[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11528-11530]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5756]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
Research and Special Programs Administration
Notification of Department-wide Program Evaluation of the
Hazardous Materials Transportation Program
AGENCY: Office of Inspector General and Research and Special Programs
Administration (RSPA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: DOT is announcing the initiation of an internal Department-
wide Program Evaluation of the Hazardous Materials Transportation
Programs (HM Program Evaluation). This DOT-wide Program Evaluation is
being led by the department's Office of Inspector General and RSPA. The
objectives of the HM Program Evaluation are to document and assess the
modal hazardous materials programs within the Department, and determine
whether these programs can be accomplished more effectively and
efficiently. The results of the ongoing HM Program Evaluation will be
reported to the public in DOT's FY 1999 Program Performance Report no
later than March 31, 2000.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jackie Goff, 202-493-0326, or George
[[Page 11529]]
Whitney, 202-366-4831, Co-Chairs, HM Program Evaluation Team, U.S.
Department of Transportation; 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC
20590-0001.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) requires agencies
to develop a schedule of program evaluations for inclusion in their
strategic plans. The Department has initiated a Department-wide Program
Evaluation of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Program that was
included in the DOT Strategic Plan 1997-2002. The overall purpose of
any program evaluation is to provide a means to objectively assess the
extent to which a program is contributing to certain outcome goals and
trends. Together with performance measures to track our ongoing
progress in achieving a goal, the results of program evaluations may be
used as a management tool to assist us in better understanding our
progress toward achieving a stated goal. Building on the list provided
in the DOT Strategic Plan, the Department has identified 30 program
evaluations in its Performance Plan for FY 2000. DOT's aim is to
emphasize program evaluations that: (1) represent significant DOT
activities contributing to our strategic goals; (2) are cross modal in
nature, or would benefit from evaluation that is reviewed outside any
single Operating Administration; and (3) would benefit from Department-
wide expertise and assistance during planning and review. This Program
Evaluation meets all three of these aims. Collectively, our goal is to
produce a Program Evaluation that is both credible and useful, meeting
both the letter and spirit of GPRA.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the Research and Special
Programs Administration (RSPA) are jointly leading this ``ONE DOT''
activity to benefit the public and DOT. The HM Program Evaluation is
staffed by 10 full-time persons, including at least one full-time
person from the OIG and RSPA and each of the following Operating
Administrations: the United States Coast Guard; the Federal Aviation
Administration; the Federal Highway Administration; and the Federal
Railroad Administration. The results of the ongoing HM Program
Evaluation will be reported to the public in DOT's FY 1999 Program
Performance Report no later than March 31, 2000.
II. Purpose and Objective
The purpose of the HM Program Evaluation is to examine the Federal
hazardous materials transportation law, the program structure defined
by the delegation of authority within DOT, and to assess program
delivery. The HM Program Evaluation is intended to allow DOT to
determine the effectiveness of the current hazardous material programs,
including the division of responsibilities across and within modes, and
the allocation of resources dedicated to specific functions. This
positions DOT to potentially increase safety and environmental
protection when hazardous materials are in commerce.
The HM Program Evaluation has two objectives. First, it will
document current hazardous materials movements, programs, and program
delivery. Second, it will assess the effectiveness of the hazardous
materials programs as they intervene in and affect each step in the
hazardous materials transportation process--from packaging manufacturer
to destination. Each of the key elements of these objectives is
enumerated below.
A. Documentation of current hazardous materials activities will
include:
1. A description of the system of hazardous materials movement in
commerce and of the forecast trends in hazardous materials
transportation.
2. A description of what DOT's hazardous materials program is
intended to be as required by law and regulation, identifying key
components.
3. A description of what occurs in program delivery, documenting
program implementation as applied to the system of hazardous materials
movements in commerce. This will include an exposition of the points at
which the current hazardous materials programs intervene in the
transportation of hazardous materials, from packaging manufacturer, to
offeror, to carrier, to receiver, and how intervention tools
(regulation, education, training, outreach, compliance, and
enforcement) are applied at each point.
B. Analysis of program intervention and alternatives will include:
1. An examination of candidate measures and outcomes that would
indicate the effectiveness of DOT's hazardous materials program,
including current performance goals and measures, as well as measures
which further specify goals, or which provide a better measure of
hazardous materials transportation safety.
2. A critique of the current intervention approach. The HM Program
Evaluation will consider all of the possible intervention points, to
determine if the current approach is the most effective one for
achieving adequate safety and environmental protection. The analysis
will address how effectively intervention tools are applied at each
point.
3. Presentation of findings, conclusions and recommendations to the
Secretary of Transportation.
III. Scope of the HM Program Evaluation
The scope of the HM Program Evaluation will be limited to those
activities covered by 49 CFR Parts 106 (Rulemaking Procedures) and 107
(Hazardous Materials Program Procedures), and the Hazardous Materials
Regulations (HMR), 49 CFR Parts 171-180, as authorized by the Federal
hazardous materials transportation law to provide adequate protection
against the risks to life and property inherent in the transportation
of hazardous materials in commerce. By definition, hazardous materials
transported in pipelines or bulk shipment by water, such as oil or
liquefied petroleum gas tank vessels, are not within the scope of the
HM Program Evaluation.
The HM Program Evaluation will focus on cross modal issues. It will
include a review of compliance, education, training, outreach
activities, regulations (including exemptions and approvals), and
relevant aspects of DOT's internal rulemaking process. Also included
will be a determination of whether the current HMR achieves the stated
purpose of the Federal hazardous materials transportation law.
International shipments of hazardous materials will be included to
permit a review of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code
(IMDG) and the International Civil Aviation Organization's Technical
Instructions on the Transportation of Dangerous Goods by Air (ICAO),
both of which are authorized by HMR as alternative standards for many
of the requirements in the HMR for shipments destined for export or
that are being imported.
IV. Participation by Interested Parties
The team anticipates that a request for comments will be published
in the Federal Register shortly and will serve as the primary means to
involve the public. The request for comments will present a series of
questions within the scope of the HM Program Evaluation as described in
section III of this notice. When the request for comments is published,
interested parties should take this opportunity to respond to these
questions, provide supporting documentation and their overall
observations of the Department's Hazardous Materials Program.
Interested parties will be provided an opportunity
[[Page 11530]]
to submit responses in writing or electronically. The comments received
in response to the notice will assist in determining areas and issues
for indepth review.
Issued in Washington, DC, on March 4, 1999.
Jackie Goff,
Co-Chair, Hazardous Materials
Program Evaluation Team.
George Whitney,
Co-Chair, Hazardous Materials
Program Evaluation Team.
[FR Doc. 99-5756 Filed 3-8-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P