29788 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 114 / Wednesday, June 12, 1996 / Notices

administrators, manufacturers of alcohol

testing equipment, and urine collection

and alcohol testing services are invited.

SCT has decided, and DOT agrees, that

only authorized Mexican personnel will

perform medical review officer and

substance abuse professional functions.

The conference is free-of-charge to

participants. However, attendees will

need to pay for the costs of their own

travel and hotel accommodations. Hotel

rooms will be available at a discounted

rate for conference attendees. Please

contact the Holiday Inn at (210) 225–

3211, for room rate information and to

make reservations. Mexican carriers

interested in attending this meeting

should register by faxing the following

information to DOT at (202) 366–3897

by June 19, 1996: name of the

individual(s) attending; company name,

address, and telephone number; number

of drivers in the company; and, number

of drivers crossing the border into the

United States.

Vendors who want exhibit space will

need to work directly with the hotel.

Vendors who are planning on attending

and having an exhibit, should also

register by faxing the following

information to DOT at (202) 366–3897

by June 19, 1996: name of the

individual(s) attending; company name,

address, and telephone number; and,

indicate type of service provided (e.g.,

laboratory, alcohol testing equipment,

consortium, etc.).

Issued this 5th day of June, 1996, at

Washington, D.C.

Mary Bernstein,

Director, Office of Drug Enforcement and

Program Compliance.

[FR Doc. 96–14879 Filed 6–11–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–62–P

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

[Docket No. 96–060; Notice 1]

Notice of Receipt of Petition for

Decision That Nonconforming 1993

Mercedes-Benz 280E and 1994–1996

Mercedes-Benz E280 Passenger Cars

Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for

decision that nonconforming 1993

Mercedes-Benz 280E and 1994–1996

Mercedes-Benz E280 passenger cars are

eligible for importation.

SUMMARY: This notice announces receipt

by the National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration (NHTSA) of a petition

for a decision that 1993 Mercedes-Benz

280E and 1994–1996 Mercedes-Benz

E280 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 July 12, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to

the docket number and notice number,

and be submitted to: Docket Section,

Room 5109, National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, 400 Seventh St.,

SW, Washington, DC 20590. [Docket

hours are from 9:30 am to 4 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)

(formerly section 108(c)(3)(A)(i)(I) of the

National Traffic and Motor Vehicle

Safety Act (the Act)), 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 (formerly section 114 of the

Act), 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.

G&K Automotive Conversion, Inc. of

Santa Ana, California (‘‘G&K’’)

(Registered Importer No. R–90–007) has

petitioned NHTSA to decide whether

1993 Mercedes-Benz 280E and 1994–

1996 Mercedes-Benz E280 passenger

cars are eligible for importation into the

United States. The vehicles which G&K

believes are substantially similar are the

1993 Mercedes-Benz 300E and 1994–

1996 Mercedes-Benz E320. G&K has

submitted information indicating that

Daimler Benz, A.G., the company that

manufactured the 1993 Mercedes-Benz

300E and 1994–1996 Mercedes- Benz

E320, certified those vehicles as

conforming to all applicable Federal

motor vehicle safety standards and

offered them for sale in the United

States.

The petitioner contends that it

carefully compared the 1993 MercedesBenz 280E and 1994–1996 MercedesBenz E280 to the 1993 Mercedes-Benz

300E and 1994–1996 Mercedes-Benz

E320, and found those vehicles to be

substantially similar with respect to

compliance with most applicable

Federal motor vehicle safety standards.

G&K submitted information with its

petition intended to demonstrate that

the 1993 Mercedes-Benz 280E and

1994–1996 Mercedes-Benz E280, as

originally manufactured, conform to

many Federal motor vehicle safety

standards in the same manner as the

1993 Mercedes-Benz 300E and 1994–

1996 Mercedes-Benz E320 that were

offered for sale in the United States, or

are capable of being readily altered to

conform to those standards.

Specifically, the petitioner claims that

the 1993 Mercedes- Benz 280E and

1994–1996 Mercedes-Benz E280 are

identical to the certified 1993 MercedesBenz 300E and 1994–1996 MercedesBenz E320 with respect to compliance

with Standards Nos. 102 Transmission

Shift Lever Sequence * * *, 103

Defrosting and Defogging Systems, 104

Windshield Wiping and Washing

Systems, 105 Hydraulic Brake

Systems, 106 Brake Hoses, 107

Reflecting Surfaces, 109 New

Pneumatic Tires, 113 Hood Latch

Systems, 116 Brake Fluid, 124

Accelerator Control Systems, 201

Occupant Protection in Interior Impact,

202 Head Restraints, 203 Impact

Protection for the Driver From the

Steering Control System, 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, 211 Wheel Nuts, Wheel

Discs and Hubcaps, 212 Windshield

Retention, 216 Roof Crush Resistance,

219 Windshield Zone Intrusion, and

302 Flammability of Interior Materials.
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 114 / Wednesday, June 12, 1996 / Notices 29789

Petitioner also contends that the

vehicle is capable of being readily

altered to meet the following standards,

in the manner indicated:

Standard No. 101 Controls and

Displays: (a) Substitution of a lens

marked ‘‘Brake’’ for a lens with an ECE

symbol on the brake failure indicator

lamp; (b) placement of the appropriate

symbol on the seat belt warning lamp;

(c) recalibration of the speedometer/

odometer from kilometers to miles per

hour.

Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective

Devices and Associated Equipment: (a)

Installation of U.S.-model headlamp

assemblies and front sidemarkers; (b)

installation of U.S.-model taillamp

assemblies which incorporate rear

sidemarkers; (c) installation of a high

mounted stop lamp.

Standard No. 110 Tire Selection and

Rims: installation of a tire information

placard.

Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirrors:

replacement of the passenger side rear

view mirror, which is convex, with a

U.S.-model component.

Standard No. 114 Theft Protection:

installation of a buzzer microswitch in

the steering lock assembly, and a

warning buzzer.

Standard No. 115 Vehicle

Identification Number: installation of a

VIN plate that can be read from outside

the left windshield pillar, and a VIN

reference label on the edge of the door

or latch post nearest the driver.

Standard No. 118 Power Window

Systems: rewiring of the power window

system so that the window transport is

inoperative when the ignition is

switched off.

Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash

Protection: installation of a seat belt

warning buzzer. The petitioner states

that the vehicle is equipped with an

automatic restraint system consisting of

a driver’s and passenger’s side air bag

and knee bolsters. The petitioner further

states that the vehicle is equipped with

Type 2 seat belts in the front and rear

outboard designated seating positions,

and with a Type 1 seat belt in the rear

center designated seating position.

Standard No. 214 Side Impact

Protection: installation of door beams.

Standard No. 301 Fuel System

Integrity: installation of a rollover valve

in the fuel tank vent line between the

fuel tank and the evaporative emissions

collection canister.

Additionally, the petitioner states that

the bumpers on the 1993 Mercedes-Benz

280E and 1994–1996 Mercedes-Benz

E280 must be reinforced to comply with

the Bumper Standard found in 49 CFR

Part 581.

The petitioner further states that

before the vehicle will be imported into

the United States, its VIN will be

inscribed on fourteen major car parts,

and a theft prevention certification label

will be affixed, in compliance with the

Theft Prevention Standard in 49 CFR

Part 541.

Interested persons are invited to

submit comments on the petition

described above. Comments should refer

to the docket number and be submitted

to: Docket Section, National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration, Room

5109, 400 Seventh Street, S.W.,

Washington, DC 20590. 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: June 4, 1996.

Clive Van Orden,

Chief of Equipment and Imports Division,

Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.

[FR Doc. 96–14938 Filed 6–11–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

[Docket No. 95–66; Notice 2]

Decision That Nonconforming 1992

Volkswagen Passat 4-Door Sedan

Passenger Cars Are Eligible for

Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of decision by NHTSA

that nonconforming 1992 Volkswagen

Passat 4-Door Sedan passenger cars are

eligible for importation.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the

decision by NHTSA that 1992

Volkswagen Passat 4–Door Sedan

passenger cars not originally

manufactured to comply with all

applicable Federal motor vehicle safety

standards are eligible for importation

into the United States because they are

substantially similar to a vehicle

originally manufactured for importation

into and sale in the United States and

certified by its manufacturer as

complying with the safety standards

(the U.S.-certified version of the 1992

Volkswagen Passat 4-Door Sedan), and

they are capable of being readily altered

to conform to the standards.

DATES: This decision is effective as of

July 12, 1996.

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)

(formerly section 108(c)(3)(A)(i) of the

National Traffic and Motor Vehicle

Safety Act (the Act)), 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 (formerly section 114 of the

Act), 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.

Champagne Imports, Inc. of Lansdale,

Pennsylvania (‘‘Champagne’’)

(Registered Importer 90–009) petitioned

NHTSA to decide whether 1992

Volkswagen Passat 4–Door Sedan

passenger cars are eligible for

importation into the United States.

NHTSA published notice of the petition

on August 25, 1995 (60 FR 44375) to

afford an opportunity for public

comment. As stated in the notice of

petition, the vehicle which Champagne

believes is substantially similar is the

1992 Volkswagen Passat 4–Door Sedan

that was manufactured for importation

into, and sale in, the United States and

certified by its manufacturer,

Volkswagenwerke A.G., as conforming

to all applicable Federal motor vehicle

safety standards.