[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 48 (Wednesday, March 12, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11899-11900]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-5886]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2003-14631]


Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
1986 Chevrolet Blazer, Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles Are Eligible for 
Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming 
1986 Chevrolet Blazer multipurpose passenger vehicles are eligible for 
importation.

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

SUMMARY: This document announces receipt by the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 
1986 Chevrolet Blazer multipurpose passenger vehicles that were not 
originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal motor 
vehicle safety standards are eligible for importation into the United 
States because (1) they are substantially similar to vehicles that were 
originally manufactured for sale in the United States and that were 
certified by their manufacturer as complying with the safety standards, 
and (2) they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the 
standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is April 11, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to the docket number and notice 
number, and be submitted to: Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 
Seventh St., SW., Washington, DC 20590. [Docket hours are from 9 am to 
5 pm]. Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments 
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 19477-19478) or you may 
visit http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Coleman Sachs, Office of Vehicle 
Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-3151).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under 49 U.S.C. 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,

[[Page 11900]]

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) has petitioned NHTSA to decide 
whether 1986 Chevrolet Blazer multipurpose passenger vehicles, 
originally manufactured for sale in European and other foreign markets, 
are eligible for importation into the United States. The vehicles which 
WETL believes are substantially similar are 1986 Chevrolet Blazer 
multipurpose passenger vehicles that were manufactured for sale in the 
United States and certified by their manufacturer, General Motors 
Corporation, as conforming to all applicable Federal motor vehicle 
safety standards.
    The petitioner claims that it carefully compared non-U.S. certified 
1986 Chevrolet Blazer multipurpose passenger vehicles to their U.S.-
certified counterparts, and found the vehicles to be substantially 
similar with respect to compliance with most Federal motor vehicle 
safety standards.
    WETL submitted information with its petition intended to 
demonstrate that non-U.S. certified 1986 Chevrolet Blazer multipurpose 
passenger vehicles, as originally manufactured, conform to many Federal 
motor vehicle safety standards in the same manner as their U.S. 
certified counterparts, or are capable of being readily altered to 
conform to those standards.
    Specifically, the petitioner claims that non-U.S. certified 1986 
Chevrolet Blazer multipurpose passenger vehicles are identical to their 
U.S. certified counterparts with respect to compliance with Standard 
Nos. 101 Controls and Displays, 102 Transmission Shift Lever Sequence * 
* * , 103 Defrosting and Defogging Systems, 104 Windshield Wiping and 
Washing Systems, 106 Brake Hoses, 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and 
Associated Equipment, 113 Hood Latch Systems, 116 Motor Vehicle Brake 
Fluids, 119 New Pneumatic Tires for Vehicles other than Passenger Cars, 
124 Accelerator Control Systems, 202 Head Restraints, 204 Steering 
Control Rearward Displacement, 205 Glazing Materials, 206 Door Locks 
and Door Retention Components, 207 Seating Systems, 209 Seat Belt 
Assemblies, 210 Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages, 212 Windshield 
Retention, 214 Side Impact Protection, 219 Windshield Zone Intrusion, 
301 Fuel System Integrity, and 302 Flammability of Interior Materials.
    Additionally, the petitioner states that non-U.S. certified 1986 
Chevrolet Blazer multipurpose passenger vehicles comply with the 
Vehicle Identification Number plate requirement of 49 CFR part 565.
    Petitioner further contends that the vehicles are capable of being 
readily altered to meet the following standards, in the manner 
indicated:
    Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirror: replacement of the passenger side 
rearview mirror, which is flat and has 1:1 magnification.
    Standard No. 114 Theft Protection: installation of an audible 
warning module.
    Standard No. 120 Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles other 
than Passenger Cars: installation of a tire information placard.
    Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: installation of an 
audible safety belt warning system. The petitioner states that the 
vehicle is equipped with Type II seat belts in both front outboard 
seating positions and Type I seat belts in the rear outboard and center 
seating positions and that driver and front outboard passenger seating 
positions are not required to have air bags.
    The petitioner also states that a certification label must be 
affixed to the driver's side door jamb to meet the requirements of 49 
CFR Part 567.
    Interested persons are invited to submit comments on the petition 
described above. Comments should refer to the docket number and be 
submitted to: Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh St., SW., 
Washington, DC 20590. [Docket hours are from 9 am to 5 pm]. It is 
requested but not required that 10 copies be submitted.
    All comments received before the close of business on the closing 
date indicated above will be considered, and will be available for 
examination in the docket at the above address both before and after 
that date. To the extent possible, comments filed after the closing 
date will also be considered. Notice of final action on the petition 
will be published in the Federal Register pursuant to the authority 
indicated below.

    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.

    Issued on: March 7, 2003.
Kenneth N. Weinstein,
Associate Administrator for Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 03-5886 Filed 3-11-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P