{"operation":"document","citation":"25-0024","title":"Buckeye Partners, L.P. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2025-06-05","effective_on":null,"summary":"25-0024 response to Buckeye Partners, L.P. concerning 172.332, 173.150.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-25-0024.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-25-0024.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-25-0024","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/2025-06/250024.pdf","body":"<<>>\n\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\nJune 5, 2025\nMark Bonenberger\nProgram Manager\nBuckeye Partners, L.P.\n6161 Hamilton, Blvd.\nAllentown, PA 18106\nReference No. 25-0024\nDear Mr. Bonenberger:\nThis letter is in response to your February 27, 2025 letter requesting clarification of the\nHazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to reclassifying a\nflammable liquid to a combustible liquid. Specifically, you state that your company transports\naviation fuel (i.e., jet fuel) throughout the United States and Canada by cargo tank motor vehicle.\nYou understand that according to the requirements in §§ 173.150(f)(1) and 172.332(c)(4), the\nHMR permits the reclassification of a flammable liquid to a combustible liquid and the use of a\ncombustible placard, respectively.\nWe have paraphrased and answered your questions as follows:\nQ1. Can jet fuel with a flash point at or above 38 °C (100 °F), not meeting the definition of\nany hazard class, and transported in a cargo tank motor vehicle, be described as\n“UN1863, Fuel, aviation, turbine engine, Combustible liquid, PG III?”\nA1. Yes. Please note that, in accordance with § 173.150(f)(3) of the HMR, a combustible\nliquid in a bulk packaging is not subject to the requirements of the HMR, except for those\nrequirements listed in § 173.150(f)(3)(i) through (f)(3)(xi).\nQ2. Can the United Nations identification number be displayed on a COMBUSTIBLE\nplacard conforming to either § 172.332(c)(1) and (c)(2) or § 172.332(c)(4) of the HMR?\nA2. Yes. Both types of placards are permitted for display of the identification number on a\ncargo tank motor vehicle. However, please note that a COMBUSTIBLE placard with a\nwhite background as described in § 172.332(c)(4) of the HMR for display of the\nidentification number must be used during rail transportation but may be used during\nhighway transportation.\n\n<<>>\n\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<<>>\n\nBaker\n25-0024\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nTo: Dodd, Alice (PHMSA)\nCc: Hazmat Interps\nSubject: FW: Buckeye - Request for Letter of Interpretation\nDate: Thursday, February 27, 2025 4:47:19 PM\nAttachments: Buckeye - Request for Letter of Interpretation.msg\nDear Alice,\nSee the attached interpretation request. Let us know if you need anything else.\nBest,\nAminah\nFrom: Bonenberger, Mark P. \nSent: Thursday, February 27, 2025 1:02 PM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) \nSubject: RE: Buckeye - Request for Letter of Interpretation\nYou don't often get email from mbonenberger@buckeye.com. Learn why this is important\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.\nSee attached.\nThanks,\nMark\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) \nSent: Thursday, February 27, 2025 1:00 PM\nTo: Bonenberger, Mark P. \nSubject: Automatic reply: Buckeye - Request for Letter of Interpretation\nWARNING: This email originated outside of Buckeye Partners, L.P.\nDO NOT CLICK links or attachments unless you recognize the sender and\nknow the content is safe.\nIf you have any questions please contact the Buckeye Partners service\ndesk.\nThank you for contacting the HAZMAT Info Center (HMIC) within the Pipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety Administration (PHMSA). The HMIC assists with the use of the Hazardous Materials\nRegulations (HMR), and provides other services as noted on our website (click here). The\ninformation center is staffed Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm EST. This email acknowledges\n\n<<>>\n\nreceipt of your inquiry.\nTo better assist you, we ask that you provide your name, a phone number, and a detailed question\nor concern. You may respond to this email or contact the HMIC by phone at +1 (800) 467-4922 or +1\n(202) 366-4488.\nRegards,\nHazMat InfoCenter Team\n\n<<>>\n\nFrom: Bonenberger, Mark P.\n\nSent: Thursday, February 27,\n2025 12:59 PM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nCc: Parker, Cindy L.; Osika,\nRobert; Czonstka, Lisa; Mengel, Jason L.