{"operation":"document","citation":"20-0037","title":"Y-12 National Security Complex — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2020-08-27","effective_on":null,"summary":"20-0037 response to Y-12 National Security Complex concerning 172.101, 173.419, 173.453.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-20-0037.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-20-0037.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-20-0037","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/74266/200037.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nAugust 27, 2020\nDJ Allen\nY-12 National Security Complex\nP.O. Box 2009\n765 Perimeter Road, K-1065D\nOak Ridge, TN 37831\nReference No. 20-0037\nDear Mr. Allen:\nThis letter is in response to your April 21 and July 22, 2020, emails requesting clarification of\nthe Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the shipment\nof radioactive materials.\nWe have paraphrased and answered your questions as follows:\nQ1. You ask whether radioactive materials excepted under § 173.453 are regulated in\naccordance with § 173.419.\nA1. Section 173.419 outlines the requirements for authorized packages for oxidizing Class 7\n(radioactive) materials. The term “not fissile” in § 173.419(a)(1) does not include fissile\nmaterial that meets the exceptions of § 173.453. Therefore, fissile material excepted by\n§ 173.453 would not be allowed to be transported in accordance with § 173.419.\nQ2. You state that you are shipping fissile excepted Uranyl Nitrate Hexahydrate in solid form,\nwith a 5.1 oxidizer subsidiary hazard. You indicate that your intention is to describe the\nmaterial as “UN2915, Radioactive material, Type A package non-special form, non fissile\nor fissile-excepted, 7.” You note that this proper shipping description specifies § 173.419\nfor non-bulk packages and ask whether applying § 173.419 is acceptable when shipping\nnon-bulk quantities of “UN2915, Radioactive material, Type A package non-special\nform, non fissile or fissile-excepted, 7.\n”\nA2. The answer is yes. Section 173.419 does not directly apply to “UN2915, Radioactive\nmaterial, Type A package non-special form, non fissile or fissile-excepted, 7.\n” Section\n173.419 applies to an oxidizing Class 7 material, “as referenced in § 172.101 table of this\nsubchapter.” There is currently no proper shipping name in the Hazardous Materials\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nTable (HMT) for a Class 7, subsidiary 5.1 material. Moreover, § 173.419 states that\nmaterial must be non-fissile, and the material that you described is fissile-excepted. A\nsuitable Type A package could be used in the transportation of the material described in\nyour letter provided that the subsidiary hazard is properly accounted for in the\ndesign. However, provided you have an oxidizing Class 7 (radioactive) material, it could\nbe shipped consistent with the packaging requirements specified in § 173.419.\nI hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.\nSincerely,\nT. Glenn Foster\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nAndrews\n20-0037\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nTo: Hazmat Interps\nSubject: FW: Letter of Interpretation - 49 CFR 173.419(a)(1)(i)\nDate: Monday, April 27, 2020 10:20:06 AM\nAttachments: 20_4_Allen.docx\nHello Alice and Ikeya,\nPlease see below for letter of interpretation request.\nThank you,\nKathryn (HMIC)\nFrom: Allen, David J <david.allen@cns.doe.gov>\nSent: Tuesday, April 21, 2020 10:41 AM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) <INFOCNTR.INFOCNTR@dot.gov>\nCc: Hawk, Curtis <Todd.Hawk@cns.doe.gov>; Allen, David J <david.allen@cns.doe.gov>\nSubject: Letter of Interpretation - 49 CFR 173.419(a)(1)(i)\nLetter of interpretation\n173.419(a)(1)(i)\n1. 2. This request for interpretation is to get clarity on 49 CFR 173.419(a)(1)(i). The regulation\nstates ‘Not fissile’. Does this mean that the material must not be fissile unless excepted by\n173.453, or does it mean excepted fissile material is also not allowed?\nOur understanding is that it should read similar to 49 CFR 173.418(a) which states – In solid\nform and must not be fissile unless excepted by 173.453. Is this a correct interpretation?\nDo the requirements of 49 CFR 173.419 apply if the radioactive material meets the\ndefinition of a limited quantity of Class 7 material? Could we instead go to the\nrequirements in 49 CFR 173.423 for multiple hazard limited quantity Class 7 materials?\nThank you,\nDJ Allen\nWork: (865) 241-9327\nMobile: (865) 770-2569\nY-12 National Security Complex\nAttn: DJ Allen (JCC S3.342)\nP.O. Box 2009\n765 Perimeter Road, K-1065D\nOak Ridge, TN 37831","truncated":false,"body_characters":4211}