[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 82 (Monday, April 29, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 20943]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-10406]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Parts 567, 571, 574 and 575

[Docket No. NHTSA-00-8011]
RIN 2127-AI54


Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Tires

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: NHTSA has received a petition asking the agency to extend the 
comment period for its proposal to establish new and more stringent 
tire performance requirements in a new Federal motor vehicle safety 
standard. The standard would apply to all new tires for use on vehicles 
with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less. In the 
proposal, NTHSA established a deadline for the submission of written 
comments of May 6, 2002. In light of that petition and the need to 
ensure that all interested parties have a sufficient amount of time to 
fully develop their comments, the agency is extending the deadline for 
the submission of written comments.

DATES: Written comments must be received by June 5, 2002.

ADDRESSES: You may submit your comments in writing to: Docket 
Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, 
20590. Alternatively, you may submit your comments electronically by 
logging onto the Docket Management System website at http://dms.dot.gov. Click on ``Help & Information'' or ``Help/Info'' to view 
instructions for filing your comments electronically. Regardless of how 
you submit your comments, you should mention the docket number of this 
document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    For technical and policy issues: Mr. George Soodoo or Mr. Joseph 
Scott, Office of Crash Avoidance Standards, National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, 20590. 
Telephone: (202) 366-2720. Fax: (202) 366-4329.
    For legal issues: Nancy Bell, Attorney Advisor, Office of the Chief 
Counsel, NCC-20, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 
Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC, 20590. Telephone: (202) 366-2992. 
Fax: (202) 366-3820.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The agency issued the notice of proposed 
rulemaking pursuant to the Transportation Recall Enhancement, 
Accountability, and Documentation (TREAD) Act, Pub. L. 106-414. The 
NPRM was published on Tuesday, March 5, 2002 (67 FR 10050). Section 10 
of the Act directs the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a 
rulemaking to revise and update the tire safety standards published at 
49 CFR 571.109 and 571.119, and to complete the rulemaking, i.e., issue 
a final rule, by June 1, 2002.
    The Rubber Manufacturers Association, which represents 
manufacturers of finished rubber products, including tire 
manufacturers, has petitioned for an extension of the comment period on 
the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). RMA said that it was 
requesting an extension so that it can complete the testing 
contemplated in a test matrix it has designed to generate data that 
will enable it to analyze tire temperature as a function of load, 
inflation pressure and speed relationships and so that it can then 
evaluate the results of that testing. The RMA's petition and its test 
matrix have been submitted to the above-mentioned docket.
    In considering the extension request, NHTSA weighed the statutory 
deadline, the complexity and importance of this rulemaking, and the 
basis for the request. The agency does not wish to inhibit the ability 
of any party to fully develop useful technical information and seeks to 
provide additional time for all interested parties to prepare and 
submit useful information. Consequently, NHTSA believes that it is in 
the best interest of all parties involved to extend the period for the 
submission of written comments in this proceeding to June 5, 2002.
    However, given the statutory deadline, NHTSA wishes to note that it 
does not anticipate granting any further extensions of the comment 
period in this proceeding. Please note also that the agency will 
consider comments submitted after June 5, 2002, only to the extent that 
it is possible to do so without causing additional expense or delay.

    Issued: April 23, 2002.
Stephen R. Kratzke,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 02-10406 Filed 4-26-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P