Enforcement of federal regulations and penalties for shipments of hazardous and radioactive materials. Hearings before the Subcommittee on Energy, Nuclear Proliferation, and Government Processes, of the Committee on Governmental Affairs, United States Senate, Ninety-Eighth Congress, Second Session, May 9, 1984

The enforcement of federal safety regulations on the transport of radioactive and hazardous materials contained in the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act is the responsibility of the Department of Transportation, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Concern over the practice of charging less than 10% of the statutory maximum penalty and a poor record of collections raises questions about the diligence of enforcement agencies. Testimony by an Illinois state trooper revealed the extent of noncompliance, using the incident of the radioactive metal from Juarez, Mexico that was used to make table pedestals for illustration, and the state's response to the problem. Fourteen other witnesses from the enforcement agencies described procedures and problems. Additional material submitted for the record follows their testimony