The American Trucking Associations has appealed the Research and Special Programs Administration's (RSPA)final rule concerning the retention of hazardous materials shipping papers. ATA believes a portion of the rule is impracticable and contrary to the federal Hazardous Materials Law, according to ATA information.
The National Tank Truck Carriers and Dangerous Goods Advisory Council earlier expressed concern about the hazmat rule. RSPA will require shippers and carriers to retain a copy of each hazardous material shipping paper, or an electronic image, for a period of 375 days after the date the hazardous material is accepted by a carrier. For a hazardous waste, the shipping paper copy must be retained for three years after the material is accepted by the initial carrier. The final rule was to go into effective August 12, 2002, according to information published in the "Federal Register" July 12.