PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jul 23, 1998
Hazardous Materials Transportation Reauthorization Act of 1998 - Amends Federal transportation law to repeal the authority of the Secretary of Transportation to prescribe criteria for handling hazardous material. (Sec. 6) Changes from discretionary to mandatory the Secretary's authority to impose a fee on persons who are required to file a registration statement for the transport of hazardous materials in order to pay for the costs of processing such statements. Declares that registration requirements shall not apply to Indian tribes. (Sec. 8) Repeals a provision requiring the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to distribute a curriculum of courses to train public sector emergency response and preparedness teams to regional response teams and certain committees and commissions established under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986. (Sec. 9) Directs the Secretary (currently, the Director of FEMA) to monitor public sector emergency response planning and training for an accident involving hazardous material. Authorizes the Secretary to allow a State or Indian tribe receiving a planning and training grant to use up to 25 percent of the grant amount to assist small businesses in complying with regulations for the safe transportation of hazardous material. (Sec. 10) Increases from two years to four years the period of an exemption from Federal regulations governing the safe transportation of hazardous materials. Authorizes the Secretary to carry out pilot programs to examine innovative approaches or alternatives to regulations for private motor carriage in intrastate transportation of an agricultural production material from a source of supply to a farm, a farm to another farm, a field to another field on a farm, or a farm back to the source of supply. Sets forth certain program requirements. (Sec. 12) Authorizes the Secretary to enter into grants, cooperative agreements, and other transactions with a person, U.S. agency, State or local government, Indian tribe, foreign government, educational institution, or other entity to further research, development, demonstration, risk assessment, emergency response planning and training activities with respect to the transportation of hazardous materials. (Sec. 13) Authorizes officers, employees, or agents of the Secretary to: (1) inspect and examine packages in transport when they are marked as containing a hazardous material, or when there is a reasonable belief that such a package may contain such material; and (2) prevent, when there is a reasonable belief that an imminent hazard may exist, the further transportation of the hazardous material until the hazardous qualities of such material have been determined. (Sec. 14) Revises penalties for violations of a regulation, order, special permit, or approval in connection with the transportation of a hazardous material to: (1) increase the maximum civil penalty to not more than $27,500 for each violation; and (2) provide for a fine, or imprisonment for not more than 20 years, or both for violations which lead to the release of a hazardous material (aggravated violations). (Sec. 16) Authorizes a person with a substantial interest in a final enforcement order issued in connection with the transportation of a hazardous material to petition for review in the appropriate court. (Sec. 17) Directs the Secretary to conduct a study to: (1) determine the safety benefits and administrative efficiency of implementing a Federal permit program for high risk hazardous materials and hazardous waste carriers; and (2) identify and evaluate alternative regulatory methods and procedures that may improve the safety of high risk hazardous materials and hazardous waste carriers and shippers. (Sec. 18) Authorizes appropriations. Earmarks certain funds for: (1) training the public sector to respond to accidents involving the transportation of hazardous materials; and (2) hazardous material emergency response planning and training grants to States and Indian tribes.
People & committees
Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ] · R–AZ
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8923)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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