{"operation":"document","citation":"21-0060","title":"Massachusetts State Police — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2021-09-28","effective_on":null,"summary":"21-0060 response to Massachusetts State Police concerning 171.8, 173.32.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-21-0060.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-21-0060.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-21-0060","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/75976/210060.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nSeptember 28, 2021\nTrooper Scott Maguire\nMassachusetts State Police\n906 Elm Street\nConcord, MA 01742\nReference No. 21-0060\nDear Mr. Maguire:\nThis letter is in response to your May 25, 2021, email requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to portable tanks and cargo\ntanks. We have paraphrased and answered your questions as follows:\nQ1. You ask whether it is permissible to weld a specification Department of Transportation\n(DOT) 51 portable tank to a chassis and convert it to a cargo tank motor vehicle (CTMV)\nfor the transportation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).\nA1. The answer is no. The definition of a “cargo tank” as specified in § 171.8 of the HMR\ndoes not authorize a bulk packaging that is fabricated to the specification of a portable\ntank. Additionally, the HMR defines a CTMV as a “motor vehicle with one or more\ncargo tanks permanently attached to or forming an integral part of the motor vehicle.”\nTherefore, a DOT 51 portable tank which has been permanently attached to a motor\nvehicle would not constitute a CTMV as the tank is not an integral part of the motor\nvehicle.\nQ2. You ask whether a specification DOT 51 portable tank retains its specification after being\npermanently attached to a vehicle.\nA2. The answer is no. The portable tank as described in your inquiry was originally\nfabricated as a specification DOT 51 portable tank. However, once the specification\nDOT 51 portable tank was permanently attached to the motor vehicle, it no longer meets\nthe definition of a “portable tank” as defined in § 171.8. Therefore, the specification\nDOT 51 portable tank loses its specification because it can no longer be defined as a\n“portable tank.” See Answer A1.\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nQ3. You ask whether § 173.32(a)(3) applies to both specification and non-specification\nportable tanks.\nA3. The answer is yes. The use of portable tank requirements in § 173.32(a)(3) can apply to\nboth specification and non-specification portable tanks.\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\n21-0060\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nTo: Dodd, Alice (PHMSA)\nCc: Hazmat Interps\nSubject: FW: Letter of Interpretation\nDate: Thursday, May 27, 2021 4:32:04 PM\nAttachments: PT Interp Request.docx\nHi Alice,\nPlease see the attached LOI request.\nBelow, is the mailing address and phone number for the inquirer.\nPlease let me know if you need anything else.\nRegards,\n-Breanna\n---------------------------------------------\nScott Maguire\nPO Box 9\nMillbury, MA 01527-0009\n508.259.0875\nFrom: Maguire, Scott (POL) [mailto:scott.maguire@state.ma.us]\nSent: Tuesday, May 25, 2021 3:10 PM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) <INFOCNTR.INFOCNTR@dot.gov>\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.","truncated":false,"body_characters":3224}