[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 62 (Monday, March 31, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16960-16961]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6492]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2008-0051]


Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
2000 Chevrolet Tahoe Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles Are Eligible for 
Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming 
2000 Chevrolet Tahoe multipurpose passenger vehicles 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 
2000 Chevrolet Tahoe multipurpose passenger vehicles 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 capable of being readily altered to conform 
to the standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is April 30, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to the docket and notice numbers above 
and be submitted by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building Ground 
Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room 
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
    Instructions: Comments must be written in the English language, and 
be no greater than 15 pages in length, although there is no limit to 
the length of necessary attachments to the comments. If comments are 
submitted in hard copy form, please ensure that two copies are 
provided. If you wish to receive confirmation that your comments were 
received, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard with the 
comments. Note that all comments received will be posted without change 
to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading below.
    Privacy Act: 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 (65 FR 19477-78).
    How to Read Comments Submitted to the Docket: You may read the 
comments received by Docket Management at the address and times given 
above. You may also view the documents from the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for accessing the 
dockets. The docket ID number and title of this notice are shown at the 
heading of this document notice. Please note that even after the 
comment closing date, we will continue to file relevant information in 
the Docket as it becomes available. Further, some people may submit 
late comments. Accordingly, we recommend that you periodically search 
the Docket for new material.

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.
    Barry Taylor Enterprises of Richmond, California (BTE)(Registered 
Importer 01-280) has petitioned NHTSA to decide whether nonconforming 
2000 Chevrolet Tahoe multipurpose passenger vehicles are eligible for 
importation into the United States. The vehicles which BTE believes are 
substantially similar are 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe multipurpose passenger 
vehicles 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 
2000 Chevrolet Tahoe multipurpose passenger vehicles to their U.S.-
certified counterparts, and found the vehicles to be substantially 
similar with respect to compliance with most FMVSS.
    BTE submitted information with its petition intended to demonstrate 
that non-U.S. certified 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe multipurpose passenger 
vehicles, 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 2000 
Chevrolet Tahoe multipurpose passenger vehicles are identical to their 
U.S.-certified counterparts with respect to compliance with Standard 
Nos. 102 Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and 
Transmission Braking Effect, 103 Windshield Defrosting and Defogging 
Systems, 104 Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems, 106 Brake Hoses, 
111 Rearview Mirrors, 113 Hood Latch System, 114 Theft Protection, 116 
Motor Vehicle Brake Fluids, 118 Power-Operated Window, Partition, and 
Roof Panel Systems, 119 New Pneumatic Tires for Vehicles Other than 
Passenger Cars, 120 Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles Other 
than Passenger Cars, 124 Accelerator Control Systems, 135 Passenger Car 
Brake 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, 208 Occupant Crash

[[Page 16961]]

Protection, 210 Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages, 212 Windshield Mounting, 
214 Side Impact Protection, 216 Roof Crush Resistance, 219 Windshield 
Zone Intrusion, 225 Child Restraint Anchorage Systems, 301 Fuel System 
Integrity, and 302 Flammability of Interior Materials.
    The petitioner additionally states that the vehicle identification 
plates affixed to the vehicles meet the requirements of 49 CFR part 
565.
    The petitioner also contends that the vehicles are capable of being 
readily altered to meet the following standards, in the manner 
indicated:
    Standard No. 101 Controls and Displays: Inscription of the word 
``brake'' on the dash in place of the international ECE warning symbol.
    Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated 
Equipment: Installation of a U.S.-conforming model front side-mounted 
reflex reflectors and installation of U.S.-conforming model front turn 
signal lamps or modification of the existing lamps to meet the 
requirements of this standard.
    Standard No. 209 Seat Belt Assemblies: Inspection of all vehicles 
and installation, on vehicles that are not already so equipped, of 
U.S.-conforming model components to meet the requirements of this 
standard.
    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 addresses 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: March 24, 2008.
Claude H. Harris,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
 [FR Doc. E8-6492 Filed 3-28-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P