{"operation":"document","citation":"21-0041","title":"Mr. Robert J. Howell — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2021-08-24","effective_on":null,"summary":"21-0041 concerning 173.56.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-21-0041.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-21-0041.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-21-0041","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/75796/210041.pdf","body":"<<>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nAugust 24, 2021\nMr. Robert J. Howell\nP.O. Box 34\nMunford, AL 36268\nReference No. 21-0041\nDear Mr. Howell:\nThis letter is in response to your April 19, 2021, email requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to fireworks approved under\nprevious editions of the American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) Standard 87-1.\nWe have paraphrased and responded to your questions as follows:\nQ1. On November 25, 2020, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\n(PHMSA) published a final rule in the Federal Register [85 FR 75680] titled “Hazardous\nMaterials: Adoption of Miscellaneous Petitions to Reduce Regulatory Burden” under\nDocket No. PHMSA-2017-0120 (HM--219C). In this final rule, PHMSA incorporated by\nreference the January 1, 2018, edition of the APA Standard 87-1 (i.e., APA 87-1A, APA\n87-1B, and APA 87-1C), “Standards for Construction and Approval for Transportation of\nFireworks, Novelties, and Theatrical Pyrotechnics,” excluding certain appendices. In\naccordance with the HM-219C final rule, after November 26, 2021, fireworks must be\ndesigned and approved under the standards of the 2018 APA standard. You ask whether\nexisting combination devices—that have been previously approved and issued a valid EX\nor FC number—will remain valid after November 26, 2021.\nA1. The answer is yes. Fireworks with EX or FC numbers that are approved before\nNovember 26, 2021, remain valid unless PHMSA takes a formal action to terminate\nindividual or specific groups of approvals.\nQ2. You ask whether crackling strips with valid EX or FC numbers that contain greater than\n20 grams but less than 60 grams of total pyrotechnic composition—excluding fuse\nweight—will remain valid after November 26, 2021.\nA2. Crackling strips approved under § 173.56 will remain valid after November 26, 2021, as\ncrackling strips exceeding 20 grams of composition are not approved as Division 1.4G\n\n<<>>\n\nexplosives by DOT-approved fireworks certification agencies (FCA) and not at all by\nPHMSA under the 2001 APA Standard.\nQ3. You ask how PHMSA intends to notify industry if fireworks approved under previous\neditions of the APA Standard 87-1 are to be phased out.\nA3. If PHMSA determines a need to terminate fireworks approvals, industry and the affected\ncompanies will be notified, as described in § 107.713, via a “Show Cause” letter and/or a\nFederal Register action, as appropriate.\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<<>>\n\nBallengee\nRe-Assignment Pollack\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nTo: Date: Dodd, Alice (PHMSA); Hazmat Interps\nSubject: FW: Letter of Interpretation\nMonday, April 19, 2021 12:58:26 PM\n21-0041\nGood afternoon Alice,\nPlease see the request for a letter of interpretation below. Please contact our office with any\nquestions.\nBest,\nSarah (HMIC)\nFrom: Jay Howell [mailto:Jay.Howell@afsl.org]\nSent: Monday, April 19, 2021 12:42 PM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) \nCc: Jerry Wingard \nSubject: RE: Letter of Interpretation\nCAUTION: This email originated from outside of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Do not click on links or\nopen attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.\nSarah,\nThe original letter of interpretation in response to our request should be sent to the following\naddress:\nRobert J. Howell\nP.O. Box 34\nMunford, AL 36268\nI can be contacted at 828-280-5532 should you have any questions or require additional\ninformation.