Virginia HazMat Transportation: What you need to know

· Rules. Virginia incorporates by reference the federal hazardous materials regulations as they apply to motor carriers. The Virginia Department of Transportation (DOT) restricts the transportation of hazardous materials in certain tunnels. The Commonwealth also maintains a registry of shippers of hazardous radioactive materials and monitors the transportation of these materials within the state.

· Administration and enforcement. DEQ and DSP administer and enforce Virginia's hazardous materials transporter rules. Shippers of hazardous radioactive materials must register with DEM.

Hazardous materials are regulated in the four urban and water-proximate tunnels:

• Elizabeth River Tunnel – Downtown
• Elizabeth River Tunnel – Midtown
• Hampton Roads Bridge – Tunnel
• Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge - Tunnel

The restriction are based exclusively on the hazard class of the material being conveyed. Materials in the following classes are not allowed passage through the four urban, water-proximate tunnels:

• 1.1: Mass explosive hazard
• 1.2: Explosive projection hazard
• 1.3: Explosive mass fire hazard
• 2.3: Poisonous gas
• 4.3: Flammable solid, dangerous when wet
• 6.1: Poison

Materials in the following hazard classes are allowed access to the four urban, water-proximate tunnels in only nonbulk (maximum capacity of 119 gallons/450 liters or less as a receptacle for liquids, a water capacity of 1,000 pounds/454 kilograms or less as a receptacle for gases, and a maximum net mass of 882 pounds/400 kilograms or less and a maximum capacity of 119 gallons/450 liters or less as a receptacle for solids) quantities per container only:

• 2.1: Flammable gas
• 3: ...