[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 16, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3645-3646]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-1218]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket Number NHTSA-2000-8619]


Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements

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

ACTION: Request for public comment on proposed collection of 
information.

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SUMMARY: Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from 
the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit 
public comment on proposed collections of information, including 
extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections.
    This document describes one collection of information for which 
NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 19, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments must refer to the docket notice numbers cited at 
the beginning of this notice and be submitted to Docket Management, 
Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Please 
identify the proposed collection of information for which a comment is 
provided, by referencing its OMB clearance Number. It is requested, but 
not required, that 2 copies of the comment be provided. The Docket 
Section is open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Complete copies of each request for 
collection of information may be obtained at no charge from Mr. Ed 
Kosek, NHTSA 400 Seventh Street, SW., Room 6123,Washington, DC 20590. 
Mr. Kosek's telephone number is (202) 366-2589. Please identify the 
relevant collection of information by referring to its OMB Control 
Number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
before an agency submits a proposed collection of information to OMB 
for approval, it must first publish a document in the Federal Register 
providing a 60-day comment period and otherwise consult with members of 
the public and affected agencies concerning each proposed collection of 
information. The OMB has promulgated regulations describing what must 
be included in such a document. Under OMB's regulation (at 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)), an agency must ask for public comment on the following:
    (i) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility;
    (ii) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (iii) How to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected;
    (iv) How to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g. permitting electronic 
submission of responses.
    In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks for public 
comments on the following proposed collections of information:

Replaceable Light Source Dimensional Information for 49 CFR Part 
564

    Type of Request: Reinstatement of Clearance.
    OMB Clearance Number: 2127-0563.
    Form Number: This collection of information uses no standard forms.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from date of 
approval.
    Summary of the Collection of Information: The information to be 
collected is in response to 49 CFR Part 564; ``Replaceable Light Source 
Dimensional Information.'' Persons desiring to use newly designed 
replaceable headlamp light sources are required to submit 
interchangeability and performance specifications to the agency. After 
a short agency review to assure completeness, the information is placed 
in a public docket for use by any person who would desire to 
manufacture headlamp light sources for highway motor vehicles. In 
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, ``Lamps, reflective 
devices and associated equipment,'' Part 564 submissions are referenced 
as being the source of information regarding the performance and 
interchangeability information for legal headlamp light sources, 
whether original equipment or replacement equipment. Thus, the 
submitted information about headlamp light sources becomes the basis 
for certification of compliance with safety standards.

[[Page 3646]]

    Description of the need for the information and proposed use of the 
information: The information is to be placed in a public docket for the 
use by vehicle, headlamp and headlamp light source manufacturers for 
determining the interchangeability aspects of headlamp light sources 
for manufacturing purposes and for the design and manufacture of 
headlamps. In order for replacement light sources to be designated as 
acceptable replacements, the replacement light sources also are 
required to comply with the dimensional and performance information in 
the docket for its type. The Federal program for reducing highway 
fatalities, injuries and accidents would likely be adversely affected 
if the information was not collected, because the bulbs would, in fact, 
not be standardized for performance and interchangeability. If the 
interchangeability information were not available to manufacturers who 
normally provide original equipment and aftermarket parts, replacements 
could become significantly more costly to replace upon burnout, and 
ready availability would also likely diminish because the replacements 
would be available from only the vehicle's manufacturer or its dealer. 
As a potential adverse safety consequence, more and more vehicles would 
likely be on the highways at night with headlamps having one or more 
failed bulbs because of the higher expense and lower availability, and 
therefore reduce the roadway illumination and increase the risk of 
accident. In the event that the information collection were not 
reapproved, it is likely that the agency would have to reinstate 
headlamp light source information as part of the federal lighting 
standard and thus any new light source designs could be used only after 
a lengthy and costly rulemaking instead of this simple review and 
reference procedure.
    Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number, 
and Proposed Frequency of Response to the Collection of Information): 
For the burdened parties, only those which develop a new or modified 
headlamp light source or other additional interchange information will 
have to submit information. Based on the last three years of Part 564 
data collection, sixteen submissions have been received.
    Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden 
Resulting from the Collection of Information: The average estimated 
cost of the information submissions is estimated to be 4.2 hours per 
submission at $100 per hour for a cost of $420 each, thus at a rate of 
16/3 submissions per year, the average annual cost is $2240 and the 
average annual hour burden is 22.9 hours.

    Issued on: January 9, 2001.
Stephen R. Kratzke,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 01-1218 Filed 1-12-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P