ATA Petitions Against Boston Hazmat Rules

American Trucking Associations has asked the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to prevent changes Boston recently made to its hazardous materials routing designations and permitting process.

ATA filed an application for pre-emption on May 30 asking that federal law supersede state law. It claims the city enacted “impermissible routing restrictions” when it designated a new hazardous materials route in 2006, following the completion of the Central Artery Tunnel.

ATA said the changes were “implemented without regard to the federal hazardous materials routing procedures,” which require a risk analysis to be conducted.

The newly designated route lengthens the round-trip distance for trucks hauling hazardous materials by 84 miles.