New subject: Transportation Secretary Mineta Launches New Research andInnovative Technology and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials SafetyAdministrations

15 Feb 2005

In Case you haven't seen this.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Transportation Secretary Mineta Launches New Research and
Innovative Technology and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administrations
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2005 14:13:05 -0500
From: DOTNews(a)OST.DOT.GOV
Reply-To: dot.news(a)OST.DOT.GOV
To: DOTNEWS(a)mdspub01.dot.gov

U.S. Department of Transportation
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
www.dot.gov/affairs/briefing.htm

News

DOT 28-05
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Contact: Brian Turmail
Tel.: (202) 366-4570

Transportation Secretary Mineta Launches New Research and Innovative
Technology and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administrations

New Research and Hazmat Safety Agencies to Begin Operations Ahead of
Schedule

        U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta today announced
the creation of two new agencies at the U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT) - one to focus on innovation and research and the
other on pipeline and hazardous materials safety - to help the
Department more effectively execute its mission of developing and
applying innovative technologies to create the transportation system of
the 21st century.  The new agencies will begin operating Feb. 20, a week
before the deadline set by Congress.

        The Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) and
the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) were
authorized on Nov. 30, 2004 when President Bush signed the Norman Y.
Mineta Research and Special Programs Improvement Act.

        "These new agencies will help the Department focus on two
critical priorities for our nation's transportation system -- innovation
and safety," Secretary Mineta said.  "RITA reflects how important
research and technology are to our core mission, while the creation of
PHMSA will continue and strengthen our commitment to safety."

        RITA will be dedicated to the advancement of the department's
priorities for innovation and research in transportation technologies
and concepts.  PHMSA will oversee the safety of the more than 800,000
daily shipments of hazardous materials in the United States and the 64
percent of the nation's energy that is transported by pipelines.

        RITA will be composed of staff from RSPA's Office of Innovation,
Research and Education, and include the Volpe National Transportation
Systems Center in Cambridge, MA and the Transportation Safety Institute
in Oklahoma City.  RITA also will house the Secretary's Office of
Intermodalism and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.  Staff from
the former Research and Special Programs Administration's (RSPA) Office
of Hazardous Materials Safety and Office of Pipeline Safety will form
PHMSA.

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