{"operation":"document","citation":"13-0196","title":"Select Sire Power, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2013-11-21","effective_on":null,"summary":"13-0196 response to Select Sire Power, Inc. concerning 173.320.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0196.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0196.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0196","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2013/130196.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey .Avenue, SE\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nNOV 2 1 .Jl3\nMr. Mark Carpenter\nChief Financial Officer\nSelect Sire Power, Inc.\n1 Stony Mountain Road\nTunkhannock, P A 18657\nRef No.: 13-0196\nDear Mr. Carpenter:\nThis is in response to your email dated October 1, 2013, requesting clarification of the\nHazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CPR Parts 171-180) relating to exceptions\nprovided under § 173.320 for cryogenic liquids. Your organization transports nitrogen,\nrefrigerated liquid in insulated portable tanks mounted in motor vehicles. The tanks have\ncapacities equal to or greater than 119 gallons and are equipped with pressure relief devices\nthat vent at a maximum pressure of 22 psig. You ask if the exceptions provided in\n§ 173.320 are applicable to this arrangement. You further ask if the transport vehicles are\nrequired to display placards in accordance with subpart F of part 172 since the tanks may\nmeet the definition of a bulk package, and if your company is required to be registered in\naccordance with subpart G ofpart 107.\nThe transportation of nitrogen, refrigerated liquid by motor vehicle, as described, is eligible\nfor the relief from the HMR provided in§ 173.320. The exceptions contained in§ 173.320\nare applicable to transportation by motor vehicle of atmospheric gases, and helium,\ncryogenic liquids, in Dewar flasks, insulated cylinders, insulated portable tanks, and\ninsulated cargo tanks designed and constructed so that the pressure in such packagings will\nnot exceed 25.3 psig under ambient temperature conditions during transportation. The\n§ 171.8 definition of an atmospheric gas includes nitrogen. Section 173.320(a) further\nprovides that transportation meeting these criteria is not subject to the requirements of the\nHMR except those specified in paragraphs (a)(l), (a)(2), and (a)(3) of§ 173.320.\nParagraphs (a)(l), (a)(2), and (a)(3) do not reference compliance with subpart F of part 172\n(Placarding) or subpart G of part 107 (Registration of Persons Who Offer or Transport\nHazardous Materials), therefore the display of placards on the transport vehicles and\nregistration with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is not\nrequired.\nI trust this information is helpful. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to\ncontact this office.\nSincerely,\nf\n•• ~ .._, ' '> .,.,\\\n. \"-'·,.,··-\n~ '~ (~· .. :~t--·!.1'~( ..\nDuane A. Pfund /\nInternational Standards Coordinator\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nDrakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nSent:\nTo:\nSubject: Thursday, October 17, 201311:43AM\nDrakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)\nFW: Request for formal interpretation letter\nHi Carolyn,\nThis caller requested we submit this e-mail as a formal letter of interpretation.\nThanks,\nVictoria\nFrom: Mark Carpenter [mailto:mcarpenter@selectsirepower.com]\nSent: Tuesday, October 01, 2013 1:30PM\nTo: PHMSA HM InfoCenter\nCc: CARPENTER, Mark A\nSubject: Request for formal interpretation letter\nDate: October 1, 2013\nTo: Office of Hazardous Materials Standards\nVia: Email to: phmsa.hm-infocenter@dot.gov\nFrom: Select Sire Power, Inc.\nMark A Carpenter, Chief Financial Officer\n1 Stony Mountain Road\nTunkhannock, PA 18657\nRe: Request for formal letter of interpretation- Ref: Sample 03-0059\nI write you today with a request for a formal letter of interpretation regarding the applicability of the cryogenic exemption\nunder section 173.320 for registration and placarding requirements.\nOur organization transports nitrogen, refrigerated liquid in insulated portable tanks with capacities of 119, 150, and 190\ngallons. These tanks are mounted in vehicles registered below 10,000 GVWR and are equipped with devices that will vent\nat a maximum pressure of 22 psig.\nRecently we have been challenged on this exemption in the field with reference to the definition of bulk. 49 CFR 171.8\ndefines bulk as:\nA bulk packaging is a packaging, other than a vessel or a barge, with (1) a maximum capacity greater than 450 liters (119\ngallons) as a receptacle for a liquid; (2) a maximum net mass greater than 400 kilograms (882 pounds) and a maximum\ncapacity greater than 450 liters (119 gallons) as a receptacle for a solid; or (3) a water capacity greater than 454 kilograms\n(1000 pounds) as a receptacle for a gas.\nBy this definition any product carried in excess of 119 gallons would be considered bulk and required to be registered and\ntherefore placarded; which would also result in different licensing requirements under FMCSA. Would you please offer a\nformal interpretation on the applicability of the cryogenic exemption?\nThank you in advance for your time and consideration.\n1\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nMark A. Carpenter\nChief Financial Officer\nSelect Sire Power, Inc.\n1 Stony Mountain Road\nTunkhannock, PA 18657\nOffice: 570-836-3168\nFax: 570-836-1490\n2","truncated":false,"body_characters":4918}