[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 8, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11702-11703]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-3231]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2006-24071]


Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
1995 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Passenger Cars Are Eligible for 
Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming 
1995 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am passenger cars are eligible for 
importation.

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SUMMARY: This document announces receipt by the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 
1995 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am passenger cars 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 7, 2006.

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 19477-78) 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

[[Page 11703]]

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. (WETL) of Houston, 
TX (Registered Importer 90-005) has petitioned NHTSA to decide whether 
nonconforming 1995 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am passenger cars are 
eligible for importation into the United States. The vehicles which 
WETL believes are substantially similar are 1995 Pontiac Firebird Trans 
Am passenger cars that were manufactured for sale in the United States 
and certified by their manufacturer as conforming to all applicable 
Federal motor vehicle safety standards.
    The petitioner claims that it carefully compared non-U.S. certified 
1995 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am passenger cars to their U.S.-certified 
counterparts, and found the vehicles to be substantially similar with 
respect to compliance with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety 
standards.
    WETL submitted information with its petition intended to 
demonstrate that non-U.S. certified 1995 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 
passenger cars, 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 1995 
Pontiac Firebird Trans Am passenger cars are identical to their U.S. 
certified counterparts with respect to compliance with Standard Nos. 
101 Controls and Displays, 102 Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, 
Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect, 103 Windshield 
Defrosting and Defogging Systems, 104 Windshield Wiping and Washing 
Systems, 105 Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems, 106 Brake Hoses, 109 
New Pneumatic Tires, 110 Tire Selection and Rims, 113 Hood Latch 
System, 114 Theft Protection, 116 Motor Vehicle Brake Fluids, 118 
Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems, 124 
Accelerator Control Systems, 201 Occupant Protection in Interior 
Impact, 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 Mounting, 214 Side Impact 
Protection, 216 Roof Crush Resistance, 219 Windshield Zone Intrusion, 
301 Fuel System Integrity, and 302 Flammability of Interior Materials.
    In addition, the petitioner claims that the vehicles comply with 
the Bumper Standard found in 49 CFR Part 581.
    Petitioner also contends that the vehicles are capable of being 
readily altered to meet the following standards, in the manner 
indicated:
    Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated 
Equipment: (A) installation of U.S.-model front and rear side marker 
lamps; and (B) connection of wiring to the existing center high mounted 
stop lamp assembly and installation of a U.S.-model bulb.
    Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirrors: installation of a U.S.-model 
passenger side rearview mirror, or inscription of the required warning 
statement on the face of that mirror.
    Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: installation of U.S. 
version software to ensure that the seat belt warning system meets the 
requirements of this standard.
    The petitioner also states that all vehicles will be inspected 
prior to importation to assure compliance with the Theft Prevention 
Standard at 49 CFR Part 541, and that antitheft devices will be 
installed, if necessary, to comply with that standard.
    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.

Claude H. Harris,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
 [FR Doc. E6-3231 Filed 3-7-06; 8:45 am]
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