[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 231 (Friday, November 30, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 59769]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-29762]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Part 571

[DOT Docket No. NHTSA-01-8885; Notice 2]

RIN 2127-AH81


Glare From Headlamps and Other Front Mounted Lamps Federal Motor 
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108; Lamps, Reflective Devices, and 
Associated Equipment

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

ACTION: Reopening of comment period for a notice of request for 
comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This document reopens the comment period on a notice of 
request for comment on the issue of glare from the front of motor 
vehicles at night.

DATES: Comments on DOT Docket No. NHTSA-01-8885 must be received by 
January 28, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to DOT Docket No. NHTSA-01-8885 and be 
submitted to: Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC, 20590.
    You may call the Docket at 202-366-9324. You may visit the Docket 
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Federal 
holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Richard L. Van Iderstine, Office 
of Crash Avoidance Standards at (202) 366-5275. His Fax number is (202) 
366-4329.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 28, 2001, we (NHTSA) published 
in the Federal Register (66 FR 49594) a notice of notice of request for 
comment on the issues related to glare produced by lamps mounted on the 
fronts of vehicles. This document had a comment due date of November 
27, 2001.
    In a letter dated November 8, 2001, North American Lighting, Inc., 
(NAL) asked for an extra 60 days to comment on the Notice. NAL stated 
that the 46 questions asked in the Notice were substantially 
complicated by asking for explanations. NAL stated that many would 
require searching company records and/or performing additional testing 
to provide an accurate response. It stated that there is often a 30-day 
lead time for scheduling laboratory testing, and for scheduling staff 
work loads. NAL added that with the lean times for the industry, 
resources are already overcommitted in the effort to forestall 
workforce reductions. It stated that the extra 60 days would allow it 
to perform the supporting research and testing to thoroughly answer the 
questions posed to it in the Notice, while reducing the imposition of 
the workforce in the forthcoming holiday period.
    In a letter dated November 9, 2001, the Advocates for Highway and 
Auto Safety (Advocates) asked for an extra 30 days to comment on the 
Notice. Advocates stated that the topics covered by this notice were so 
extensive that it would be impossible to provide a comprehensive 
response in a timely fashion. It stated further, that because of the 
overarching importance of driver safety and adequate nighttime 
illumination afforded by headlighting, it believes that additional time 
for comment is justified.
    Additionally, because of recent events that have caused disruptions 
in United States Postal Service deliveries of mail to the Department of 
Transportation's Docket Management System, the following notice was 
placed on that System's homepage on October 25, 2001. ``NEW MAIL 
DELIVERY/DOCUMENT FILING PROCEDURES. Currently, the Department of 
Transportation (DOT) is not receiving United States Postal Service 
(USPS) deliveries. It is unclear how long this will continue. We wish 
to advise the public that we will take this into account, with respect 
to DOT rulemakings documents that have comment periods that may close 
before mail delivery resumes. We will do everything that we can to 
ensure that we consider comments that would otherwise have been 
received before the close of the comment period. (For example, we 
generally have the authority to consider late-filed comments and will 
do so to the extent that we can; we will also take note of the date of 
the postmark for late-filed comments.)
* * * * *
    ``Although U.S. mail delivery by the USPS is not being accepted, 
deliveries are accepted from alternate delivery carriers. * * *
    ``Where appropriate, filers are encouraged to use the Electronic 
Submission System on the Dockets web page (dms.dot.gov) by clicking on 
ES Submit and following the online instructions.''
    Because we agree with the two petitioners and because of the events 
temporarily ending mail delivery, we have decided that it is in the 
public interest to grant these requests. Accordingly, the public 
comment closing date for DOT Docket NHTSA-01-8885 is reopen from 
November 27, 2001 to Monday, January 28, 2002.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 30117, and 30166; 
delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50 and 501.8.

    Issued on: November 26, 2001.
Stephen R. Kratzke,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 01-29762 Filed 11-29-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P