[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 124 (Friday, June 27, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38418-38419]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-15954]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket Number NHTSA-02-14038]


Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements

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

ACTION: Request for public comment on proposed collection of 
information.

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SUMMARY: Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from 
the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit 
public comment on proposed collections of information, including 
extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections.
    This document describes one collection of information for which 
NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 26, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Comments must refer to the docket notice number cited at the 
beginning of this notice and be submitted to Docket Management, Room 
PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. It is requested, 
but not required, that 2 copies of the comment be provided. The Docket 
Section is open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Complete copies of each request for 
collection of information may be obtained at no charge from Dr. George 
Mouchahoir, NHTSA 400 Seventh Street, SW., Room 5313-E, NVS-113, 
Washington, DC 20590. Dr. Mouchahoir's telephone number is (202) 366-
4919. Please identify the relevant collection of information by 
referring to this Docket Number (Docket Number NHTSA-02-14038).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,

[[Page 38419]]

before an agency submits a proposed collection of information to OMB 
for approval, it must first publish a document in the Federal Register 
providing a 60-day comment period and otherwise consult with members of 
the public and affected agencies concerning each proposed collection of 
information. The OMB has promulgated regulations describing what must 
be included in such a document. Under OMB's regulation (at 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)), an agency must ask for public comment on the following:
    (i) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility;
    (ii) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (iii) How to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected;
    (iv) How to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g. permitting electronic 
submission of responses.
    In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks for public 
comments on the following proposed collection of information:
    Title: Final rule, response to petitions for reconsideration; 
Phase-in reporting requirements.
    OMB Control Number: None.
    Affected Public: Manufacturers of passenger cars, and trucks and 
multipurpose passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating 
(GVWR) of 3,855 kilograms (8,500 pounds) or less, and of buses with a 
GVWR of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less.
    Form Number: None.
    Number of Respondents: From existing phase-in reporting 
requirements (Part 596) for this standard, we expect about 20 
respondents.
    Estimated Annual Burden: Since almost all of the information 
required is already recorded by the manufacturers as part of their 
production control and tracking systems, a nominal assessment of 60 
total burden hours per respondent is estimated for data retrieval and 
report preparation. The estimated cost per hour in dollars is $35. 
Based on this estimate, the total annual burden for manufacturers would 
be: (20 respondents) x (60 total burden hours per respondent) x ($35 
per hour) = $42,000.
    Abstract: NHTSA issued a final rule establishing FMVSS No. 225, 
``Child restraint anchorage systems,'' in March 1999 (64 FR 10786). A 
final rule, response to petitions for reconsideration is prepared to 
respond to remaining outstanding issues raised by petitions for 
reconsideration of the agency's March 1999 final rule, and of the 
agency's previous responses to petitions, published in August 1999 (64 
FR 47566) and July 2000 (65 FR 46628). The final rule is published in 
today's edition of the Federal Register (RIN 2127-AH99, Docket Number 
NHTSA-03-15438).
    The final rule resolves the issue of the appropriateness of the 
15,000 N strength requirement for tether and lower anchorages (S6.3 and 
S8.1 of FMVSS No. 225) and the 11,000 N strength requirement for the 
lower anchorages only (S9.4.1(a)). Those strength requirements are, for 
the most part, unchanged from the March 1999 final rule. However, this 
final rule makes several important amendments to requirements of the 
standard relating to how the 15,000 and 11,000 N loads are applied and 
how the agency determines compliance with the requirements. Examples of 
these are the change from the 125 mm displacement criterion for the 
tether anchorage to one that determines whether the anchorage withstood 
the force by assessing the deformation of the structure; and the change 
in the load application rate for the 11,000 N load for the lower 
anchorages from 10 seconds to 1 second. The agency has determined that 
these changes may necessitate the reassessment by manufacturers of some 
vehicle models as to whether the vehicles comply with the amended 
standard. Further, some manufacturers may need more time than the 
period from now until August 31, 2004 to make whatever changes are 
needed to the structure of the vehicles to meet the new requirements. 
Because of this, this final rule gives vehicle manufacturers an 
additional year, for a few model lines, to assess whether their 
vehicles meet this rule's amended strength requirements and to make 
necessary changes to meet the requirements. Ninety (90) percent of the 
vehicles they manufacture on or after September 1, 2004 and before 
September 1, 2005 must be certified as meeting the amended strength 
requirements. One hundred (100) percent of the vehicles manufactured on 
or after September 1, 2005 must be certified as meeting the 
requirements. Thus, a new phase-in schedule is being established to 
make it easier for manufacturers to comply with the permanent 
requirements. The collection of information is used for recordkeeping 
to keep track of covered vehicles, and for reporting to the agency the 
covered vehicles that comply with the requirements.
    Comments are invited on: Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Department, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

    Issued on: June 19, 2003.
Stephen R. Kratzke,
Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 03-15954 Filed 6-26-03; 8:45 am]
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