4892 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 12 / Thursday, January 18, 2001 / Notices

removed the running boards and

positioned six (6) hatches down the

center of the car. MSTR states that the

loading facility employees access the

roof via a permanent platform built to

the same height as the car roof. They

further claim that the cars are repaired

at a site with a similar platform and to

their knowledge no one else mounts the

top of the car, therefore the running

boards are unnecessary. They contend

that the running boards would create a

tripping hazard if applied down each

side of the car roof as is currently the

case with other covered hoppers with

center mounted hatches. MSTR also

sites cost and time constraints in

relocating the running board as this

would require removing two more hatch

covers, welding aluminum plates over

the hatches and remounting the running

boards on the outside of the cars.

All communications concerning these

proceedings should identify the

appropriate docket number (e.g., Waiver

Petition Docket Number FRA–2000–

7949) and must be submitted to the

Docket Clerk, DOT Central Docket

Management Facility, Room Pl–401

(Plaza Level), 400 Seventh Street, SW.,

Washington, DC 20590–0001.

Communications received within 45

days of the date of this notice will be

considered by FRA before final action is

taken. Comments received after that

date will be considered as far as

practicable. All written communications

concerning these proceedings are

available for examination during regular

business hours (9 a.m.–5 p.m.) at the

above facility. All documents in the

public docket are also available for

inspection and copying on the Internet

at the docket facility’s Web site at http:/

/dms.dot.gov.

Issued in Washington, DC on January 10,

2001.

Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,

Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety

Standards and Program Development.

[FR Doc. 01–1557 Filed 1–17–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

Petition for Waiver of Compliance

In accordance with part 211 of title 49

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR),

notice is hereby given that the Federal

Railroad Administration (FRA) received

a request for a waiver of compliance

with certain requirements of its safety

standards. The individual petition is

described below, including the party

seeking relief, the regulatory provisions

involved, the nature of the relief being

requested, and the petitioner’s

arguments in favor of relief.

Blacklands Railroad

[Docket Number FRA–2000–8366]

The Blacklands Railroad (BLR) of

Sulphur Springs, Texas, has petitioned

for a permanent waiver of compliance

for one locomotive from the

requirements of Safety Glazing

Standards, 49 CFR part 223, which

requires certified glazing. The BLR is

located in Sulphur Springs, Texas. The

BLR states that this locomotive is used

in light switching service and operates

over 65 miles of track, from Greenville,

TX, through Commerce, Sulphur

Springs, TX. It also states that it has an

additional 10 miles of trackage rights

over the Union Pacific Railroad for

interchange in their Mt. Pleasant yard.

The average track apeed is 10–15 miles

per hour with a maximum speed of 20

miles per hour.

Interested parties are invited to

participate in these proceedings by

submitting written views, data, or

comments. FRA does not anticipate

scheduling a public hearing in

connection with these proceedings since

the facts do not appear to warrant a

hearing. If any interested party desires

an opportunity for oral comment, they

should notify FRA, in writing, before

the end of the comment period and

specify the basis for their request.

All communications concerning these

proceedings should identify the

appropriate docket number (e.g., Waiver

Petition Docket Number FRA–2000–

8366) and must be submitted in

triplicate to the Docket Clerk, DOT

Central Docket Management Facility,

Room P1–401, Washington, DC 20590–

0001. Communications received within

45 days of the date will be considered

as far as practicable. All written

communications concerning these

proceedings are available for

examination during regular business

hours (9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.) at DOT

Central Docket Management Facility,

Room P1–401 (Plaza Level), 400

Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC.

All documents in the public docket are

also available for inspection and

copying on the internet at the facility’s

Web site at http://dms.dot.gov.

Issued in Washington, DC, on January 11,

2001.

Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,

Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety

Standards and Program Development.

[FR Doc. 01–1556 Filed 1–17–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA–2000–8267]

Petition for Waiver of Compliance

In accordance with part 211 of title 49

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)

notice is hereby given that the Federal

Railroad Administration (FRA) received

a request for a waiver of compliance

with certain requirements of its safety

standards. The individual petition is

described below, including the party

seeking relief, the regulatory provisions

involved, the nature of the relief being

requested, and the petitioner’s

arguments in favor of relief.

Oil Creek & Titusville Lines

The Oil Creek & Titusville Lines

(OCTL), seeks a waiver of compliance

from certain provisions of the Safety

Glazing Standards, 49 CFR 223, which

requires certified glazing, for one

locomotive. The OCTL is located in

Titusville, Pennsylvania. The OCTL

states they operate a short line freight

operation and additionally an excursion

railroad operation over 15.8 miles of

track through rural countryside and one

community on an average of two (2)

round trips per week freight and three

(3) round trips per week for passenger

excursions.

Interested parties are invited to

participate in these proceedings by

submitting written views, data, or

comments. FRA does not anticipate

scheduling a public hearing in

connection with these proceedings since

the facts do not appear to warrant a

hearing. If any interested party desires

an opportunity for oral comment, they

should notify FRA, in writing, before

the end of the comment period and

specify the basis for their request.

All communications concerning these

proceedings should identify the

appropriate docket number (e.g., Waiver

Petition Docket Number FRA–2000–

8267) and must be submitted in

triplicate to the Docket Clerk, DOT

Central Docket Management Facility,

Room P1–401, Washington, DC 20590–

0001. Communications received within

45 days of the date of this notice will

be considered by FRA before final

action been taken. Comments received

after that date will be considered as far

as practicable. All written

communications concerning the

proceedings are available for

examination during regular business

hours (9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.) at DOT

Central Docket Management Facility,

Room P10401 (Plaza Level), 400

Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC.

