{"operation":"document","citation":"06-0049","title":"Vinson & Elkins — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2006-04-06","effective_on":null,"summary":"06-0049 response to Vinson & Elkins concerning 171.1.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-06-0049.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-06-0049.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-06-0049","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2006/060049.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nS. Departme\nTransportatic\nAPR 6 2006\nWashington, D.C. 20590\n400 Seventh Street, S.W.\nPipeline and\nAdministration\nHazardous Materials Safety\nThomas H. Wilson\nRef. No. 06-0049\nVinson & Elkins\nFirst City Tower\nHouston, TX 77002-6760\n1001 Fannin Street, Suite 2300\nDear Mr. Wilson:\nThis is in response to your January 3, 2006 letter and telephone conversation with a\nmember of my staff requesting clarification regarding the applicability of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). In your scenario, your client has\ncylinders filled with a Division 2.2 non-flammable gas that is used to power a portable\ngenerator. You ask when the requirements of the HMR would apply to these cylinders.\nThe HMR apply to transportation of hazardous materials in commerce. Transportation in\ncommerce begins when a carrier takes physical possession of the filled cylinders for\npurposes of transporting them and continues until delivery of the cylinders to their\ndestination as evidenced by the shipping documentation under which the filled cylinders\nare moving, such as shipping papers, bills of lading, freight orders, or similar\ndocumentation. The HMR also apply to pre-transportation functions such as selecting an\nauthorized cylinder, marking and labeling, and preparation of the shipping papers.\nI hope this information is helpful.\nSincerely,\nHothe z. Michel\nHattie L. Mitchell, Chief\nRegulatory Review and Reinvention\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\nWHIN\n171./\n060049\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nSaterthwaite\n8171.1\nApplicability\nThomas H. Wilson twilson@velaw.com\nTel 713.758.2042 Fax 713.615.5704\n06-0049\nJanuary 3, 2006\nVIA CMRRR #7003 3119 0033 1955 4957\nMr. Joseph Solomey\nAssistant Chief Counsel\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nA ll:\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\nOffice of Chief Counsel\nCO\n400 Seventh Street, SW\nRoom 8417\nWashington, DC 20590\nDear Mr. Solomey:\nOn behalf of one of our clients, we request a written interpretation on the applicability\nof the federal hazardous materials transportation law, 49 U.S.C. § 5101 et seq. (formerly the\nHazardous Materials Transportation\nAct (HMTA)), and!\nthe Hazardous Materials\nRegulations, 49 C.F.R. Parts 171-180, to the use and refilling of compressed gas cylinders as\ndescribed below.\nOur client is in the development stage of a new product that is intended for sale\nthroughout the United States. The product uses compressed air to power a small turbine for\nmission-critical backup power systems. The client has two options at its disposal for refilling\nthe gas cylinders, or 2) refill the gas cylinders using a compressor at the point of use.\ngas cylinders after a demand event: 1) call a local gas distributor and request replacement ot\nOur client believes, and we request your concurrence, that in order to use option 1,\nthe cylinders must comply with the laws and regulations mentioned above. We also believe,\nand request your concurrence, that if our client's customers choose to refill their own\ngas cylinders as described herein meets the definition of transport cylinders and does not\nother words, we request agreement. with our opinion that the use and refilling of compressed\nconstitute stationary storage.\nVinson & Elkins LLP Attorneys at Law Austin Beijing Dallas Dubai\nHouston Lordon Moscow New Yark Shanghai Tokyo Washington\nFirst City Tower, 1001 Fannin Street, Suite 2300. Houston, TX 77002-6760\nTel 713.758.2222 Fax 713.758.2346 www.velaw.com\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nMr. Joseph Solomey January 3, 2006 Page 2\nIf you have any questions on this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank\nyou in advance for your assistance in this matter.\nThislich\n2601707_1.DOC","truncated":false,"body_characters":3677}