Waterways - Regulatory Agencies

The Department of Transportation (DOT) is responsible for developing and issuing the HMR. The regulations govern the transportation of hazardous materials in interstate, intrastate, and foreign commerce. The DOT carries out this responsibility through the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).

The PHMSA is divided into two offices: the Office of Pipeline Safety and the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety (OHMS). The OHMS evaluates safety risks, develops and enforces hazardous materials regulations, issues special permits and approvals, educates shippers and carriers, investigates incidents, and conducts research. The PHMSA also represents the DOT when working with international regulatory agencies regarding waterways transportation, such as:

• United Nations Subcommittee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals
• International Maritime Organization (IMO)

Authority to enforce the HMR for vessel regulations is delegated to various agencies within the DOT, including PHMSA and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), which is a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

To learn more about Waterways HAZMAT visit our DOT Waterways HAZMAT Online Training web page.