GENERAL AUTHORITY.

SEC. 302. GENERAL AUTHORITY. (a) The Secretary of Transportation (hereafter in this title referred to as the “Secretary”) shall, within six months after the date of enactment of this title— (1) establish facilities and technical staff to maintain within the Federal Government the capability to evaluate the hazards connected with and surrounding the various hazardous materials being shipped; (2) establish a central reporting system for hazardous materials accidents to provide technical and other information and advice to the law-enforcement and firefighting personnel of communities and to carriers and shippers for meeting emergencies connected with the transportation of hazardous materials; and (3) conduct a review of all aspects of hazardous materials transportation to determine and recommend appropriate steps which can be taken immediately to provide greater control over the safe movement of such materials. (b) The authority granted the Secretary by this title shall be in addition to the authority granted by sections 831 to 835, inclusive, of title 18 of the United States Code. (c) The Secretary shall prepare and submit to the President for transmittal to the Congress on or before May 1 of each year a comprehensive report on the transportation of hazardous materials during the preceding calendar year. Such report shall include, but not be restricted to— (1) a thorough statistical compilation of the accidents and casualties occurring in such year which involved the transportation of hazardous materials: (2) a list of relevant Federal standards in effect or established in such year; (3) a summary of the reason for each waiver or exemption granted pursuant to sections 831 to 835, inclusive, of title 18 of the United States Code; (4) an evaluation of the degree of observance of safety standards for the transportation of hazardous materials; and (5) a summary of outstanding problems created by the transportation of hazardous materials. (d) The report required by subsection (c) of this section shall contain such recommendations for additional legislation as the Secretary deems necessary.