Notification of Department-wide Program Evaluation of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Program

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.

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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

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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]

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