[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 104 (Thursday, May 31, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30429-30430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-10487]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2007-28264]


Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
2003 Kawasaki VN1500-P1/P2 Series Motorcycles Are Eligible for 
Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming 
2003 Kawasaki VN1500-P1/P2 series motorcycles are eligible for 
importation.

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

SUMMARY: This document announces receipt by the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 
2003 Kawasaki VN1500-P1/P2 series motorcycles that were not originally 
manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety 
standards (FMVSS) 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

[[Page 30430]]

capable of being readily altered to conform to the standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is July 2, 2007.

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 a.m. 
to 5 p.m.] 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 FMVSS 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 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 FMVSS.
    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, 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 
non-U.S. certified 2003 Kawasaki VN1500-P1/P2 series motorcycles are 
eligible for importation into the United States. The vehicles that WETL 
believes are substantially similar are 2003 Kawasaki VN1500-P1/P2 
series motorcycles that were manufactured for sale in the United States 
and certified by their manufacturer as conforming to all applicable 
FMVSS.
    The petitioner claims that it carefully compared non-U.S. certified 
2003 Kawasaki VN1500-P1/P2 series motorcycles to their U.S. certified 
counterparts, and found the vehicles to be substantially similar with 
respect to compliance with most FMVSS.
    WETL submitted information with its petition intended to 
demonstrate that non-U.S. certified 2003 Kawasaki VN1500-P1/P2 series 
motorcycles, as originally manufactured, conform to many FMVSS 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 2003 
Kawasaki VN1500-P1/P2 series motorcycles are identical to their U.S. 
certified counterparts with respect to compliance with Standard Nos. 
106 Brake Hoses, 111 Rearview Mirrors, 116 Brake Fluid, 119 New 
Pneumatic Tires for Vehicles other than Passenger Cars, 122 Motorcycle 
Brake Systems, and 205 Glazing Materials.
    The petitioner further contends that the vehicles are capable of 
being readily altered to meet the following standards, in the manner 
indicated below:
    Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated 
Equipment: Inspection of all vehicles and replacement of the following 
with U.S.-model components on vehicles not already so equipped: (a) 
Headlamps; (b) front and rear turn signal lamps; and (c) tail lamp 
assembly.
    Standard No. 120 Tire Selection and Rims for Vehicles other than 
Passenger Cars: (a) Installation of a tire information placard; (b) 
inspection of all vehicles to ensure compliance with rim marking 
requirements; and (c) replacement of rims that are not properly marked.
    Standard No. 123 Motorcycle Controls and Displays: Installation of 
a U.S.-model speedometer reading in miles per hour and a U.S.-model 
odometer reading in miles.
    Comments should refer to the docket number and be submitted to: 
Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20590. 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: May 25, 2007.
Claude H. Harris,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
 [FR Doc. E7-10487 Filed 5-30-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P