Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 58 / Monday, March 26, 2012 / Notices 17567 

and its product is subject to the 

guidelines and requirements of Allison’s 

structured product development and 

approval process known as the Process 

of Concurrent Engineering (POCE). This 

process applies to all products 

developed, manufactured and sold by 

Allison, including components and/or 

subcomponents that are purchased by 

Allison and provided as part of 

Allison’s system or product that are 

delivered to its customers. The POCE 

process consists of four activity areas of 

focus with each having durations of 

approximately three months to one year. 

Allison is currently in the Concept 

Validation (CV) phase, evaluating/ 

validating the possibility of utilizing a 

current U.S. hybrid ESS supplier who is 

working with Allison through an ARRA 

grant awarded in fiscal year 2009 (DOE 

Gran DE–EE00002025). Beyond the CV 

phase, additional joint work has been 

planned for Design Validation, OEM 

vehicle testing, and Production 

Validation phases that are needed to 

assure an appropriate Start of 

Production launch. 

FTA proposes to grant Allison a 

waiver through December 31, 2013. 

Unlike other requests for nonavailability waivers, the granting of 

which would enable otherwise noncompliant materials to be utilized until 

a U.S. producers comes forward, this 

waiver would allow Allison to maintain 

its position in the market while 

continuing the process of securing a 

domestic manufacturer for its ESU 

subsystems. Without a waiver 

extension, Allison faces a potential loss 

of volume, market share, and revenue, 

and a potential loss of U.S. Jobs. In 

addition, Allison’s bus manufacturing 

customers would be limited in their 

ability to offer buses utilizing hybrid 

propulsion technology, without 

furthering the goals of Buy America. 

Before deciding whether to grant 

Allison’s request, FTA seeks comment 

from all interested parties. In the 

interest of transparency, FTA has 

published copies of Allison’s request to 

the docket. Interested parties may access 

these materials by visiting the docket 

comments by April 2, 2012. Late-filed 

comments will be considered to the 

extent practicable. 

Issued this 16th day of March 2012. 

Dorval R. Carter, Jr., 

Chief Counsel. 

[FR Doc. 2012–7186 Filed 3–23–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–57–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. NHTSA–2012–0031, Notice 1] 

Notice of Receipt of Petition for 

Decision That Nonconforming RightHand Drive 2000–2003 Jeep Wrangler 

Multi-Purpose Passenger Vehicles Are 

Eligible for Importation 

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic 

Safety Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition. 

SUMMARY: This document announces 

receipt by the National Highway Traffic 

Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a 

petition for a decision that right-hand 

drive (RHD) 2000–2003 Jeep Wrangler 

multi-purpose passenger vehicles 

(MPVs) 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 they have safety features that 

comply with, or are capable of being 

altered to comply with, all such 

standards. 

DATES: The closing date for comments 

on the petition is April 25, 2012. 

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: 

George Stevens, Office of Vehicle Safety 

Compliance, NHTSA (202–366–5308). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Under 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(B), a 

motor vehicle that was not originally 

manufactured to conform to all 

applicable FMVSS, and has no 

substantially similar U.S.-certified 

counterpart, shall be refused admission 

into the United States unless NHTSA 

has decided that the motor vehicle has 

safety features that comply with, or are 

capable of being altered to comply with, 

all applicable FMVSS based on 

destructive test data or such other 

evidence as NHTSA decides to be 

adequate. 

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 notices 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. 

US SPECS of Havre de Grace, 

Maryland (Registered Importer 03–321) 

has petitioned NHTSA to decide 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
17568 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 58 / Monday, March 26, 2012 / Notices 

whether nonconforming RHD 2000– 

2003 Jeep Wrangler MPVs are eligible 

for importation into the United States. 

US SPECS believes these vehicles are 

capable of being modified to meet all 

applicable FMVSS. 

In its petition, US SPECS notes that 

Chrysler Corporation certified an RHD 

2003 Jeep Wrangler MPV to all 

applicable FMVSS and offered that 

vehicle for sale in the United States. US 

SPECS contends that the non-U.S 

certified RHD 2000–2003 Jeep Wrangler 

MPV shares the same platform with the 

U.S.-certified RHD 2003 model, and on 

that basis compares the non-U.S. 

certified models to that vehicle to 

establish their conformity with many 

applicable FMVSS. Because there is no 

U.S.-certified counterpart for the RHD 

2000, 2001, and 2002 Jeep Wrangler 

MPV, the petitioner acknowledged that 

it could not base its petition on the 

substantial similarity of those vehicles 

to the U.S.-certified RHD 2003 Jeep 

Wrangler MPV in light of the petitioning 

requirements of 49 U.S.C. 

