{"operation":"document","citation":"23-0091","title":"Honda Development and Manufacturing of America — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2023-10-31","effective_on":null,"summary":"23-0091 response to Honda Development and Manufacturing of America concerning 173.185.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-23-0091.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-23-0091.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-23-0091","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/78061/230091.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nOctober 31, 2023\nMr. Joe Williamson\nSenior Staff Engineer\nHonda Development and Manufacturing of America\nPurchasing and Supply Chain Planning – Strategic Planning Dept.\n/ Business Management Unit\n24000 Honda Pkwy\nMarysville, OH 43040\nReference No. 23-0091\nDear Mr. Williamson:\nThis letter is in response to your August 4, 2023, email requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to packaging lithium ion\nbatteries. In your email, you describe a lithium ion battery assembly with a strong, impact-\nresistant outer aluminum casing enclosing the assembly, and you state that the battery and casing\nweigh several hundred kilograms. You further note that the battery assemblies are secured to a\nsteel handling rack to prevent inadvertent shifting, and that the terminals do not support the\nweight of other superimposed elements. Specifically, you ask whether these lithium ion battery\nassemblies may be packaged in a steel handling rack for highway transportation—rather than in\nUnited Nations performance-oriented packaging—in accordance with § 173.185(b)(5).\nProvided that the aluminum casing is strong and impact-resistant, the lithium ion batteries are\nsecured to prevent inadvertent shifting, and the terminals do not support the weight of other\nsuperimposed elements, it is the opinion of this Office that the packing and handling\narrangement you describe in your email is acceptable for highway transportation in accordance\nwith § 173.185(b)(5).\nI hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.\nSincerely,\nDirk Der Kinderen\nChief, Standards Development Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nPatrick\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nTo: Dodd, Alice (PHMSA)\nCc: Hazmat Interps\nSubject: FW: Request for Letter of Interpretation under 49 C.F.R. § 173.185(b)(5)\nDate: Friday, August 4, 2023 4:20:00 PM\nAttachments: Request for Interpretation Letter Battery Assy HDMA.pdf\nAppendix A_Confidential.pdf\n23-0091\nHi Alice,\nPlease see the below and attached interpretation request.\nLet us know if you need anything.\nRegards,\n-Breanna\nFrom: Joseph Williamson <Joseph_Williamson@na.honda.com>\nSent: Friday, August 4, 2023 2:07 PM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) <INFOCNTR.INFOCNTR@dot.gov>\nSubject: Request for Letter of Interpretation under 49 C.F.R. § 173.185(b)(5)\nCAUTION: This email originated from outside of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Do\nnot click on links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content\nis safe.\nDear Mr. Kelley:\nOn behalf of Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, LLC, I am requesting a formal letter of interpretati\non regarding transportation of the Company’s new lithium battery assembly. These battery assemblies will be used i\nn the production of new electric vehicles.\nThe battery assembly details are provided in Appendix A. Please note that we are requesting confidential treatment\nof Appendix A in its entirety under 49 C.F.R. § 105.30. Appendix A constitutes a trade secret, and its disclosure co\nuld cause competitive harm to HDMA. Disclosure of these materials would reveal the proprietary design specificati\nons of the battery assemblies to HDMA’s competitors, and allow them to reverse-engineer competing battery assem\nblies.\nCan you please confirm the following:\n1. Do the lithium battery assemblies described above constitute “lithium batteries that weigh 12 kg (2\n6.5 pounds) or more and have a strong, impact-resistant outer casing” under 49 C.F.R. § 173.185(\nb)(5)?\n2. Can the battery assemblies be transported by truck using the steel racks shown “instead of package\ns meeting the UN performance packaging requirements in paragraphs (b)(3)(ii) and (iii)” of 49 C.\nF.R. § 173.185?\nShould you need any additional information, please let us know. Thank you for your attention to this request.\nVery truly yours,\nJoe Williamson\nSenior Staff Engineer\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nPurchasing & Supply Chain Center: Strategic Planning/New Model\nHonda Development and Manufacturing of America\nEmail: Joseph_Williamson@na.honda.com\ntel: 937-731-8457\nConfidentiality Notice: This transmission (including any attachments) may contain confidential\ninformation belonging to the sender and is intended only for the use of the party or entity to which\nit is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure,\ncopying, distribution, retention or the taking of action in reliance on the contents of this\ntransmission is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please immediately\nnotify the sender and erase all information and attachments.\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nAugust 4, 2023\nVIA EMAIL\nMr. Shane Kelley\nDirector, Standards and Rulemaking Division\nU.S. DOT/PHMSA (PHH-10)\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE East Building, 2nd Floor\nWashington, DC 20590\ninfocntr@dot.gov\nRe: Request for Letter of Interpretation under 49 C.F.R. § 173.185(b)(5)\nDear Mr. Kelley:\nOn behalf of Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, LLC, I am requesting a formal\nletter of interpretation regarding transportation of the Company’s new lithium battery assembly.\nThese battery assemblies will be used in the production of new electric vehicles.\nThe battery assembly details are provided in Appendix A. Please note that we are requesting\nconfidential treatment of Appendix A in its entirety under 49 C.F.R. § 105.30. Appendix A\nconstitutes a trade secret, and its disclosure could cause competitive harm to HDMA.\nDisclosure of these materials would reveal the proprietary design specifications of the battery\nassemblies to HDMA’s competitors, and allow them to reverse-engineer competing battery\nassemblies.\nCan you please confirm the following:\n1. Do the lithium battery assemblies described above constitute “lithium batteries\nthat weigh 12 kg (26.5 pounds) or more and have a strong, impact-resistant outer\ncasing” under 49 C.F.R. § 173.185(b)(5)?\n2. Can the battery assemblies be transported by truck using the steel racks shown\n“instead of packages meeting the UN performance packaging requirements in\nparagraphs (b)(3)(ii) and (iii)” of 49 C.F.R. § 173.185?\nShould you need any additional information, please let us know. Thank you for your attention\nto this request.\nVery truly yours,\nJoe Williamson\nEnclosure","truncated":false,"body_characters":6451}