{"operation":"document","citation":"18-0088","title":"Settoon Towing — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2019-02-15","effective_on":null,"summary":"18-0088 response to Settoon Towing concerning 171.8, 173.22, 173.403, 173.433, 173.436, 176.5.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-18-0088.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-18-0088.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-18-0088","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/70631/180088.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPlpellne and Hazardous\nMaterlala Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nFEB 1 5 2019\nNicholas Kohnke\nSpecial Projects Associate\nSettoon Towing\n1073 Highway 70\nP.O. Box279\nPierre Part, LA 70339\nReference No. 18-0088\nDear Mr. Kohnke:\nThis letter is in response to your June 12, 2018, email requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the transportation of\nradionuclides.\nWe have paraphrased and answered your questions as follows:\nQ 1. You ask if a person who offers a consignment containing radionuclides to a carrier for\ntransportation without knowing if it meets the definition of a Class 7 radioactive material\nwould be subject to the HMR.\nAl. In accordance with§ 173.22, it is the shipper's responsibility to classify a hazardous\nmaterial for transportation. If a consignment meets the definition of a hazardous\nmaterial, the shipment-and any person performing a pre-transportation function-is\nsubject to the requirements of the HMR.\nQ2. You ask if a consignment that contains radionuclides where both the activity\nconcentration and the total activity in the consignment do not exceed the values specified\nin the§ 173.436 table or values derived according to the instructions in§ 173.433 would\nmeet the definition of a Class 7 radioactive material.\nA2. The answer is no. See the definition of a radioactive material in § 173.403.\nFurthermore, 49 CFR Part 173, Subpart I applies only to those materials meeting the\ndefinition of a Class 7 radioactive material.\nQ3. You ask if a consignment that does not meet the definition of a Class 7 radioactive\nmaterial is subject to the requirements in 49 CFR Part 173, Subpart I.\nA3. The answer is no. See A2.\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nQ4. A4. · Q4. A4. Q5. A5. You ask if the definitions of bulk packaging, packaging, and package in§ 171 .8 apply\nonly to radioactive materials that meet the 49 CFR Part 173, Subpart I definition of a\nradioactive material.\nThe answer is yes. The definitions of bulk packaging, packaging, and package in § 171 .8\napply only to hazardous materials. Radioactive materials are defined in 49 CFR Part 173,\nSubpart I ( see A2). Therefore, if the material does not meet the definition of a\nradioactive material or any other hazardous material, the definitions referenced in your\nquestion do not apply. Additionally, the bulk carriage of hazardous materials by water is\ngoverned by 46 CFR Chapter I, Subchapters D, I, N, and O (see 49 CFR 176.5(d)).\nYou ask if the activity concentration for radium 226 or radium 228 as an exempt material\nis 10,000 Bq/L (2.7 x 10-7 Ci/L) in water.\nThe answer is yes. The § 173.436 table of exempt material activity concentrations for\nboth the radionuclides radium 226 and 228 is 1.0 x 101 Bq/g (2.7 x 10-\n10 Ci/g). The\nconversion to ~q/L (Ci/L) is correct, as one liter is equal to 1,000 grams.\nYou ask if the exempt material activity concentrations found in§ 173.436 apply only to\npackaged materials.\nThe answer is no. The exempt material activity concentration values in§ 173.436 apply\nto all shipments of radionuclides offered for transportation under the HMR. Furthermore,\nthe bulk carriage of hazardous materials by water is governed by 46 CFR Chapter I,\nSubchapters D, I, N, and O (see 49 CFR 176.5(d)).\nI hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nJanuary, lkeya CTR (PHMSA)\nFrom:\nSent:\nTo:\nSubject:\nAttachments:\nINFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nTuesday, June 12, 2018 4:50 PM\nHazmat Interps\nFW: Settoon Formal Request for Letter of Interpretation from DOT-6.12.18\nSettoon Formal Request for Letter of Interpretation to DOT - FINAL 6.12.18.docx\nHi lkeya,\nAttached is a request for a letter of interpretation. Eugenio spoke with Mr. Kohnke about his request.\nThank you,\nJodi\nFrom: Nicholas Kohnke [mailto:nicholas.kohnke@settoontowing.com]\nSent: Tuesday, June 12, 2018 12:33 PM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) <INFOCNTR.INFOCNTR@dot.gov>\nSubject: Settoon Formal Request for Letter of Interpretation from DOT-6.12.18\nGood afternoon,\nPlease see the attached request for Interpretationfrom the Department of Transportation.\nSubject: REQUEST FOR LETTER OF INTERPRETATION, 49 CFR 173.403 AND§ 173.436 AND§\n171.8.\nDear Mr. Kelley,\nSettoon Towing has reviewed the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) governing the transportation of\nClass 7 (radioactive) material. We have several questions for which we are requesting interpretation.\nThe first question concerns the definition of \"radioactive material\" found in 49 CFR 173.403 as it applies to\ntechnologically enhanced radioactive material (TENORM) in produced waters generated from oil and gas\ndrilling and hydraulic fracturing operations. It is our understanding that this definition is to be used by any\nperson \"who offers a hazardous material for transportation in commerce, causes a hazardous material to be\ntransported in commerce, or transports a hazardous material in commerce\" (49 CFR 171.l(b)). It is our belief\nthat a person offering any material for shipment in a consignment containing radionuclides must apply this\ndefinition when determining if the material qualifies as a Class 7 (radioactive) material. Is this correct?