\nSubject: Buckeye - Request for\nLetter of Interpretation\nAttachments: 150187R.pdf; 090093.pdf\nEmail: infocntr@dot.gov\nFebruary 27, 2025\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety Administration (PHMSA)\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nEast Building, 2nd Floor\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nSubject:\nRequest for Letter of Interpretation on the use of UN 1863, Fuel, Aviation,\nTurbine Engine, Combustible\nLiquid, PG III, and the use of a Combustible\nPlacard on a\nCargo Tanker\nDear\nPHMSA Office of Hazardous Materials Safety,\nI am writing to request a formal letter of interpretation\nregarding the transportation requirements\nfor the reclassification of Jet Fuel from\na FLAMMABLE to COMBUSTIBLE under the\nHazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180).\nOur company is involved in the transportation of aviation turbine\nfuel\n(Jet Fuel) throughout the\nUnited States and Canada. Given that under 49 CFR §173.150(f)(1) and §172.332 (c)(4), HMR\nallows for the reclassification of a FLAMMABLE to COMBUSTIBLE and the use of a\nCOMBUSTIBLE placard, we are seeking clarification on\nthe following points:\n1. For jet fuel transported via bulk cargo tanker with a flash point at or above 38 °C (100 °F)\nthat\ndoes not meet the definition of any other hazard class, is the following\nDOT\ndescription acceptable under 49 CFR §172.101 and 173.150(f)(1)? UN 1863, Fuel,\nAviation, Turbine Engine, Combustible\nLiquid, PG III\n2. Under 49 CFR § 172.332 (c)(4), can the cargo tanker use\nthe following combustible\nplacard for jet fuel using UN 1863?\nfile:///C/Users/Alice.Dodd/Documents/Buckeye%20-%20Request%20for%20Letter%20of%20Interpretation.htm[3/5/2025 1:02:57 PM]\n\n<<>>\n\nor\nGiven\nthe importance of compliance with DOT regulations and ensuring safe\ntransportation\npractices, we would appreciate PHMSA’s official guidance on this\nmatter. If further\nclarification is required, I am available to discuss or\nprovide additional information.\nThank you for your time and assistance. I look forward to your\nresponse.\nSincerely,\nMark\nP Bonenberger / Program Manager, Environmental Compliance\nBuckeye\nPartners, L.P.\nThe\nBuckeye Building\n6161\nHamilton Blvd | Allentown PA 18106\nMobile:\n610.360.2619\nmbonenberger@buckeye.com\nThink Safe, Work Safe, Leave Safe… LIVE Safe\nIf you SEE something, SAY something!\nþ Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.\nfile:///C/Users/Alice.Dodd/Documents/Buckeye%20-%20Request%20for%20Letter%20of%20Interpretation.htm[3/5/2025 1:02:57 PM]\n\n<<>>\n\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials\nSafety Administration\nocr 26 2010\n1200 New Jersey Ave, SE\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nMr. Eric Barcaskey\nManager, Hazmat Transportation Safety\nVal spar\nP.O. Box 1461\nMinneapolis, MN 55440\nReference No. 09-0093\nDear Mr. Barcaskey:\nThis is in response to your letter requesting clarification ofthe Hazardous Materials Regulations\n(HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to combustible liquids. Specifically, you ask how to\nproperly describe \"UN 1263, Paint, 3 (flammable liquid), PO III\" with a flash point of49°C (120 OF)\nwhen it is has been reclassed as a combustible liquid and placed in either a non-bulk or bulk\npackaging. We apologize for the delay in responding to your letter and any inconvenience this may\nhave caused.\nQ1. Maya paint product with a flash point of 120 OF in a bulk packaging be described as\n\"UN 1263, Paint, Combustible liquid, PO III\"?\nA1. Yes, provided the paint does not meet the definition of any another hazard class. According\nto the provisions of49 CFR 172.101(d) (4), Class 3 entries in the Hazardous Materials Table\nare modified to read \"Combustible liquid\" when that material is reclassified in accordance\nwith § 173.150(e) or (f) or has a flash point above point above 60°C (140 OF) but below\n93 °C (200 OF). Section 173 . 150(f)( 1) permits a flammable liquid with a flash point at or\nabove 38°C (100 OF) that does not meet the definition of any other hazard class to be\nreclassed as a combustible liquid in domestic transportation. (See also § 173.120(b)(2).)\nPlease note, this provision does not apply to transportation by vessel or aircraft, except where\nother means of transportation is impracticable. Combustible liquids in bulk packagings, and\ncombustible liquids that are hazardous substances, hazardous wastes, or marine pollutants\nmust also comply with requirements for hazard communication, incident reporting,\npackaging, training, and emergency response information. (See § 173.150(f)(3).)