Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 230 / Monday, December 1, 1997 / Notices 63599

manufacturers to modify their dealer

notification letters is 250 hours (500

manufacturers × 1⁄2 hour letter

modification time). However, the agency

estimates that in any given year that 85

percent of the 300 annual recalls are

conducted by approximately 50

manufacturers who conduct more than

one safety recall per year on a regular

basis. The remaining 45 recalls per year

(15 percent) are conducted by

manufacturers who conduct recalls on

an infrequent basis. In year one the

agency estimates that all 50 of the

manufacturers who conduct recalls on a

regular basis along with 45

manufacturers who conduct recalls on

an infrequent basis will have to modify

their dealer notification letters, resulting

in 95 out of the 500 affected

manufacturers having to modify their

dealer notification letters in year one. In

years two through ten 45 of the

remaining 405 remaining manufacturers

who conduct recalls infrequently will

have to modify their dealer notification

letters each year. This would result in

an annual hour burden of 47.5 hours for

the first year (95 affected manufacturers

× 1⁄2 hour letter modification time) and

22.5 hours for the second through tenth

years (45 affected manufacturers per

year × 1⁄2 hour letter modification time).

This burden will be a one-time

occurrence because the rule will impose

little or no time burden for recalls after

the first one a manufacturer conducts

after revising its dealer notification

letter. Manufacturers are already

required by statute to notify their

dealers about safety recalls. This rule

does not alter the information that a

manufacturer is now required to provide

to dealers about individual recalls.

The agency expects that for 20 percent

of the safety recalls conducted

annually—or about 60—the

manufacturer will request a delay in

sending dealer notification. The agency

estimates that the average preparation

time for such a letter will be about 1⁄2

hour. Accordingly, the total annual hour

burden hours for preparing letters

requesting a delay in providing dealer

notification will be about 30 hours (60

recalls × 1⁄2 hour per recall).

The agency estimates that the total

annual hour burden on respondents of

the information collection requirement

of this final rule will be 30 hours, plus

a one-time burden of 250 hours, spread

over a period of ten years.

The agency estimates that the hourly

labor cost for manufacturers for revising

the dealer notification letters will be

$50. With the estimated 1⁄2 hour needed

to revise the letter for each of 500

manufacturers, the total labor cost of

revising the dealer notification letters

would be $12,500. Since the number of

safety recalls per year is approximately

300, not all manufacturers will incur the

cost of revising the letter in the same

year. If 95 manufacturers modify their

dealer notification letters in year one

and 45 of the remaining 405

manufacturers modify their dealer

notification letters in years two through

ten, the cost would be spread over a

minimum of ten years. This would

result in an annual cost burden of

$2,375 for the first year and $1,125 per

year for the second through tenth years.

As stated earlier, the burden is likely

to be a one-time occurrence in most

cases, since most manufacturers use

form notifications that will only need to

be revised once. After a manufacturer

has revised its form notification, the

cost of subsequent letters will be no

greater than that for the notification that

a manufacturer is presently required by

statute to send to dealers.

The agency estimates that the labor

cost to manufacturers for preparation of

requests for delay of dealer notification

will also be about $50 per hour. Thus,

for 60 such requests per year, with an

average preparation time of 1⁄2 hour

each, the annual labor cost to

manufacturers will be approximately

$1,500.

In summary, the agency estimates that

the total annual cost to respondents will

be approximately $1,500, plus a onetime-only cost of $12,500, spread over a

period of ten years.

There is no recordkeeping burden

associated with this rulemaking.

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c); delegation of

authority at 49 CFR 1.50.

Dated: November 24, 1997.

Kenneth N. Weinstein,

Associate Administrator For Safety

Assurance.

[FR Doc. 97–31363 Filed 11–28–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA–97–3156]

Notice of Receipt of Petition for

Decision That Nonconforming 1973–

1975 Volkswagen Type 181 (‘‘The

Thing’’) Multi-Purpose Passenger

Vehicles Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for

decision that nonconforming 1973–1975

Volkswagen Type 181 (‘‘The Thing’’)

multi-purpose passenger vehicles

(MPVs) are eligible for importation.

SUMMARY: This notice announces receipt

by the National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration (NHTSA) of a petition

for a decision that 1973–1975

Volkswagen Type 181 (‘‘The Thing’’)

MPVs 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 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.

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
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.