\nIf a consignment contains material whose radionuclides are in quantities that do not exceed both the activity\nconcentration and total activity limits specified in the table in§ 173.436 or the values derived according to the\ninstruction in§ 173.433, it is our understanding that the material does not qualify as a Class 7 (radioactive)\nmaterial. Is this correct?\nIt is our understanding that the definitions of bulk packaging, packaging, and package found in 49 CFR § 171.8\nonly apply to materials containing radionuclides that meet the definition of a Class 7 (radioactive) material, as\ndefined in 49 CFR 173.403. Is this correct?\n1\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nThe table in 49 CFR 173.436 specifies the activity concentration for exempt material. The activity\nconcentration for exempt material for radium 226 and radium 228 is 1 x 101 Bq/g (2.7 x 10-1 ° Ci/g). For water\nat a density of one gram per milliliter this equates to an activity concentration for exempt material of 10,000\nBq/L (2.7 x 10-7 Ci/Lor approximately 270,000 pCi/L). Is this correct?\nPer 49 CFR 173.436, does exempt material activity concentrations only apply to packaged materials or do they\napply to any material offered for transport that contains radionuclides?\nIt is our understanding that of the regulations found in 49 CFR 173 Subpart I only apply if the material is a\nradioactive material per the definition in §173.403? Is this correct?\nWe appreciate your consideration of these questions and the time and effort the DOT takes to provide a\nresponse. I eagerly await your formal clarification which can be sent to me at nick.kohnke@settoontowing.com\n. Please reach me at 504-782-7944 if you have any questions.\nRespectfully,\nNick Kohnke\nSETTIII Tll' III .\nNick Kohnke\nSpecial Projects Associate\nMobile: 504-782-7944\nOffice: 985-252-4499\nnick.kohnke@settoontowing.com\n2\n\n<<<PAGE 5>>>\n\nSETTDIN TOWING\nMr. Shane Kelley\nDirector, Standards and Rulemaking Division\nU.S DOT/PHMSA (PHH-IO)\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE East Building, 2nd Floor\nWashington, DC 20590\nDate: June 8, 2018\nSubject: REQUEST FOR LETTER OF INTERPRETATION, 49 CFR 173.403 AND§ 173.436 AND§ 171.8.\nDear Mr. Kelley,\nSettoon Towing has reviewed the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) governing the transportation of Class 7\n(radioactive) material'. We have several questions for which we are requesting interpretation.\nThe first question concerns the definition of\"radioactive material\" found in 49 CFR 173.403 as it applies to\ntechnologically enhanced radioactive material (TENORM) in produced waters generated from oil and gas drilling and\nhydraulic fracturing operations. It is our understanding that this definition is to be used by any person \"who offers a\nhazardous material for transportation in commerce, causes a hazardous material to be transported in commerce, or\ntransports a hazardous material in commerce\" (49 CFR 171.l(b)). It is our belief that a person offering filll:'. material for\nshipment in a consignment containing radionuclides mtist apply this definition when determining if the material qualifies\nas a Class 7 (radioactive) material. Is this correct?\nIf a consignment contains material whose radionuclides are in quantities that do not exceed both the activity concentration\nand total activity limits specified in the table in § 173.436 or the values derived according to the instruction in§ 173.433, it\nis our understanding that the material does not qualify as a Class 7 (radioactive) material. Is this correct?\nIt is our understanding that the definitions of bulk packaging, packaging, and package found in 49 CFR § 171.8 only apply\nto materials containing radionuclides that meet the definition of a Class 7 (radioactive) material, as defined in 49 CFR\n173.403. Is this correct?\nThe table in 49 CFR 173.436 specifies the activity concentration for exempt material. The activity concentration for\nexempt material for radium 226 and radium 228 is I x I 01 Bq/g (2.7 x 10·1 ° Ci/g). For water at a density of one gram per\nmilliliter this equates to an activity concentration for exempt material of I 0,000 Bq/L (2. 7\n_\nx I 0·7 Ci/L or approximately\n270,000 pCi/L ). Is this correct?\nPer 49 CFR 173.436, does exempt material activity concentrations only apply to packaged materials or do they apply to\nany material offered for transport that contains radionuclides?\nIt is our understanding that of the regulations found in 49 CFR 173 Subpart I only apply if the material is a radioactive\nmaterial per the definition in§ 173.403? Is this correct?\n1\nCt':rnmerr~ed [S.U.]: , _\n, -:- . -,; ~ :-:- ~-'= ;:~ -:, ; •c:-~ '.- : ' . .::<.;('.:· ; _,, °\"\n. E .' 2~ :.,,;.~ . : · :'. ::-,!:,,: i 'E\nCorporate Of/ice\n1073 HWY 70 / PO BOX 279 PIERRE PART, LA 70339\nphone 985.252.4499 fax 985.252.0000\nwww.settoontowing.com\nL866.SETTOON\nOperational Headquarters\n255 EQUITY BLVD HOUMA, LA 70360\nphone 985.851.6301/ax 985.631.4930\n\n<<<PAGE 6>>>\n\nSETTODN TOWING\nThank you for your consideration of these questions and the time and effort the DOT takes to provide a response. I\neagerly await your formal clarification which can be sent to me at nick.kohnke@settoontowing.com. Please reach me at\n504-782-7944 if you have any questions.\nRespectfully,\nNick Kohnke\nSpecial Projects Director\n(504)-782-7944\nnick.kohnke@settoontowing.com\nCorporate Office\n1073 HWY 70 / PO BOX 279 PIERRE PART, IA 70339\nphone 9B5.252.4499 fox 985.252.0000\nwww.settoontowing.com\n1.866.SETTOON\nOperational Headquarters\n255 EQUllY BLVD HOUMA, IA 70360\nphone 9B5.851.6301/ax 985.631.4930","truncated":false,"body_characters":10750}