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 12 / Thursday, January 18, 2001 / Notices 4893

1The covered equipment and parts inside, but are

not limited to, exhaust systems, tires, engines,

acoustic shields, anti-theft alarms, warning devices

and child restraint systems.

All documents in the public docket are

also available for inspection and

copying on the internet at the docket

facility’s Web site at http://dms.dot.gov.

Issued in Washington, DC, on January 11,

2001.

Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,

Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety

Standards and Program Development.

[FR Doc. 01–1554 Filed 1–17–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA–00–7638; Notice 2]

Recommendations for Establishing

Global Technical Regulations Under

the United Nations/Economic

Commission for Europe 1998 Global

Agreement; Motor Vehicle Safety

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA),

Department of Transportation.

ACTION: NHTSA’s recommendations to

WP.29 for regulations to be considered

under the 1998 Global Agreement.

SUMMARY: In July 2000, NHTSA

published a notice seeking comments on

its preliminary recommendations for the

first motor vehicle safety technical

regulations to be considered for

establishment under the United Nations

Economic Commission for Europe 1998

Global Agreement. NHTSA has

reviewed and considered all public

comments submitted in response to the

notice and has prepared final

recommendations to present to the

World Forum for the Harmonization of

Vehicle Regulations (WP.29) at the

March 2001 meeting in Geneva. NHTSA

will use the recommendations in

deliberating with other Contracting

Parties concerning the adoption of a

program of work under the 1998 Global

Agreement.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

technical and policy issues: Ms. Julie

Abraham, Director, Office of

International Policy and Harmonization,

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW,

Washington, DC 20590. Telephone:

(202) 366–2114. Fax: (202) 366–2559.

For legal issues: Nancy Bell, Attorney

Advisor, Office of the Chief Counsel,

NCC–20, National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, 400 Seventh

Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590.

Telephone: (202) 366–2992. Fax: (202)

366–3820.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: You may

read the materials placed in Docket No.

NHTSA–00–7638 (e.g., the comments

submitted in response to the request for

comments by other interested persons)

by visiting the address: Docket

Management, Room PL–401, 400

Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC,

20590. The hours of the Docket

Management System (DMS) are

indicated above in the same location.

Alternatively, you may read the

materials electronically on the Internet.

To do so, take the following steps:

(1) Go to the Web page of the

Department of Transportation DMS

(http://dms.dot.gov/).

(2) On that page, click on ‘‘search’’

near the top of the page or scroll down

to the words ‘‘Search the DMS Web’’

and click on them.

(3) On the next page (http://

dms.dot.gov/search/), scroll down to

‘‘Docket Number’’ and type in the fourdigit docket number (7638) shown in

the title at the beginning of this notice.

After typing the docket number, click on

‘‘search.’’

(4) On the next page (‘‘Docket

Summary Information’’), which contains

docket summary information for the

materials in the docket you selected,

scroll down to ‘‘search results’’ and

click on the desired materials. You may

download the materials.

Table of Contents

I. Background

II. NHTSA’s Final Recommendations to

WP.29

A. Consideration of Comments

B. Recommended Priorities

III. Future Actions

I. Background

The U.S. became a signatory to the

United Nations/Economic Commission

for Europe (UN/ECE) Agreement

Concerning the Establishment of Global

and Technical Regulations for Wheeled

Vehicles, Equipment and Parts Which

Can Be Fitted And/or Be Used On

Wheeled Vehicles (the ‘‘1998 Global

Agreement’’) in June 1998. The 1998

Global Agreement, which entered into

force on August 25, 2000, provides for

the establishment of global technical

regulations regarding the safety,

emissions, energy conservation and

theft prevention of wheeled vehicles,

equipment and parts.1 The Agreement

contains procedures for establishing

global technical regulations by either

harmonizing existing regulations or

developing a new regulation.

On July 18, 2000, in anticipation of

the entry into force of the 1998 Global

Agreement, NHTSA published a notice

to obtain public comments on a list of

preliminary recommendations of

standards or aspects of standards for

consideration by Contracting Parties in

prioritizing the development and

establishment of global technical

regulations under the 1998 Global

Agreement. (65 Fed. Reg. 44565) In that

notice, NHTSA placed its

recommendations into two categories

based on available information and

analysis concerning the relative level of

stringency and benefits of U.S. and

foreign standards. The first category, the

‘‘Priority Recommendations,’’ included

some foreign standards or aspects of

those standards that may represent best

safety practices among existing national

and regional regulations and that may

lead to the improvement of vehicle

safety in the U.S. NHTSA stated that, in

allocating agency resources among the

priority recommendation, it will give

priority to the recommendations in this

category. The second category, the

‘‘Other Recommendations,’’ included

U.S. standards or aspects of standards

that may represent best current safety

practices and that may lead to

improvement of vehicle safety

worldwide. NHTSA believes that the

standards in this category should obtain

international review and feedback and

be considered in the establishment of

global technical regulations under the

1998 Global Agreement.

In addition to the above mentioned

categories, the notice also noted the

suggestions that had been received by

the United Nations’ Economic

Commission for Europe World Forum

for Development of Global Technical

Regulations (WP.29) from the

governments of Japan and the Russian

Federation and various industry and

consumer groups. These suggestions are

posted in the NHTSA docket (NHTSA–

00–7638).

In response to NHTSA’s request for

suggestions for changes to its

preliminary recommendations, the

agency received comments from

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety,

the Alliance of Automobile

Manufacturers, Flat Glass Manufacturers

Association of Japan, Honda, the

International Organization of Motor

Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA), the

Rubber Manufacturers Association, and

Toyota.

II. NHTSA’s Final Recommendations to

WP.29

A. Consideration of Comments

NHTSA has reviewed the comments

submitted in response to the July 2000

notice. In addition, NHTSA has