IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED IN DOT'S HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RAIL SAFETY PROGRAM. STATEMENT OF KENNETH M. MEAD BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

This is the testimony of Kenneth M. Mead, Director, Transportation Issues, Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division, General Accounting Office, on the transportation of hazardous materials by rail. He reports on the effectiveness of the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA's) hazardous materials inspection program and the extent to which the Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) has improved its hazardous materials information system. It was found that FRA's hazardous materials inspection program has not been effectively implemented. As a result, FRA is not in a position to provide assurances that shippers and railroads are adhering to federal hazardous materials regulations. It was found that, although the RSPA has made some improvements since past reports on its hazardous materials information system, the system continues to be incomplete. In addition, RSPA has not implemented past recommendations to establish a program to register shippers of hazardous materials.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/summary.php?recflag=&rptno=T-RCED-90-13
• Corporate Authors:

  U.S. General Accounting Office

  441 G Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20548
• Publication Date: 1989-11-7

Media Info

• Pagination: 11 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Congressional hearings; Hazardous materials; Railroad transportation; Testimony
• Identifier Terms: U.S. Federal Railroad Administration; U.S. Research and Special Programs Administration
• Subject Areas: Highways; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00491218
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: GAO/T-RCED-90-13
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 28 1990 12:00AM