation.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(12) A State emergency management agency.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(13) A nonprofit organization representing emergency responders.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(14) A hazmat employer.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(15) A nonprofit organization representing hazmat employees.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(16) A labor union representing members involved in shipping hazardous materials.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(17) A hazardous materials manufacturer.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(18) An organization representing the hazardous materials manufacturing industry.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(19) A research university or research institution.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(20) Additional representatives as the Secretary considers appropriate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Research Studies- Under the cooperative research program, the governing board shall select cooperative research studies of hazardous materials transportation that are cross-cutting in nature and that consider issues not adequately addressed by existing Federal or private sector research programs. Priority shall be given to research studies that will yield results immediately applicable to risk analysis and mitigation or that will strengthen the ability of first responders to respond to incidents and accidents involving transportation of hazardous materials.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Implementation- The Secretary shall make grants to, and enter a cooperative agreement with, the National Academy of Sciences to carry out projects and studies under the cooperative research program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Definitions- In this section, the terms ‘hazmat employer’ and ‘hazmat employee’ have the meanings given those terms in section 5102 of title 49, United States Code.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(f) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2013. Such sums shall remain available until expended.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink