News

Dent Requests HMSP Assessment

10/30/2013

Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) wrote FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro requesting a copy of the assessment her agency wa required to make of the Hazardous Materials Safety Permit (HMSP) program.  The assessment was due to Congress no later than SEPT 30, 2013.  Among other things, the assessment is supposed to identify actions the agency could take to  make improvements to the program including the provision of an additional level of fitness review prior to the denial, revocation, or suspension of a safety permit.  Permit holders have been harmed by the fact that there is no opportunity to appeal or to request a waiver of a denial prior to losing a permit based on the agency's arbitrary out-of-service inspection criteria.  Dent is preparing legislation to comprehensively reform the HMSP program.  The assessment will be important to the need for the legislation.