54896 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 204 / Wednesday, October 22, 1997 / Notices

Suite 800, Washington, D.C. 20024.

Persons needing further information or

to request to speak at this meeting

should contact Kenneth Faunteroy at

ITS AMERICA by telephone at (202)

484–4130, or by FAX at (202) 484–3483.

The DOT contact is Mary Pigott, FHWA,

HVH–1, Washington, D.C. 20590, (202)

366–9536. Office hours are from 8:30

a.m. to 5:00 p.m., e.t., Monday through

Friday, except for legal holidays.

(23 U.S.C. 315; 49 CFR 1.48)

Issued on: October 17, 1997.

Jeff Paniati,

Deputy Director, ITS Joint Program Office.

[FR Doc. 97–28040 Filed 10–21–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–22–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA 3021]

Notice of Receipt of Petition for

Decision That Nonconforming 1994–

1997 BMW R1100 Motorcycles Are

Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for

decision that nonconforming 1994–1997

BMW R1100 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 1994–1997

BMW R1100 motorcycles 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 importation into and

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 November 21, 1997.

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 10 am to

5 pm)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

George Entwistle, Office of Vehicle

Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202–366–

5306).

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

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.

Champagne Imports, Inc. of Lansdale,

Pennsylvania (‘‘Champagne’’)

(Registered Importer 90–009) has

petitioned NHTSA to decide whether

1994–1997 BMW R1100 motorcycles are

eligible for importation into the United

States. The vehicles which Champagne

believes are substantially similar are

1994–1997 BMW R1100 motorcycles

that were manufactured for importation

into, and sale in, the United States and

certified by their manufacturer,

Bayerische Motoren Werke, A.G., as

conforming to all applicable Federal

motor vehicle safety standards.

The petitioner claims that it carefully

compared non-U.S. certified 1994–1997

BMW R1100 motorcycles to their U.S.

certified counterparts, and found the

vehicles to be substantially similar with

respect to compliance with most Federal

motor vehicle safety standards.

Champagne submitted information

with its petition intended to

demonstrate that non-U.S. certified

1994–1997 BMW R1100 motorcycles, 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 1994–1997 BMW

R1100 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,

and 122 Motorcycle Brake Systems.

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:

installation of U.S.-model headlamp

assemblies.

Standard No. 120 Tire Selection and

Rims for Vehicles other than Passenger

Cars: installation of a tire information

placard.

Standard No. 123 Motorcycle Controls

and Displays: installation of a U.S.

model speedometer calibrated in miles

per hour.

The petitioner also states that vehicle

identification number plates meeting

the requirements of 49 CFR part 565

will be affixed to non-U.S. certified

1994–1997 BMW R1100 motorcycles.

Comments should refer to the docket

number and be submitted to: Docket

Management, Room PL–401, 400

Seventh Street, S.W., 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: October 16, 1997.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.

[FR Doc. 97–27965 Filed 10–21–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Finance Docket No. 33480]

Charles Barenfanger—Continuance in

Control Exemption—Effingham

Railroad Company

Charles Barenfanger (applicant) has

filed a verified notice of exemption to

continue in control of Effingham