# Bettis Asphalt & Construction, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 21-0032R
- **title:** Bettis Asphalt & Construction, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2021-08-17
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 21-0032R response to Bettis Asphalt & Construction, Inc. concerning 172.500.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-21-0032r.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-21-0032r.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-21-0032r
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/75726/21-0032r.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety
Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
August 17, 2021
Cole Andersen
Bettis Asphalt & Construction, Inc.
PO Box 1694
Topeka, KS 66601
Reference No. 21-0032R
Dear Mr. Andersen:
This letter is in response to your March 22, 2021, letter requesting clarification of the Hazardous
Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the requirements for
permanently mounted propane tanks for which the sole purpose is to power equipment mounted
on the truck. You describe a scenario where a trailer is outfitted with commercial grade MC 331
propane fuel tanks to allow for hot in-place recycling for purposes of roadway asphalt repair.
Specifically, you ask whether the transport vehicle is subject to the placarding requirements in
Part 172, Subpart F of the HMR and the requirement for the driver to have a hazmat
endorsement on the commercial driver's license (CDL).
In accordance with § 171.8, a fuel tank is a tank other than a cargo tank used to transport
flammable or combustible liquid, or compressed gas for the purpose of supplying fuel for
propulsion of the transport vehicle to which it is attached, or for the operation of other equipment
on the transport vehicle.

<<<PAGE 2>>>

Therefore, provided the permanently mounted propane tanks: 1) meet the requirements of 49
CFR 393.65 and 393.69 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) for fuel
systems; 2) are used only for supplying fuel for the operation of the motor vehicle or its auxiliary
equipment; and 3) are not marked as a DOT specification cargo tank, or meet the definition of a
cargo tank in § 171.8, the mounted propane tanks are not subject to the HMR with respect to
their use on the vehicle.
I hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
Dirk Der Kinderen
Chief, Standards Development Branch
Standards and Rulemaking Division
- **truncated:** false
- **body characters:** 1992
