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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 224 (Wednesday, November 20, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 91670-91671]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-26985]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Part 571

[Docket No. NHTSA-2024-0057]
RIN 2127-AK98

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Pedestrian Head 
Protection, Global Technical Regulation No. 9; Incorporation by 
Reference

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA); 
Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: NHTSA received a request to extend the comment period for the 
September 19, 2024, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposing a 
new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) to ensure passenger 
vehicles are designed to mitigate the risk of serious to fatal injury 
in pedestrian crashes. The NPRM is based on Global Technical Regulation 
(GTR) No. 9 on pedestrian safety, with focused enhancements to address 
safety problems. The comment period for the NPRM was scheduled to end 
on November 18, 2024. NHTSA is extending the comment period for the 
NPRM by 30 days.

DATES: The comment period for the NPRM published on September 19, 2024, 
at 89 FR 27502, is extended to December 18, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments to the docket number identified in 
the heading of this document 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: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West 
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and 
docket number. 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 discussion below. We 
will consider all comments received before the close of business on the 
comment closing date indicated above. To the extent possible, we will 
also consider comments filed after the closing date.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov at any time or to 
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal Holidays. Telephone: 202-366-9826.
    Privacy Act: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits 
comments from the public to better inform its decision-making process. 
DOT posts these comments, without edit, including any personal 
information the commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as 
described in the system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can 
be reviewed at www.transportation.gov/privacy. In order to facilitate 
comment tracking and response, we encourage commenters to provide their 
name, or the name of their organization; however, submission of names 
is completely optional. Whether or not commenters identify themselves, 
all timely comments will be fully considered.
    Confidential Business Information: If you wish to submit any 
information

[[Page 91671]]

under a claim of confidentiality, you must submit your request directly 
to NHTSA's Office of the Chief Counsel. Requests for confidentiality 
are governed by 49 CFR part 512. NHTSA is currently treating electronic 
submission as an acceptable method for submitting confidential business 
information to the agency under part 512. If you would like to submit a 
request for confidential treatment, you may email your submission to 
Dan Rabinovitz in the Office of the Chief Counsel at 
[email protected] or you may contact him for a secure file 
transfer link. At this time, you should not send a duplicate hardcopy 
of your electronic CBI submissions to DOT headquarters. If you claim 
that any of the information or documents provided to the agency 
constitute confidential business information within the meaning of 5 
U.S.C. 552(b)(4), or are protected from disclosure pursuant to 18 
U.S.C. 1905, you must submit supporting information together with the 
materials that are the subject of the confidentiality request, in 
accordance with part 512, to the Office of the Chief Counsel. Your 
request must include a cover letter setting forth the information 
specified in our confidential business information regulation (49 CFR 
512.8) and a certificate, pursuant to Sec.  512.4(b) and part 512, 
Appendix A. In addition, you should submit a copy, from which you have 
deleted the claimed confidential business information, to the Docket at 
the address given above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For non-legal issues: Vincent Wu, 
Office of Crashworthiness Standards (telephone: (202) 366-1740, fax 
(202) 493-2990).
    For legal issues: Matthew Filpi, Office of the Chief Counsel 
(telephone: 202-366-3179). The mailing address for these officials is: 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 
SE, Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 19, 2024, NHTSA published an 
NPRM proposing a new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 
which would establish a head-to-hood impact test and performance 
requirements to minimize the risk of pedestrian head injury. The 
comment period for the NPRM was scheduled to end on November 18, 2024.
    On October 17, 2024, NHTSA received a request for a 30-day 
extension of the comment period from the Alliance of Automotive 
Innovation (Auto Innovators). The requestor stated that additional time 
is necessary to conduct a detailed review of the NPRM and provide 
constructive feedback on the proposal. Auto Innovators also stated it 
would need to conduct a detailed review of the accompanying preliminary 
regulatory impact analysis (PRIA), which was published in the docket 
after the NPRM. Auto Innovators noted that the extension would be used 
to evaluate the practicability and complexity of the design changes 
(and corresponding lead time) needed to meet the proposed requirements, 
and more fully evaluate the regulatory impact and unanticipated costs.

Agency Decision

    Pursuant to 49 CFR 553.19 and after thorough consideration of this 
request, NHTSA has determined that the requestor has provided 
sufficient justification for an extension, and that the extension is 
consistent with the public interest. NHTSA agrees that allowing 
additional time for the public and its stakeholders to provide robust 
and substantive comments on these complex issues will better inform 
NHTSA. The agency believes a 30-day extension will provide the public 
with sufficient time to review the docket and comment on the complex 
questions raised in the NPRM. Accordingly, NHTSA is granting the 
aforementioned request and extending the comment period by 30 days.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 30117, and 30166; 
delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.95 and 501.8.

Raymond R. Posten,
Associate Administrator, Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2024-26985 Filed 11-15-24; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P
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