Proposed Rule Changes Could Prove Expensive for Liquified Gas Haulers

A proposed rule changing unloading operations for haulers of liquefied compressed gases such as propane could cost as much as $3,000 for each truck, an industry official said.

The notice of proposed rulemaking was issued March 22 by the Research and Special Programs Administration, a unit of the Department of Transportation.

The agency’s recommendations include:

Rigorous new inspection, maintenance and testing requirements for hoses and hose assemblies.

New requirements for monitoring unloading of cargo to assure that operators can quickly spot unintentional releases.

New emergency discharge equipment that will halt unloading automatically if a hose tears or ruptures.

Remote control devices to allow operators to stop unloading.

The RSPA and affected parties met to develop the recommendations through a negotiated rulemaking, which federal agencies use to expedite the process of drawing up policies.

Cliff Harvison, president of the National Tank Carriers, said the call for a new rule was prompted by an accident in Sanford, N.C., in which 50,000 gallons of propane spilled when valves in a cargo tank and a storage tank failed. There were no injuries.

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