Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 207 / Wednesday, October 25, 2000 / Notices 63909

practicable. All written communications

concerning these proceedings are

available for examination during regular

business hours (9 am–5 pm) at the above

address. All documents in the public

docket are also available for inspection

and copying on the internet at the

docket facility’s web sit at http://

dms.dot.gov.

FRA expects to be able to determine

these matters without an oral hearing.

However, if a specific request for an oral

hearing is accompanied by a showing

that the party is unable to adequately

present his or her position by written

statements, an application may be set

for public hearing.

Issued in Washington, D.C. on October 18,

2000.

Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,

Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety

Standards and Program Development.

[FR Doc. 00–27317 Filed 10–24–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA–2000–7966]

Notice of Receipt of Petition for

Decision That Nonconforming 1996

Plymouth Voyager 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 1996

Plymouth Voyager 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 a 1996 Plymouth

Voyager manufactured for the European

and other foreign markets 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 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 November 24, 2000.

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 9 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.

Wallace Environmental Testing

Laboratories, Inc., of Houston, Texas

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

005) has petitioned NHTSA to decide

whether 1996 Plymouth Voyager MPVs

manufactured for the European and

other foreign markets are eligible for

importation into the United States. The

vehicle which Wallace believes is

substantially similar is the 1996

Plymouth Voyager that was

manufactured for sale in the United

States and certified by its manufacturer,

Chrysler Corporation, as conforming to

all applicable Federal motor vehicle

safety standards.

The petitioner claims that it carefully

compared the non-U.S. certified 1996

Plymouth Voyager 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.

Wallace submitted information with

its petition intended to demonstrate that

the non-U.S. certified 1996 Plymouth

Voyager, 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 Plymouth

Voyager is identical to its U.S. certified

counterpart with respect to compliance

with Standard Nos. 102 Transmission

Shift Lever Sequence. * * *, 103

Defrosting and Defogging Systems, 104

Windshield Wiping and Washing

Systems, 105 Hydraulic Brake Systems,

106 Brake Hoses, 113 Hood Latch

Systems, 114 Theft Protection, 116

Brake Fluid, 118 Power-Operated

Window Systems, 119 New Pneumatic

Tires, 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, 214 Side Impact Protection,

216 Roof Crush Resistance, 219

Windshield Zone Intrusion, and 302

Flammability of Interior Materials. 

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: Replacement of the

speedometer/odometer with a unit

calibrated in miles per hour.

Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective

Devices and Associated Equipment:

Replacement of the headlight and

taillight assemblies with components

that conform to the standard.

Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirrors:

Inscription of the required warning

statement on the passenger side

rearview mirror.

Standard No. 120 Tire Selection and

Rims: Installation of a tire information

placard.

Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash

Protection: (a) Replacement of the

driver’s seat belt latch and installation

of a seat belt warning buzzer system that

conforms to the standard; (b)

replacement of the driver’s and

passenger’s side air bag systems and

knee bolsters with U.S.-model

components on vehicles that are not

already so equipped. The petitioner

states that the vehicle is equipped with

Type 2 seat belts in all front, center and

rear designated seating positions, and

63910 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 207 / Wednesday, October 25, 2000 / Notices

with a lap belt in the rear center

designated seating position.

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

canister.

Additionally, the petitioner 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: October 18, 2000.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety,

Compliance.

[FR Doc. 00–27329 Filed 10–24–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA–2000–7963]

Notice of Receipt of Petition for

Decision That Nonconforming 1998

Mercedes-Benz CLK320 Passenger

Cars Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for

decision that nonconforming 1998

Mercedes-Benz CLK320 passenger cars

are eligible for importation.

SUMMARY: This document announces

receipt by the National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a

petition for a decision that the 1998

Mercedes-Benz CLK320 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 November 24, 2000.

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 9 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.

Bayway Auto, Inc. of Elizabeth, New

Jersey (‘‘BWA’’) (Registered Importer

98–166) has petitioned NHTSA to

decide whether 1998 Mercedes-Benz

CLK320 passenger cars are eligible for

importation into the United States. The

vehicle which BWA believes is

substantially similar is the 1998

Mercedes-Benz CLK320 that was

manufactured for importation into, and

sale in, the United States and certified

by its manufacturer, Daimler Benz, A.G.,

as conforming to all applicable Federal

motor vehicle safety standards.

The petitioner claims that it carefully

compared the non-U.S. certified 1998

Mercedes-Benz CLK320 passenger car 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.

BWA submitted information with its

petition intended to demonstrate that

the non-U.S. certified 1998 MercedesBenz CLK320, 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 1998 MercedesBenz CLK320 is identical to its U.S.

certified counterpart with respect to

compliance with Standard 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, 207 Seating Systems,

209 Seat Belt Assemblies, 210 Seat Belt

Assembly Anchorages, 212 Windshield

Retention, 214 Side Impact Protection,

216 Roof Crush Resistance, 219

Windshield Zone Intrusion, and 302

Flammability of Interior Materials.

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 which incorporate

headlamps with DOT markings; (b)

installation of U.S.-model front

sidemarker/reflector assemblies; (c)

installation of U.S.-model taillamp

assemblies.

Standard No. 110 Tire Selection and

Rims: Installation of a tire information

placard.