\nQ2. Maya paint product in a non-bulk packaging with a flash point of 120 OF that contains a\nhazardous substance in an amount that exceeds its reportable quantity be described as\n\"UN 1263, Paint, Combustible liquid, PO III, RQ (with the name of the hazardous\nsubstance(s) in parentheses)\"?\nA2. Yes. As specified in § 172.203(c)(l), ifthe proper shipping name for a material that is a\nhazardous substance does not identify the hazardous substance by name, the name of the\nhazardous substance must be entered in parentheses in association with the basic description.\n\n<<>>\n\nThis may be accomplished by placing the name ofthe hazardous substance either immediately\nfollowing the proper shipping name or the basic description. Ifa material contains two or\nmore hazardous substances, at least two hazardous substances, including the two with the\nlowest reportable quantities (RQs), must be identified. Further, § 172.203( c )(2) requires a\nhazardous material that meets the definition of a hazardous substance, defined in § 171.8, to\nhave the letters !IRQ\" appear before or after the basic shipping description on a shipping paper\nto denote the package contains a reportable quantity ofthis material.\nQ3. Is the package containing the combustible liquid paint product described in Question Q2\npermitted, required, or forbidden to be labeled with a FLAMMABLE LIQUID label\nconforming to § 172.419? Can this label be used without the \"FLAMMABLE LIQUID\" text?\nA3. Liquid paint with a flash point of60 °C (140 OF) or less that is described as a Class 3\nflammable liquid must be labeled with a FLAMMABLE LIQUID label conforming to\n§ 172.419. Liquid paint with a flash point at or above 38°C (100 OF) but not exceeding 60°C\n(140 OF), such as the paint you described with a flash point of 120 OF, that does not meet the\ndefinition of any other hazard class and is reclassed as a combustible liquid must not be\nlabeled with a FLAMMABLE LIQUID label, regardless of whether or not text indicating the\nhazard class is included on the label (see § 173. 120(b)(2)). For your information, the HMR\ndo not require text indicating the FLAMMABLE LIQUID hazard class on a primary or\nsubsidiary label (see § 172.405(a)). Although the HMR do not prescribe a label for the\ncombustible liquid hazard class, they do prescribe a placard for COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID\n(see the § 172.400(b) table and § 172.544), and permit a FLAMMABLE LIQUID placard to\nbe used in place ofa COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID placard on a bulk package that contains a\ncombustible liquid (see § 172.504(f)(2)).\nOn April 5, 20 I 0, PHMSA published an advance notice ofproposed rulemaking (ANPRM;\nDocket No. PHMSA-2009-0241 (HM-242) copy enclosed), titled \"Hazardous Materials\nRegulations: Combustible Liquids,\" in the Federal Register [75 FR 17111J soliciting\ncomments on ways to revise, clarify, or relax certain regulatory requirements for combustible\nliquids. Although the comment period closed on July 6, 2010, we encourage you to submit\nyour comments on this matter. To view the rulemaking electronically, please visit the website\n\"www.regulations.gov,\" and search using the last four digits of the rulemaking's docket\nnumber, \"0241,\" and further refine your search results with this agency's acronym \"PHMSA.\"\nI hope this satisfies your request.\nSincerely,\nr-/~~~~\nT. Glenn Foster\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\nEnclosure\n2\n\n<<>>\n\nvalspar\nPO Box 1461\nMinneapolis. MN 55440\n~dnlonsaY'\\\nS \"3. 150(-\\)\n-311~. (01\n~;y:>pfnj Ncune\n09- OoCJ3\nApril 9, 2009\nUS DOT PHMSA\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards, PHH-10\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nRe: Combustible liquid applicability\nDear Mr. Mazzullo,\n49CFR §173.120(b) (2) permits an otherwise flammable liquid to be\n\"\n...reclassed as a combustible liquid.\" with further criteria referenced both\nin this subparagraph, and in §173.150(f). Please advise whether the\nfollowing are correct applications, with corrections as appropriate:\n1) A paint product in bulk packaging with flashpoint of 120°F;\nUN1263, Paint, Class Combustible liquid, PG III\n2) A paint product in non-bulk packaging with flashpoint of 120°F, and\ncontaining a hazardous substance above its reportable quantity;\nUN1263 , Paint, Class Combustible liquid, PG III\nRQ (Listed hazardous substance)\n3) Whether use of a Flammable Liquid label (§172.419, with or without text)\nis permissible, required or forbidden in instance 2) above.