# Ms. Amy Dean — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 04-0275
- **title:** Ms. Amy Dean — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2005-02-11
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 04-0275 concerning 171.15, 171.16.
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- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-04-0275.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-04-0275
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2004/040275.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

of Transportation
U.S. Department
400 Seventh St., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
Research and
Special Programs
Administration
FEB 11 2005
Ms. Amy Dean
Reference No. 04-0275
1161 Alter Way
Broomfield, CO 80020
Dear Ms. Dean:
This is in response to your December 3, 2004 letter asking who is responsible for
reporting a hazardous materials release before and after January 1, 2005, under the
Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Specifically, you ask if
a farmer or your company is responsible for reporting a hazardous materials release to
this agency when a farmer leases a tank wagon loaded with "Ammonia, anhydrous, 2.2,
UN 1005" from your company, tows it away from your facility attached to the back of his
ammonia.
truck, and has a traffic accident on a highway that causes the release of the anhydrous
In the scenario you describe, the farmer is responsible for reporting the incident. The
HMR's incident reporting requirements in §§ 171.15 and 171.16, and the incident
reporting form were revised in two rulemakings issued under Docket No. RSPA-99-5013
(HM-229; 69 FR 30114, 5/26/04, and 68 FR 67746, 12/3/03) that went into effect on
January 1, 2005. Before this date, the carrier, which in this instance is the farmer,
transporting the material was responsible for filling out and filing the Hazardous
the person or entity in physical control of the hazardous material when it is released is
Materials Incident Report, Form DOT F 5800.1, with this agency. After January 1, 2005,
responsible for filling out and filing the form. In your scenario, the person in physical
control of the material is the farmer.
I hope this information is helpful.
Sincerely,
For Maly
Hattie L. Mitchelf
Regulatory Review and Reinvention
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
171.15
171.14
040275

<<<PAGE 2>>>

Edmonson
December 3, 2004
$/11•15
incident Repor
9/1.
By fax 202-366-3012
04-0275
Mr. Edward Mazzullo
Director, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
U.S. DOT/RSPA (DHM-10)
400 7 Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20590-0001
Re: Leiter of Interpretation (HM-229)
Dear Mr. Mazzullo:
I have contacted the hazardous material information center and have not been able to get
clarification on which party is responsible for spill reporting in the following scenario:
A company sells anhydrous animonia to a farmer and leases a tank wagon to the farmer
to haul the product. The farmer will return the tank wagon to the company after
application of the anhydrous ammonia. The farmer leaves the company premises driving
his truck pulling the tank wagon with the anhydrous ammonia and wrecks the tank wagon
on the highway spilling the product, who is responsible for reporting the spill, the
company or the farmer? In addition, will the party responsible for reporting the spill be
the same before and after January 1, 2005?
Please provide me with a letter of interpretation using the address below. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Amy Dean
1161 Alter Way
Broomfield, CO 80020
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