63600 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 230 / Monday, December 1, 1997 / Notices

publishes this decision in the Federal

Register.

Wallace Environmental Testing

Laboratories, Inc. of Houston, Texas

(‘‘Wallace’’) (Registered Importer 90–

005) has petitioned NHTSA to decide

whether 1973–1975 Volkswagen Type

181 (‘‘The Thing’’) MPVs are eligible for

importation into the United States. The

vehicles which Wallace believes are

substantially similar are 1973–1975

Volkswagen Type 181 (‘‘The Thing’’)

MPVs that were manufactured for

importation into, and sale in, the United

States and certified by their

manufacturer as conforming to all

applicable Federal motor vehicle safety

standards.

The petitioner claims that it carefully

compared non-U.S. certified 1973–1975

Volkswagen Type 181 (‘‘The Thing’’)

MPVs 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.

Wallace submitted information with

its petition intended to demonstrate that

non-U.S. certified 1973–1975

Volkswagen Type 181 (‘‘The Thing’’)

MPVs, 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 1973–1975

Volkswagen Type 181 (‘‘The Thing’’)

MPVs are identical to their U.S. certified

counterparts with respect to compliance

with Standard Nos. 102 Transmission

Shift Lever Sequence . . . ., 104

Windshield Wiping and Washing

Systems, 106 Brake Hoses, 113 Hood

Latch Systems, 116 Brake Fluid, 119

New Pneumatic Tires for Vehicles other

than Passenger Cars, 124 Accelerator

Control Systems, 205 Glazing Materials,

206 Door Locks and Door Retention

Components, 207 Seating Systems, 210

Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages, 212

Windshield Retention, and 302

Flammability of Interior Materials.

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 appropriate

words or symbols to identify the

controls for the hazard warning signal,

the windshield defrosting and defogging

system, the lights. The petitioner states

that the vehicle is equipped with an

odometer that is labeled at the factory as

being calibrated in kilometers,

precluding the need for any alteration to

comply with the standard.

Standard No. 103 Defrosting and

Defogging System: replacement with a

U.S.-model component.

Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective

Devices and Associated Equipment: (a)

Installation of U.S.-model headlights; (b)

installation of U.S.-model front turn

signal lamps; (c) installation of U.S.-

model taillight assemblies.

Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirror:

installation of a passenger side rearview

mirror.

Standard No. 120 Tire Selection and

Rims for Motor Vehicles other than

Passenger Cars: installation of a tire

information placard.

Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash

Protection: (a) Replacement of the seat

belts in the front seating positions with

U.S.-model components; (b) installation

of U.S.-model seat belts in the rear

seating positions.

Standard No. 209 Seat Belt

Assemblies: replacement of all seat belt

assemblies supplied with the vehicle.

The petitioner also states that a

vehicle identification number plate

must be affixed to the vehicle to meet

the requirements of 49 CFR part 565.

Interested persons are invited to

submit comments on the petition

described above. Comments should refer

to the docket number and be submitted

to: Docket Management, Room PL–401,

400 Seventh St., 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: November 24, 1997.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.

[FR Doc. 97–31439 Filed 11–28–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA 97–3157]

Notice of Receipt of Petition for

Decision That Nonconforming 1996

Audi Avant Quattro Passenger Cars

Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for

decision that nonconforming 1996 Audi

Avant Quattro passenger cars are

eligible for importation.

SUMMARY: This notice announces receipt

by the National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration (NHTSA) of a petition

for a decision that a 1996 Audi Avant

Quattro that was not originally

manufactured to comply with all

applicable Federal motor vehicle safety

standards is eligible for importation into

the United States because (1) it is

substantially similar to a vehicle that

was originally manufactured for

importation into and sale in the United

States and that was certified by its

manufacturer as complying with the

safety standards, and (2) it is capable of

being readily altered to conform to the

standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments

on the petition is December 31, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to

the docket number and notice number,

and be submitted to: U.S. Department of

Transportation Dockets, 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.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 230 / Monday, December 1, 1997 / Notices 63601

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

1996 Audi Avant Quattro passenger cars

are eligible for importation into the

United States. The vehicle which

Champagne believes is substantially

similar is the 1996 Audi A6 Quattro that

was manufactured for importation into,

and sale in, the United States and

certified by its manufacturer as

conforming to all applicable Federal

motor vehicle safety standards.