\nWe have experienced recent carrier and state enforcement questions on the\nabove and assure your office that a written interpretation is of great\ninteres~ Thank you in advance for your reply.\nSincerely,\n~~~~\nManager, Hazmat Transport Safety\nPhone (612) 851-7930\nebarcaskey@valspar.com\nIf it matters, we're on it:\"\n\n<<>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nOEC 2 1 2016\nLieutenant Bryan Gay\nFlorida Highway Patrol\n6030 County Road 2321\nPanama City, FL 32404\nReference No. 15-0187R\nDear Lieutenant Gay:\nThis letter is a response to your September 14, 2015, letter requesting clarification of the\nHazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the shipping\ndescription of diesel fuel reclassified as a \"combustible liquid.\" This letter is an additional\nclarification revision to interpretation letter 15-0187 published on February 8, 2016. In your\noriginal incoming letter, you note that§ 172.202(a)(3)(ii) states the hazard class need not be\nincluded for the entry \"Combustible liquid, n.o.s.\" You further list two proper shipping\ndescriptions for diesel fuel reclassified as a combustible liquid:\n1) NA1993, Diesel Fuel, Combustible liquid, PG III\n2) NA1993, Combustible Liquid n.o.s. (diesel fuel), Combustible liquid, PG III\nYou ask ifthe shipping description \"NA1993, Combustible liquid n.o.s.\" must be used when\ntaking the exception in§ 172.202(a)(3)(ii) and which of the previously-listed shipping\ndescriptionsis correct\nFor additional clarification, in accordance with§ 172.202(a)(3)(ii) of the HMR, the hazard class\nneed not be included for the entry \"Combustible liquid, n.o.s.\" While this exception is specific\nonly to the \"Combustible liquid n.o.s.\" shipping description, § 172.101 ( d)( 4) specifies that a\nClass 3 material can be modified to read \"combustible liquid\" when that material is reclassified\nin accordance with§ 173.150(e) or (f).\nFurther, using the listing provided, shipping description number 1 would be appropriate for\ndiesel fuel reclassified as a combustible liquid. It should be noted that \"UN1202, Diesel Fuel,\nCombustible liquid, PG III\" may also be used as an alternative description.\nI hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.\nSincerely,\n~~~~\nT. Glenn Foster\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<>>\n\n~~~\n· ~ 113 . \\SOc~)\nU.S. DOT\nPHMSA Office of Hazardous Materials Standards\nAttn: PHH-10\nEast Building\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.\nWashington, DC 20590-0001\n~bld-Jk l·0~\nS- 0187\nWhat, if any, special requirements must a motor carrier follow if the motor carrier is going to reclassify a\nflammable liquid as a combustible liquid and utilize the 173.150(£)(3) exemptions while transporting a\ncargo tank load of diesel fuel? Which of the two shipping papers entries below is appropriate for this\nshipment? When identifying the hazard class on shipping papers, 172.202(a)(3)(ii) indicates hazard class\n3 need not be included for entries of Combustible Liquid, n.o.s. Combustible Liquid, n.o.s. is a proper\nshipping name, and it's the only HM table entry that indicates \"Comb Liq\" in column 3 of the 172.101\ntable. This indicates to me that if a motor carrier is wanting to utilize the 173 .150 exceptions, the motor\ncarrier must determine the flashpoint, reclassify the material as a combustible liquid, and ship the material\nas a Combustible Liquid n.o.s. instead of using the original proper shipping name, e .g.,' Diesel Fuel, Fuel\nOil, etc.\nNA1993, Diesel Fuel, Combustible Liquid, PG III\nNA1993, Combustible Liquid n.o.s (Diesel Fuel), Combustible Liquid, PG III\n173 .15 O(f) Combustible liquids. (1) A flammable liquid with a flash point at or above 3 8 °C (100 °F) that\ndoes not meet the definition of any other hazard class may be reclassed as a combustible liquid.\n172.202(a)(3) The hazard cl~s or division number prescribed for the material, as shown in Column\n3 of the § 172.101 table.\n(ii) The hazatd class need not be included for the entry \"Combustible liquid, n.o.s.\"\nSincerely, L\n87~~\nLieutenant Bryant Gay . .\nFlorida Highway Patrol\n6030 County Road 2:321\nPanama City, FL 32404\n850-767-3665\nbryantgay@flhstnv.gov .","truncated":false,"body_characters":17631}