[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 51 (Friday, March 14, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 13953]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5121]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration


Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted regarding the Petitions for 
Exemption from the Theft Prevention Standard below has been forwarded 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. 
The ICR describes the nature of the information collections and their 
expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment 
period was published on October 2, 2007 (72 FR 56130). The agency 
received no comments.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 14, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, within 30 days, to the Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention NHTSA Desk Officer.
    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. A comment to OMB is most effective if OMB 
receives it within 30 days of publication.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carlita Ballard at the National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of International Policy, 
Fuel Economy and Consumer Programs (NVS-131), 1200 New Jersey Ave., 
SE., West Building, Room W43-439, NVS-131, Washington, DC 20590. Ms. 
Ballard's telephone number is (202) 366-0846. Please identify the 
relevant collection of information by referring to its OMB Control 
Number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

    Title: Petitions for Exemption from the Vehicle Theft Prevention 
Standard (49 CFR part 543).
    OMB Control Number: 2127-0542.
    Type of Request: Request for public comment on a previously 
approved collection of information.
    Abstract: Manufacturers of passenger vehicle lines may petition the 
agency for an exemption from Part 541 requirements, if the line is 
equipped with an anti-theft device as standard equipment and meets 
agency criteria. Device must be as effective as parts-marking. 49 
U.S.C. Chapter 331 requires the Secretary of Transportation to 
promulgate a theft prevention standard to provide for the 
identification of certain motor vehicles and their major replacement 
parts to impede motor vehicle theft. 49 U.S.C. 33106 provides for an 
exemption to this identification process by petitions from 
manufacturers who equip covered vehicles with standard original 
equipment antitheft devices, which the Secretary determines are likely 
to be as effective in reducing or deterring theft as parts-marking. 
NHTSA may exempt a vehicle line from the parts marking requirement, if 
the manufacturer installs an antitheft device as standard equipment on 
the entire vehicle line for which it seeks an exemption and NHTSA 
determines that the antitheft device is likely to be as effective in 
reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the 
parts-marking requirements. In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 33106, after 
model year (MY) 2000, the number of new exemptions is contingent on a 
finding by the Attorney General as part of its long-range review of 
effectiveness. After consulting with DOJ, the agency decided it could 
continue granting one exemption per model year pending the results of 
the long-term review.
    In a final rule published on April 6, 2004, the Federal Motor 
Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard was extended to include all passenger 
cars and multipurpose passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle rating of 
6,000 pounds or less, and to light duty trucks with major parts that 
are interchangeable with a majority of the covered major parts of 
multipurpose passenger vehicles. Consistent with this DOJ consultation, 
the April 6, 2004 final rule amended the general requirements of Sec.  
543.5 of Chapter 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, allowing a 
manufacturer to petition NHTSA to grant an exemption for one additional 
line of its passenger motor vehicles from the requirements of the theft 
prevention standard for each model year after MY 1996. The final rule 
became effective September 1, 2006.
    Prior to September 1, 2006, manufacturers were only allowed to 
petition NHTSA for high-theft vehicles lines. In its April 6, 2004 
final rule, the agency amended part 543 to allow vehicle manufacturers 
to file petitions to exempt all vehicle lines that would become subject 
to parts-marking requirements beginning with the effective date of the 
final rule. As a result of this amendment, vehicle manufacturers are 
allowed to file petitions to exempt all vehicles lines that would 
become subject to the parts-marking requirements regardless of their 
theft status (high or low).
    Since the new parts-marking final rule became effective, the number 
of petitions requested from manufacturers will increase. NHTSA 
anticipates that there are approximately 27 vehicle manufacturers; 
since the effective date of the rule, 14 petitions for exemption from 
the parts-marking requirements have been received by the agency for MYs 
2007-2010. We anticipate this to remain the average number of yearly 
responses received by the agency.
    NHTSA estimates that the average hours per submittal will be 226, 
for a total annual burden of 3,164. This is an increase from the 
previous OMB inventory of 1,130 hours. NHTSA estimates that the cost 
associated with the burden hours is a $36.62 per hour, for a total cost 
of approximately $115,866.
    Affected Public: Motor vehicle manufacturers.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: NHTSA estimates that the vehicle 
manufacturers will incur a total annual reporting hour and cost burden 
of 3,164 hours and $115,866. There would be no additional cost to motor 
vehicle manufacturers that would require it to comply to this 
regulation.

    Issued on: March 7, 2008.
Stephen R. Kratzke,
Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. E8-5121 Filed 3-13-08; 8:45 am]
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