\nA physical copy should be provided to:\nAmerican Fireworks Standards Laboratory\n5550 Friendship Blvd., Suite 420\nChevy Chase, MD 20815\nDigital copies should be provided, via email, to the following:\nJerry Wingard\nJerry.Wingard@afsl.org\n\n<<>>\n\nJohn Rogers\nafslhq@afsl.org\nJay Howell\nJay.Howell@afsl.org\nYour assistance is greatly appreciated.\nBest Regards,\nRobert (Jay) Howell\nExecutive Director\nAmerican Fireworks Standards Laboratory\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) \nSent: Monday, April 19, 2021 12:24 PM\nTo: Jerry Wingard \nSubject: RE: Letter of Interpretation\nDear Robert,\nWe have received your request for a written letter of interpretation regarding the hazardous\nmaterials regulations (49 CFR Parts 171-180). The hazardous materials regulations are available at\nthe following URL:\nhttps://www.phmsa.dot.gov/phmsa-regulations\nHowever, before we can submit your request for processing, please respond to this email with:\nFull Name\nPhysical Mailing Address\nTelephone Number\nSincerely,\nSarah, Hazardous Materials Specialist\nAn e-mail response from this office is considered informal guidance. Formal guidance may be\nrequested in accordance with 49 CFR 105.20. https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/standards-\nrulemaking/hazmat/hazardous-materials-information-center\nFrom: Jerry Wingard [mailto:jerry.wingard@afsl.org]\n\n<<>>\n\nSent: Monday, April 19, 2021 12:06 PM\nTo: Dodd, Alice (PHMSA) ; INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\n; Jay Howell \nCc: AFSL HQ ; Singh, Harpreet (PHMSA) ; Maxey, Vallary\n(PHMSA) ; Gasser, Neal (PHMSA) \nSubject: Letter of Interpretation\nCAUTION: This email originated from outside of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Do not click on links or\nopen attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.\nMs. Alice Dodd,\nDuring our American Fireworks Standards Committee meeting on April 15, 2021 we had several\nquestions pertaining to the new 2018 APA 87-1 A Standards that were recently implemented by\nPHMSA. As the Committee works to incorporate your new standard into the AFSL Standards, we\nneed your assistance. Below are several issues that were discussed with Members of PHMSA Staff\nand The Standards Committee. We are respectfully requesting a Letter of Interpretation from\nPHMSA on these issues.\n1. Missiles listed in APA 87-1 A 3.2.3.6 and 3.2.3.7 Line 82 are no longer allowed in new\nCombination Devices as defined in APA 87-1 A 2.4 General Requirements. Will Combination Devices\napproved before November 26, 2021, have valid EX and FC Numbers and have Missiles used in the\nCombination Device, still be allowed to be manufactured and shipped using the assigned EX and FC\nnumbers or will these numbers be withdrawn?\n2. Crackling Strips are now allowed to contain up to 60 grams total pyrotechnic composition\nexcluding fuse weight and are allowed to have a finale with up to 10 grams of pyrotechnic\ncomposition. Under APA 87-1 A requirements listed in 3.2.2.3 and 3.2.2.4 Line 1 Crackling Strips and\nCrackling Tubes are only allowed 20 grams of pyrotechnic composition in a finished device with the\ninner package allowed 72 grams. Will items with greater amounts of pyrotechnic composition that\nhave older, but valid, EX and FC Numbers be allowed to be manufactured and shipped or will these\nnumbers be withdrawn?\n3. A few general question. Will items whose requirements or pyrotechnic compositions were\nrevised in the update of the old APA 87-1 to the new APA 7-1 A be allowed to be shipped under their\nolder assigned EX and FC Number? Will these numbers remain valid, and the items remain legal? If\nthe numbers are not to remain valid, when will they be phased out and how will the industry be\nnotified?\nAs you know, the AFSL Standards include PHMSA and CPSC requirements, along with additional\nproduct standards created by AFSL. These standards are used in AFSL Consumer Fireworks testing\naround the world to ensure fireworks tested and certified by AFSL meet all US requirements. Thanks\nin advance for your help with this issue.\nBest Regards,\n\n<<>>\n\nAFSL Executive Director\nRobert J. Howell","truncated":false,"body_characters":8036}