The petitioner claims that it carefully

compared the non-U.S. certified 1996

Audi Avant Quattro to its U.S. certified

counterpart, and found the two 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 the non-U.S. certified

1996 Audi Avant Quattro, as originally

manufactured, conforms to many

Federal motor vehicle safety standards

in the same manner as its U.S. certified

counterpart, or is capable of being

readily altered to conform to those

standards.

Specifically, the petitioner claims that

the non-U.S. certified 1996 Audi Avant

Quattro is identical to its U.S. certified

counterpart with respect to compliance

with Standards Nos. 102 Transmission

Shift Lever Sequence . . . ., 103

Defrosting and Defogging Systems, 104

Windshield Wiping and Washing

Systems, 105 Hydraulic Brake Systems,

106 Brake Hoses, 109 New Pneumatic

Tires, 113 Hood Latch Systems, 116

Brake Fluid, 124 Accelerator Control

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, 209

Seat Belt Assemblies, 210 Seat Belt

Assembly Anchorages, 212 Windshield

Retention, 216 Roof Crush Resistance,

219 Windshield Zone Intrusion, and 302

Flammability of Interior Materials.

Additionally, the petitioner states that

the bumpers on the non-U.S. certified

1996 Audi Avant Quattro comply with

the Bumper Standard found in 49 CFR

Part 581.

Petitioner also contends that the

vehicle is capable of being readily

altered to meet the following standards,

in the manner indicated:

Standard No. 101 Controls and

Displays: (a) Substitution of a lens

marked ‘‘Brake’’ for a lens with a

noncomplying symbol on the brake

failure indicator lamp; (b) installation of

a seat belt warning lamp that displays

the appropriate symbol; (c) recalibration

of the speedometer/odometer from

kilometers to miles per hour.

Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective

Devices and Associated Equipment: (a)

Installation of U.S.-model headlamp

assemblies; (b) installation of U.S.-

model front and rear sidemarker/

reflector assemblies; (c) installation of

U.S.-model taillamp assemblies.

Standard No. 110 Tire Selection and

Rims: installation of a tire information

placard.

Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirror:

replacement of the passenger side

rearview mirror with a U.S.-model

component.

Standard No. 114 Theft Protection:

installation of a warning buzzer

microswitch in the steering lock

assembly and a warning buzzer.

Standard No. 118 Power Window

Systems: rewiring of the power window

system so that the window transport is

inoperative when the ignition is

switched off.

Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash

Protection: (a) Installation of a U.S.-

model seat belt in the driver’s position,

or a belt webbing actuated microswitch

inside the driver’s seat belt retractor; (b)

installation of an ignition switch

actuated seat belt warning lamp and

buzzer; (c) replacement of the driver’s

and passenger’s side air bags and knee

bolsters if they are not U.S.-model

components. The petitioner states that

the vehicle is equipped with

combination lap and shoulder restraints

that adjust by means of an automatic

retractor and release by means of a

single push button at both front

designated seating positions, with

combination lap and shoulder restraints

that release by means of a single push

button at both rear outboard designated

seating positions, and with a lap belt in

the rear center designated seating

position.

Standard No. 214 Side Impact

Protection: installation of reinforcing

beams.

Standard No. 301 Fuel System

Integrity: installation of a rollover valve

in the fuel tank vent line between the

fuel tank and the evaporative emissions

collection canister.

The petitioner also states that a

vehicle identification number plate

must be affixed to the vehicle to meet

the requirements of 49 CFR part 565.

Interested persons are invited to

submit comments on the petition

described above. Comments should refer

to the docket number and be submitted

to: Docket Management, Room PL–401,

400 Seventh St., 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: November 24, 1997.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.

[FR Doc. 97–31440 Filed 11–28–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Saint Lawrence Seaway Development

Corporation Advisory Board; Notice of

Meeting

Pursuant to Section 10(a)(2) of the

Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub.

L. 92–463; 5 U.S.C. App. I) notice is

hereby given of a meeting of the

Advisory Board of the Saint Lawrence

Seaway Development Corporation

(SLSDC), to be held at 9:30 a.m.,

December 3, 1997, via conference call in

the Association Administrator’s

Conference Room, SLSDC

Administration Building, 180 Andrews

Street, Massena, New York. The agenda

for this meeting will be as follows:

Opening Remarks; Consideration of

Minutes of Past Meeting; Review of

Programs; New Business; and Closing

Remarks.

Attendance at meeting is open to the

interested public but limited to the

space available. With the approval of

the Administrator, members of the

public may present oral statements at

the meeting. Persons wishing further

information should contact not later