{"operation":"document","citation":"24-0019","title":"ProteQ — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2024-05-29","effective_on":null,"summary":"24-0019 response to ProteQ concerning 173.185.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-24-0019.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-24-0019.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-24-0019","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/2024-05/240019.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\nMay 29, 2024\nMr. Marc Gordnier\nDirector, Maritime Operations & Logistics\nProteQ\n2325 Dulles Corner Blvd, Suite 725\nHerndon, VA 20171\nReference No. 24-0019\nDear Mr. Gordnier:\nThis letter is in response to your March 19, 2024, letter requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to lithium battery testing\nrequirements. You seek clarification on the requirements in § 173.185 for lithium batteries to be\nof a type proven to meet the criteria in Part III, subsection 38.3 of the United Nations (UN)\nManual of Tests and Criteria. You state that your company offers battery assemblies for\ntransportation: 1) with a watt-hour (Wh) rating of less than 6,200 Wh; 2) that are assembled from\nindividual lithium ion batteries that are electrically connected in-series; and 3) have individually\npassed the tests required in Part III, subsection 38.3 of the UN Manual of Test and Criteria.\nSpecifically, you ask whether the lithium ion battery assemblies described in your letter require\nadditional testing in accordance with subsection 38.3.3.1(f) of the UN Manual of Test and\nCriteria.\nThe answer is yes. Subsection 38.3.3.1(f) of the UN Manual of Test and Criteria requires lithium\nion battery assemblies with a Wh rating of not more than 6,200 Wh to be assembled from\nindividual batteries that have passed all applicable tests and to be subjected to additional testing\n(i.e., T.3, T.4, and T.5, and—in addition—T.7 in the case of a rechargeable battery). Therefore,\nalthough the individual lithium ion batteries described in your letter have passed all the\napplicable tests in section 38.3 of the UN Manual of Test and Criteria, subsection 38.3.3.1(f)\nrequires one battery assembly (in a fully charged state) with a Wh rating of less than 6,200 Wh to\npass additional testing (i.e., T.3, T.4, and T.5, and—in addition—T.7 in the case of a\nrechargeable battery).\nI hope this information helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.\nSincerely,\nSteven Andrews\nActing Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\n24-0019\nLarson\nJones, Jessie Jane CTR (PHMSA)\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nSent: Wednesday, March 20, 2024 4:05 PM\nTo: Hazmat Interps\nSubject: FW: Letter of Interpretation request to the 49 CFR Subpart C – Hazardous Materials\nRegulations | ProteQ\nAttachments: HAZMAT Info Center_DA_18MAR24.pdf\nFollow Up Flag: Follow up\nFlag Status: Flagged\nPlease see attached request for letter of interpretation.\nThanks,\nJonathon\nFrom: Marc Gordnier <mgordnier@proteq.com>\nSent: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 2:13 PM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) <INFOCNTR.INFOCNTR@dot.gov>\nCc: Ben Smith <bsmith@proteq.com>\nSubject: Letter of Interpretation request to the 49 CFR Subpart C – Hazardous Materials Regulations | ProteQ\nCAUTION: This email originated from outside of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Do not click on links\nor open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.\nDear PHMSA InfoCenter—\nPlease find subject Letter of Interpretation request attached.\nMany thanks for your assist.\nmg\nMarc Gordnier\nDirector, Maritime Operations & Logistics • ProteQ\nOffice/cell: (571) 328-8438\nemail: mgordnier@proteq.com\n2325 Dulles Corner Blvd, Ste 725\nHerndon, VA 20171\nwww.proteq.com\nlogistics@proteq.com\nThis email and any attached files contain business sensitive information and are intended solely\nfor the use of the individual for whom they are addressed. If you are not the named addressee, do\nnot disseminate, distribute or copy this email. Disclosing, copying, distributing or taking any action\nin reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited. ProteQ is a Service Disabled\nVeteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) as certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs\n(VA) Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE) verification process.\n1\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nHAZMAT Info Center\nU.S. DOT/ PHMSA\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE East Building, 2nd Floor\nWashington, DC 20590\nSubject: Letter of Interpretation of HMR for Lithium Batteries in commercial transport\nTo Whom It May Concern:\nTo gain a better understanding of the requirements of the HMR and the offering of Lithium\nchemistry batteries into commercial transportation, Kentco dba ProteQ LLC (ProteQ) is\nsubmitting a request for a letter of interpretation of the HMR to ensure that we are meeting the\ncompliance requirements of the HMR when batteries that have passed the UN38.3 tests\nrequirement are electrically – configured in series – connected to provide power to propel\nunmanned electrically operated vehicles (UUVs & USV) through and under the water.\nQuestion:\nDo persons/ shippers who offer battery assemblies into transportation that have been electrically\nconnected and assembled from other UN38.3 tested batteries have to further test these newly\nassembled battery packs (e.g., battery assemblies, battery power pack, battery power supplies,\netc.) in accordance with the additional testing requirements of UN38.3.3(f), when the newly\nassembled batteries in question meet the requirements of the UN standard, e.g., when a Lithium\nion battery pack assembled from batteries that have passed all applicable tests has a Watt hour\nrating of less than 6,200 Watt hours?\nOur Point of Contact for additional information is:\nMr. Ben Smith, Senior Multimodal Dangerous Goods Specialist\nbsmith@proteq.com\nTel: (571) 449-0741\nSincerely,\nD. Marc Gordnier\nDirector, Maritime Operations & Logistics\nBusiness Sensitive 2325 Dulles Corner Blvd ✪ -1-\nSuite 725 ✪ Herndon ✪ VA ✪ 20171","truncated":false,"body_characters":5718}