PHMSA moves slightly on permit applications

PHMSA has issued clarifications and corrections to its January 5 final rule under HM-223B, which made major changes to the Special Permits and Approvals application process. The rule drew criticism from several industry bodies and this latest document represents PHMSA’s response to those appeals. There is no requirement to update the list of locations at which a Special Permit or Approval will be used; the person’s name provided in the application need not be the CEO but should be a “senior corporate official” with relevant oversight duties; and the requirement for the list of locations does not include delivery addresses. However, PHMSA has rejected several elements of the appeals it received and, in particular, refuses to acknowledge that the rulemaking will impose a significant additional financial burden on industry without improving safety. The document can be found here.