[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 190 (Tuesday, October 2, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56130-56132]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-4796]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket Number NHTSA-2007-28638]


Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements

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

ACTION: Request for public comment on an extension of a currently 
approved collection.

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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

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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 December 3, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments [identified by DOT Docket ID Number 
NHTSA 2007-28638] by any of the following methods:
    If filing comments by September 27, 2007, please use:
    <bullet> Web site: http://dms.dot.gov. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments on the Department of Transportation Docket 
Management System electronic docket site. No electronic submissions 
will be accepted between September 28, 2007, and October 1, 2007.
    If filing comments on or after October 1, 2007, use:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Alternatively, you can file comments using the following methods:
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room 
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    <bullet> Fax: 202-493-2251.
    Instructions: For detailed instructions on submitting comments and 
additional information on the rulemaking process, see the Public 
Participation heading of the Supplementary Information section of this 
document. Note that all comments received will be posted without change 
to http://www.dms.dot.gov or http://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading 
below.
    Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all 
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78).
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://dms.dot.gov until September 27, 2007, 
or the street address listed above. The DOT docket may be offline at 
times between September 28 through September 30 to migrate to the 
Federal Docket Management System (FDMS). On October 1, 2007, the 
internet access to the docket will be at http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for accessing the dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Complete copies of each request for 
collection of information may be obtained at no change from Carlita 
Ballard, NHTSA, 1200 New Jersey, SE., Room W43-439, NVS-131, 
Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Ballard's telephone number is (202) 366-0846. 
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:
    (1) 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 and;
    (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:
    Title: Petitions for Exemption from the Vehicle Theft Prevention 
Standard (49 CFR part 543).
    OMB Control Number: 2127-0542.
    Form Number: None.
    Affected Public: Motor vehicle manufacturers.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from approval 
date.
    Abstract: Manufacturers of passenger vehicle lines may petition the 
agency for an exemption from Part 541 requirements, if the line is 
equipped with an anti-theft device as standard equipment and meets 
agency criteria. Device must be as effective as partsmarking.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 3,164.
    Number of Respondents: 14.
    49 U.S.C. Chapter 331 requires the Secretary of Transportation to 
promulgate a theft prevention standard to provide for the 
identification of certain motor vehicles and their major replacement 
parts to impede motor vehicle theft. 49 U.S.C. 33106 provides for an 
exemption to this identification process by petitions from 
manufacturers who equip covered vehicles with standard original 
equipment antitheft devices, which the Secretary determines are likely 
to be as effective in reducing or deterring theft as partsmarking. 
NHTSA may exempt a vehicle line from the partsmarking requirements, if 
the manufacturer installs an antitheft device as standard equipment on 
the entire vehicle line for which it seeks an exemption and NHTSA 
determines that the antitheft device is likely to be as effective in 
reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the 
partsmarking requirements. In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 33106, after 
model year (MY) 2000, the number of new exemptions is contingent on a 
finding by the Attorney General as part of its long-range review of 
effectiveness. After consulting with DOJ, the agency decided it could 
continue granting one exemption per model year pending the results of 
the long-term review.
    In a final rule published on April 6, 2004, the Federal Motor 
Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard was extended to include all passenger 
cars and multipurpose passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle rating of 
6,000 pounds or less, and to light duty trucks with major parts that 
are interchangeable with a majority of the covered major parts of 
multipurpose passenger vehicles. Consistent with this DOJ consultation, 
the April 6, 2004 final rule amended the general requirements of 
Section 543.5 of Chapter 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, 
allowing a manufacturer to petition NHTSA to grant an exemption for one 
additional line of its passenger motor vehicles from the requirements 
of the theft prevention standard for each model year after MY 1996. The 
final rule became effective September 1, 2006.

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    Prior to September 1, 2006, manufacturers were only allowed to 
petition NHTSA for high-theft vehicle lines. In its April 6, 2004 final 
rule, the agency amended part 543 to allow vehicle manufacturers to 
file petitions to exempt all vehicle lines that would become subject to 
parts-marking requirements beginning with the effective date of the 
final rule. As a result of this amendment, vehicle manufacturers are 
allowed to file petitions to exempt all vehicle lines that would become 
subject to the parts-marking requirements regardless of their theft 
status (high or low). While there are approximately 27 vehicle 
manufacturers, since the effective date of the rule, a maximum of 14 
petitions for exemption from the parts-marking requirements have been 
received by the agency for any single model year. We anticipate this to 
remain the average number of yearly responses received by the agency.
    NHTSA estimates that the average hours per submittal will be 226, 
for a total annual burden of 3,164. This was an increase from the 
previous OMB inventory of 1,130 burden hours. NHTSA estimates that the 
cost associated with these burden hours is $36.62 per hour, for a total 
cost of approximately $115,866.
    Comments are invited on: Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Department, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

    Issued on: September 24, 2007.
Stephen R. Kratzke,
Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 07-4796 Filed 10-1-07; 8:45 am]
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