{"operation":"document","citation":"CHI-04-007","title":"Harsco Corporation — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2004-02-02","effective_on":null,"summary":"CHI-04-007 response to Harsco Corporation concerning 171.2.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-chi-04-007.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-chi-04-007.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-chi-04-007","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Hazmat/ChiefCounsel/CHI-04-007.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nof Transportation\nU.S. Department\nRoom 8407\n400 Seventh Street, S.W.\nResearch and\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nspecial Programs\nAdministratior\nOffice of the\nChief Counsel\nPhone: (202) 366-4400\nFax: (202) 366-7041\nBY FACSIMILE\nFEB - 2 2004\nRussel S. Swanger, Jr., Esq.\nSenior Counsel and Director --\nGovernment Affairs\nHarsco Corporation\n350 Poplar Church Road\nP.O. Box 8888\nCamp Hill, PA 17001-8888\nRe: DOT Specification 4L Cylinder\nDear Mr. Swanger:\nThis responds to your December 8, 2003 letter concerning California requirements for fuel\nsystems for vehicles powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).\nThe fuel system and other components installed in a motor vehicle are subject to requirements of\nthe Department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). I understand that\nNHTSA has not promulgated a Federal motor vehicle safety standard applicable to LNG fuel\nsystems.\nFederal hazardous material transportation law, 49 U.S.C. § 5101 et seq., and the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR), 49 C.F.R. Parts 171-180, govern the transportation of hazardous\nmaterials in commerce, but they do not apply to the fuel system installed in a motor vehicle. At\nthe same time, the HMR provide that a person may not \"mark ... a packaging or container as\nmeeting the requirements of [the HMR]... whether or not it is used or intended to be used for\nthe transportation of a hazardous material, unless the packaging or container is manufactured,\nfabricated, marked, maintained, reconditioned, repaired and retested, as appropriate, in\naccordance with the applicable requirements of [the HMR].\" 49 C.F.R. § 171.2(c)\nAccordingly, RSPA concludes that your company may mark an LNG fuel tank as having been\ndesigned, fabricated, and tested in accordance with the DOT 4L specification for cylinders - if\nthe fuel tank meets the requirements of that specification. Should the motor vehicle fuel tank be\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\n2\nremoved and transported in commerce, the fuel tank would be subject to the requirements in the\nHMR. Therefore, we recommend that you consider marking the fuel tank to clearly indicate that\nit may not be an authorized container for transporting LNG in commerce.\nI hope this information is helpful. If you have further questions, you may contact me at the above\naddress, by telephone at 202-366-4400, or by fax at 202-366-7041.\nSincerely,\nSpeph solomey\noseph Solomey\nAssistant Chief Counsel for\nHazardous Material Safety and\nEmergency Transportation Law\nCC:\nMr. Paul M. Horgan\nCalifornia Highway Patrol","truncated":false,"body_characters":2524}