[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 98 (Monday, May 21, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28021-28022]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-12729]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2000-7523; Notice 2]


Decision That Nonconforming 1997 Chevrolet Blazer Multi-Purpose 
Passenger Vehicles Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

[[Page 28022]]


ACTION: Notice of decision by NHTSA that nonconforming 1997 Chevrolet 
Blazer multi-purpose passenger vehicles (MPVs) are eligible for 
importation.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the decision by NHTSA that 1997 
Chevrolet Blazer MPVs not originally manufactured to comply with all 
applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards are eligible for 
importation into the United States because they are substantially 
similar to vehicles originally manufactured for sale in the United 
States and certified by their manufacturer as complying with the safety 
standards (the U.S. certified version of the 1997 Chevrolet Blazer), 
and they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the 
standards.

DATES: This decision is effective May 21, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Entwistle, Office of Vehicle 
Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-5306).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under 49 U.S.C. Sec. 30141(a)(1)(A), a motor vehicle that was not 
originally manufactured to conform to all applicable Federal motor 
vehicle safety standards shall be refused admission into the United 
States unless NHTSA has decided that the motor vehicle is substantially 
similar to a motor vehicle originally manufactured for importation into 
and sale in the United States, certified under 49 U.S.C. 30115, and of 
the same model year as the model of the motor vehicle to be compared, 
and is capable of being readily altered to conform to all applicable 
Federal motor vehicle safety standards.
    Petitions for eligibility decisions may be submitted by either 
manufacturers or importers who have registered with NHTSA pursuant to 
49 CFR part 592. As specified in 49 CFR 593.7, NHTSA publishes notice 
in the Federal Register of each petition that it receives, and affords 
interested persons an opportunity to comment on the petition. At the 
close of the comment period, NHTSA decides, on the basis of the 
petition and any comments that it has received, whether the vehicle is 
eligible for importation. The agency then publishes this decision in 
the Federal Register.
    Wallace Environmental Testing Laboratories, Inc. of Houston, Texas 
(''WETL'') (Registered Importer 90-005) petitioned NHTSA to decide 
whether 1997 Chevrolet Blazer MPVs are eligible for importation into 
the United States. NHTSA published notice of the petition on July 13, 
2000 (65 FR 44851) to afford an opportunity for public comment. The 
reader is referred to that notice for a thorough description of the 
petition.
    One comment was received in response to the notice of the petition, 
from General Motors Corporation (``GM''), the manufacturer of the 1997 
Chevrolet Blazer. In this comment, GM stated that during the 1997 model 
year, GM and its subsidiaries and affiliates assembled Chevrolet 
Blazers at several locations around the world. Those intended for sale 
in the United States, Canada, and some other world markets, were 
produced at two assembly plants located within the United States, at 
Linden, New Jersey (identified by plant code ``K'' in the 11th position 
of the vehicle identification number or ``VIN'' assigned to the 
vehicle) and at Moraine, Ohio, (identified by plant code ``2'' in the 
11th position of the VIN).
    GM stated that production of 1997 Chevrolet Blazers also occurred 
at a number of plants outside of the United States. GM stated that in 
order to satisfy unique market conditions and local regulations, 
vehicles produced at these foreign plants differed from those produced 
domestically in a number of respects, including the interior trim, 
chassis, and powertrain components with which they were built. Owing to 
the design and part differences between the 1997 Chevrolet Blazers 
produced domestically, and those produced overseas for foreign markets, 
GM stated that there is no assurance that the vehicles produced 
overseas would comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety 
standards. GM noted that it does not typically perform tests or 
evaluations to determine the compliance of foreign market vehicles with 
the Federal standards because the vehicles were never intended for sale 
or use in the U.S. market. GM further observed that Blazers built 
overseas for foreign markets may contain locally sourced parts that are 
not subject to the same manufacturing, warranty, and approval process 
used within GM's North American operations and that these foreign 
sourced parts may have an impact on the vehicles' conformity with the 
Federal motor vehicle safety standards.
    In light of these considerations, GM expressed the opinion that 
only the U.S. manufactured versions of the subject vehicles (those with 
plant codes ``K'' or ``2'' in the 11th position of their VINs) should 
be considered substantially similar to vehicles originally manufactured 
for sale in the U.S. and capable of being modified to comply with the 
Federal motor vehicle safety standards. GM contended that ``subject 
vehicles manufactured at all other locations should not be considered 
substantially similar to vehicles originally manufactured for sale in 
the U.S. and, thus, not eligible for importation.''
    NHTSA accorded WETL an opportunity to respond to GM's comments. 
WETL stated that the 1997 Chevrolet Blazers that are the subject of its 
petition are U.S. manufactured vehicles with plant codes ``K'' or ``2'' 
in the 11th position of their VINs. WETL therefore did not challenge 
GM's contention that vehicles with plant codes other than these should 
not be considered substantially similar to U.S.-certified models and 
therefore eligible for importation. In view of GM's comments and WETL's 
response, NHTSA has decided to grant import eligibility only to 1997 
Chevrolet Blazers with the plant code ``K'' or ``2'' in the eleventh 
character of their VINs.

Vehicle Eligibility Number for Subject Vehicles

    The importer of a vehicle admissible under any final decision must 
indicate on the form HS-7 accompanying entry the appropriate vehicle 
eligibility number indicating that the vehicle is eligible for entry. 
VSP-349 is the vehicle eligibility number assigned to vehicles 
admissible under this notice of final decision.

Final Decision

    Accordingly, on the basis of the foregoing, NHTSA hereby decides 
that 1997 Chevrolet Blazer MPVs that were not originally manufactured 
to comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards, 
but that have been assigned vehicle identification numbers in which the 
letter ``K'' or the number ``2'' is the eleventh character, are 
substantially similar to 1997 Chevrolet Blazer MPVs originally 
manufactured for importation into and sale in the United States and 
certified under 49 U.S.C. 30115, and are capable of being readily 
altered to conform to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety 
standards.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A) and (b)(1); 49 CFR 593.8; 
delegations of authority at 49 CFR 1.50 and 501.8.

Marilynne Jacobs,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety, Compliance.
[FR Doc. 01-12729 Filed 5-18-01; 8:45 am]
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