30141(a)(1)(A), as set forth in 49 CFR 

Part 593. Instead, the petitioner chose to 

establish import eligibility on the basis 

that the vehicles have safety features 

that comply with, or are capable of 

being modified to comply with, the 

FMVSS based on destructive test data or 

such other evidence that NHTSA 

decides to be adequate as set forth in 49 

U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(B). Nevertheless, the 

petitioner contends that the non-U.S. 

certified RHD 2000–2003 Jeep Wrangler 

MPV utilizes the same components as 

the U.S.- certified RHD 2003 Jeep 

Wrangler MPV in virtually all of the 

systems subject to the applicable 

FMVSS. 

US SPECS submitted information 

with its petition intended to 

demonstrate that non-U.S. certified RHD 

2000–2003 Jeep Wrangler MPVs 

conform to many FMVSS and are 

capable of being altered to comply with 

all other standards to which they were 

not originally manufactured to conform. 

Specifically, the petitioner claims that 

non-U.S. certified RHD Jeep Wrangler 

MPVs, as originally manufactured, 

conform to: 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, 113 Hood 

Latch System, 116 Motor Vehicle Brake 

Fluids, 119 New Pneumatic Tires, 124 

Accelerator Control Systems, 135 Light 

Vehicle Brake Standard, 202 Head 

Restraints, 204 Steering Control 

Rearward Displacement, 205 Glazing 

Materials, 206 Door Locks and Door 

Retention Components, 207 Seating 

Systems, 210 Seat Belt Assembly 

Anchorages, 212 Windshield Mounting, 

214 Side Impact Protection, 216 Roof 

Crush Resistance, 219 Windshield Zone 

Intrusion, and 302 Flammability of 

Interior Materials. 

The petitioner also contends that the 

vehicles are capable of being altered to 

meet the following standards, in the 

manner indicated: 

Standard No. 101 Controls and 

Displays: replacement of the 

speedometer with a unit calibrated in 

miles per hour if the vehicle is not 

already so equipped. 

Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective 

Devices and Associated Equipment: if 

the vehicle is not already so equipped, 

installation of U.S.-model: (a) 

Headlamps and front side marker lamps; 

(b) tail lamp assemblies that incorporate 

rear side marker lamps; (c) center highmounted stop lamp; and (d) front and 

rear side reflex reflectors. 

Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirrors: 

installation of a U.S.-model passenger 

side rearview mirror, or inscription of 

the required warning statement on the 

face of that mirror, if the vehicle is not 

already so equipped. 

Standard No. 114 Theft Protection: 

installation of a warning buzzer if the 

vehicle is not already so equipped. 

Standard No. 118 Power-Operated 

Window, Partition, and Roof Panel 

Systems: inspection of each vehicle and 

reprogramming or rewiring of the power 

operated window system if the vehicle 

is not already equipped with a 

compliant system. 

Standard No. 120 Tire Selection and 

Rims for Motor Vehicles Other than 

Passenger Cars: installation of a tire and 

rim information placard. 

Standard No. 201 Occupant 

Protection in Interior Impact: inspection 

of each vehicle and replacement of 

components if necessary to ensure 

compliance with the standard. 

Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash 

Protection: inspection of each vehicle to 

confirm that U.S.-model airbags, control 

unit, sensors, seat belts, and knee 

bolsters have been installed. The 

petitioner states that the vehicles are 

equipped with a seat belt and audible 

warning buzzer that are identical to 

those found on U.S.-certified models. In 

addition, the petitioner states that the 

vehicles are equipped with dual front 

airbags and knee bolsters, and 

combination lap and shoulder belts at 

the front and rear outboard seating 

positions that are self-tensioning and are 

released by means of a single red push 

button. 

Standard No. 209 Seat Belt 

Assemblies: Replacement of the 

passenger side seat belt with a U.S. 

model component on vehicles that are 

not already so equipped. 

Standard No. 225 Child Restraint 

Anchorage Systems: inspection of each 

vehicle and installation of a U.S. model 

anchorage on all vehicles that are not 

already so equipped. 

Standard No. 301 Fuel System 

Integrity: inspection of each vehicle and 

installation of U.S.-conforming 

components on all vehicles not already 

so equipped to ensure that the fuel 

system meets the requirements of this 

standard. 

In addition, the petitioner states that 

a vehicle identification number plate 

must be installed in the area of the left 

windshield post to meet the 

requirements of 49 CFR Part 565 if the 

vehicle is not already so equipped. 

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 19, 2012. 

Claude H. Harris, 

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance. 

[FR Doc. 2012–7097 Filed 3–23–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. NHTSA–2012–0030, Notice 1] 

Notice of Receipt of Petition for 

Decision That Nonconforming 2005 Ifor 

Williams LM85G Trailers Are Eligible 

for Importation 

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic 

Safety Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition. 

SUMMARY: This document announces 

receipt by the National Highway Traffic 

Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a 

petition for a decision that 2005 Ifor 

Williams LM85G trailers 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 they have safety features that 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES