EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT association OF TEXAS

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) amended the Hazardous Materials regulation to require railroads that carry hazardous materials to generate in electronic form, maintain that information in off-the-train, update that information in real-time. Railroads must provide that information to authorized federal, state, and local first responders, emergency response officials, and law enforcement personnel along the train route who could be or are involved in the response to, or investigation of, an accident, incident, or public health or safety emergency involving the rail transportation of hazardous materials in advance of their arrival to an accident or incident.  Additionally, immediately following either an accident involving a train carrying hazardous materials or an incident involving the release or suspected release of hazardous material from a train, the railroad operating the train must make an emergency notification telephonically and provide train consist information electronically to the primary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) responsible for the area where the event occurred as well as the track owner (if the track owner is different from the railroad operating the train). PHMSA also adopts a requirement that railroads must test their emergency notification system at least annually. In updating that electronic train consist information, railroads must also update the local copy version of the same information provided to train crews in printed paper copy. Updating both the local printed paper copy maintained by the train crew and the electronic version of that information maintained off the train ensures the information is consistent, accurate, and available when needed most.

PHMSA expects this enhanced, proactive approach will ensure that emergency response personnel have timely, accurate, actionable information regarding the hazardous materials being transported and the hazards they may encounter when they are en route to or reach the scene of a rail accident or incident, thereby reducing the risks to surrounding communities and the environment while expediting site remediation, restoration of rail service, and community engagement efforts as investigation activity proceeds.

This amended regulation takes effect today, June 24, 2025 and applies to Class I Railroads.  For Class II and III Railroads, the effective date is June 24, 2026.

Here is the link to the notice in the Federal Register:  2024-13474.pdf