[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 68 (Monday, April 10, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 18030]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-5212]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

16 CFR Part 1214


Cigarette Lighters; Extension of Time To Issue Proposed Rule

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Extension of time to issue proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: On April 11, 2005, the Consumer Product Safety Commission 
(CPSC or Commission) issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking 
(ANPR) under the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) that began a 
rulemaking proceeding addressing a possible unreasonable risk of injury 
and death associated with the mechanical malfunction of cigarette 
lighters. The CPSA provides that a proposed standard under that act 
must be issued within 12 months of publication of the ANPR, unless the 
12-month period is extended by the Commission for good cause. In this 
notice, the Commission extends the period for issuing any proposed CPSA 
rule until December 31, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Mail requests for documents concerning this rulemaking 
should be e-mailed to the Office of the Secretary at [email protected]. 
Requests may also be sent by facsimile to (301) 504-0127, by telephone 
at (301) 504-7923, or by mail to the Office of the Secretary, Consumer 
Product Safety Commission, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland 
20814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rohit Khanna, Directorate for 
Engineering Sciences, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East-
West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone 301-504-7546 or e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under section 9(c) of the CPSA, 15 U.S.C. 
2058(c), the Commission must issue a proposed consumer product safety 
rule within 12 months of the publication of an ANPR, unless the 
Commission extends that period for good cause. Since the ANPR for 
cigarette lighters was published in the Federal Register on April 11, 
2005, 70 FR 18339, the 12-month period for proposal of any CPSA rule in 
that proceeding expires on April 10, 2006.
    After publication of the ANPR, the public was given until June 10, 
2005, to file written comments with the CPSC. In addition to evaluating 
the comments, before determining whether to proceed with a rule for 
cigarette lighters, the Commission needs additional information about 
the number of lighters currently conforming to the lighter voluntary 
standard (ASTM F-400, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for 
Lighters). Since the publication of the ANPR, the staff has collected 
lighters from across the country in order to obtain a representative 
sample for conformance testing. In September 2005, the Commission 
issued a contract for the testing of a representative sample of 
lighters sold in the United States to the requirements of the voluntary 
standard. The period of performance for the contract is about eight 
months. The lighter testing is currently underway and when completed 
will be used by staff to determine the conformance of lighters 
currently sold in the U.S. market. Following completion of this work, 
the staff plans to send a briefing package to the Commission in August 
2006. The Commission will then evaluate the need for continuing the 
rulemaking proceeding. If the Commission does decide to go forward with 
the rulemaking, a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR) could be issued 
in late 2007. If an NPR is published, a final rule could be issued 
during Fiscal Year 2008. Accordingly, the Commission extends the date 
for publishing a notice of proposed rulemaking for cigarette lighters 
to December 31, 2007.

    Dated: April 5, 2006.
Todd A. Stevenson,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. E6-5212 Filed 4-7-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P