The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has announced a two-year limited exemption from federal hours-of-service regulations for transportation of anhydrous ammonia from distribution point to a local farm retailer or to the consumer, and from a local farm retailer to the consumer, as long as the transportation takes place within a 100-mile radius of the retail or wholesale distribution point.
The exemption extends the agricultural operations exemption established by section 345 of the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995, as amended by sections 4115 and 4130 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity: A Legacy for Users, to drivers and motor carriers engaged in distribution of anhydrous ammonia during the planting and harvesting seasons.
The exemption, which preempts inconsistent state and local requirements applicable to interstate commerce, will remain in effect until Oct. 9, 2012, unless revoked earlier by FMCSA.
