US House bill addresses hazards around transporting lithium batteries

The US House of Representatives has voted to approve an infrastructure bill that also addresses hazards in the air transportation of lithium batteries. The Invest in America Act, passed by the US House on 1 July, authorises the government to allocate $715 million for safety measures on roads, bridges, public transit, freight rail, drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, according to a public fact sheet. But deep in the text, the bill also repeals Section 828 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. ”That section prohibits [the Department of Transportation] from issuing any regulation ensuring the safety of transporting lithium batteries in air cargo compartments of passenger and cargo planes if the regulations are more stringent than the lowest common denominator of international standards,” a summary of the bill’s text reads. “Repealing this provision helps protect the safety of all passengers flying in the US from safety risks associated with lithium batteries.”<br/>