28026 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 98 / Monday, May 21, 2001 / Notices

(a) Installation of a seat belt warning

buzzer, wired to the driver’s seat belt

latch; (b) inspection of all vehicles and

replacement of the driver’s and

passenger’s side air bags, knee bolsters,

control units, sensors, and seat belts

with U.S.-model components on

vehicles that are not already so

equipped. The front outboard

designated seating positions have

combination lap and shoulder belts that

are self-tensioning and that release by

means of a single red pushbutton.

The petitioner also states that a

vehicle identification plate must be

affixed to the vehicles near the left

windshield post and a reference and

certification label must be affixed in the

area of the left front door post 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. (Docket hours are from 9 am to

5 pm). 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: May 16, 2001.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.

[FR Doc. 01–12732 Filed 5–18–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA–2001–9631]

Notice of Receipt of Petition for

Decision That Nonconforming 1999–

2001 BMW 7 Series Passenger Cars

Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for

decision that nonconforming 1999–2001

BMW 7 Series 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 1999–2001

BMW 7 Series passenger cars 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 June 20, 2001.

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.

J.K. Technologies of Baltimore,

Maryland (‘‘J.K.’’) (Registered Importer

90–006) has petitioned NHTSA to

decide whether 1999–2001 BMW 7

Series passenger cars are eligible for

importation into the United States. The

vehicles which J.K. believes are

substantially similar are 1999–2001

BMW 7 Series passenger cars 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 1999–2001

BMW 7 Series passenger cars 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.

J.K. submitted information with its

petition intended to demonstrate that

non-U.S. certified 1999–2001 BMW 7

Series passenger cars, 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 1999–2001 BMW 7

Series passenger cars are identical to

their U.S. certified counterparts 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,

118 Power Window Systems, 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, 301 Fuel System Integrity, and

302 Flammability of Interior Materials,

as well as 49 CFR part 581.

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: (a) Substitution of the word

‘‘Brake’’ for the international ECE

warning symbol on the markings for the

brake failure indicator lamp; (b)

replacement of the speedometer with

one calibrated in miles per hour. The

petitioner states that the entire

instrument cluster will be replaced with

a U.S.-model component.

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 98 / Monday, May 21, 2001 / Notices 28027

Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective

Devices and Associated Equipment: (a)

Installation of U.S.-model headlamps

and front sidemarker lamps and (b)

installation of U.S.-model taillamp

assemblies which incorporate rear

sidemarker lamps. 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 and a

warning buzzer microswitch in the

steering lock assembly. Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash

Protection: (a) Installation of a seat belt

warning buzzer, wired to the driver’s

seat belt latch; (b) inspection of all

vehicles and replacement of the driver’s

and passenger’s side air bags, knee

bolsters, control units, sensors, and seat

belts with U.S.-model components on

vehicles that are not already so

equipped. The front and rear outboard

designated seating positions have

combination lap and shoulder belts that

are self-tensioning and that release by

means of a single red pushbutton. The petitioner also states that a

vehicle identification plate must be

affixed to the vehicles near the left

windshield post and a reference and

certification label must be affixed in the

area of the left front door post 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. (Docket hours are from 9 am to

5 pm). 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: May 16, 2001.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.

[FR Doc. 01–12733 Filed 5–18–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs

Administration

Pipeline Safety: Emergency Plans and

Procedures for Responding to Multiple

Gas Leaks and Migration of Gas Into

Buildings

AGENCY: Research and Special Programs

Administration (RSPA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice; issuance of an advisory

bulletin.

SUMMARY: The Office of Pipeline Safety

(OPS) is issuing this advisory to owners

and operators of gas pipeline

distribution systems. Owners and

operators should review their

emergency plans and procedures to

determine whether the procedures

prompt the appropriate actions for gas

leaks caused by excavation damage near

buildings, and whether the procedures

adequately address the possibility of

multiple leaks and the underground

migration of gas into nearby buildings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Marvin Fell, (202) 366–6205, or by email, marvin.fell@rspa.dot.gov. This

document can be viewed at the OPS

home page at http://ops.dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

On January 22, 1999, while excavating

a trench behind a building in the

downtown area of Bridgeport, Alabama,

a backhoe operator damaged a natural

gas service line. This resulted in two

leaks on the natural gas service line,

which was operating at a pressure of 35

pounds per square inch (psig). One leak

occurred where the backhoe bucket

contacted the gas service line and

pulled it aboveground. Although the

second leak was not visible, the ensuing

investigation revealed that the natural

gas service line was separated at an

underground joint near the gas meter,

and close to a building. As a result,

natural gas migrated into the building.

The gas ignited, destroying three

downtown buildings in a two square

block area. The incident resulted in four

fatalities and five injuries.

The National Transportation Safety

Board (NTSB) investigated this incident

and determined that the probable cause

of the accident was (1) the failure of the

construction contractor to establish and

follow safe procedures for excavation

activities, resulting in damage to the 3⁄4-

inch steel natural gas service line and

(2) the failure of the operator to provide

appropriate emergency response to the

subsequent natural gas leak.

The operator’s written emergency

procedures in effect at the time of the

accident instructed service personnel to

‘‘* * * evaluate the extent of the

emergency, request assistance as

needed, and to inform the manager if

necessary.’’ However, the procedures

did not instruct employees responding

to a reported leak to consider the

possibility of multiple leaks, check for

gas accumulation in nearby buildings,

and, if necessary, take steps to promptly

stop the flow of gas.

II. Advisory Bulletin (ADB–01–02)

To: Owners and Operators of Gas

Distribution Systems.

Subject: Emergency Plans and

Procedures for Responding to Multiple

Gas Leaks and Migration of Gas into

Buildings

Purpose: To advise owners and

operators of gas distribution pipeline

systems to review their emergency plans

and procedures to determine whether

the procedures prompt the appropriate

actions for gas leaks caused by

excavation damage near buildings, and

whether the procedures adequately

address the possibility of multiple leaks

and the underground migration of gas

into nearby buildings.

Advisory: Owners and operators of gas

distribution systems should ensure that

their emergency plans and procedures

require employees who respond to gas

leaks to consider the possibility of

multiple leaks, to check for gas

accumulation in nearby buildings, and,

if necessary, to take steps to promptly

stop the flow of gas. These procedures

should be communicated to both

employee and contractor personnel who

are responsible for emergency response

to pipeline incidents.

Issued in Washington, DC on May 16,

2001.

Jeffrey D. Wiese,

Manager, Program Development, Office of

Pipeline Safety.

[FR Doc. 01–12717 Filed 5–18–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–60–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Submission for OMB Review;

Comment Request

May 15, 2001.

The Department of Treasury has

submitted the following public