Document ID: NHTSA-2013-0105-0002
Agency: nhtsa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Importation Eligibility; Petitions: Nonconforming 1994 and 1997 Westfalia 14 Foot Double Axle Cargo Trailers
Posted Date: 2014-01-02T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 1 (Thursday, January 2, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 182-183]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-31397]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2013-0105; Notice 1]

Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision that Nonconforming 
1994 and 1997 Westfalia 14 Foot Double Axle Cargo Trailers Are Eligible 
for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Receipt of petition.

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SUMMARY: This document announces receipt by the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 
1994 and 1997 Westfalia 14 Foot Double Axle Cargo Trailers that were 
not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal Motor 
Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) are eligible for importation into the 
United States because they have safety features that comply with, or 
are capable of being altered to comply with, all such standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is February 3, 
2014.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to the docket and notice numbers above 
and be submitted by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     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.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room 
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., between

[[Page 183]]

9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.

Instructions: Comments must be written in the English language, and be 
no greater than 15 pages in length, although there is no limit to the 
length of necessary attachments to the comments. If comments are 
submitted in hard copy form, please ensure that two copies are 
provided. If you wish to receive confirmation that your comments were 
received, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard with the 
comments. Note that all comments received will be posted without change 
to 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).
    How to Read Comments submitted to the Docket: You may read the 
comments received by Docket Management at the address and times given 
above. You may also view the documents from the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for accessing the 
dockets. The docket ID number and title of this notice are shown at the 
heading of this document notice. Please note that even after the 
comment closing date, we will continue to file relevant information in 
the Docket as it becomes available. Further, some people may submit 
late comments. Accordingly, we recommend that you periodically search 
the Docket for new material.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Coleman Sachs, Office of Vehicle 
Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-3151).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Under 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(B), a motor vehicle, including a 
trailer, that was not originally manufactured to conform to all 
applicable FMVSS, and has no substantially similar U.S.-certified 
counterpart, shall be refused admission into the United States unless 
NHTSA has decided that the motor vehicle has safety features that 
comply with, or are capable of being altered to comply with, all 
applicable FMVSS based on destructive test data or such other evidence 
as NHTSA decides to be adequate.
    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.
    Wallace Environmental Testing Laboratories, Inc. (WETL) of Houston, 
Texas (Registered Importer R-90-005) has petitioned NHTSA to decide 
whether nonconforming 1994 and 1997 Westfalia 14 Foot Double Axle Cargo 
Trailers are eligible for importation into the United States. WETL 
believes these vehicles are capable of being modified to meet all 
applicable FMVSS.
    WETL submitted information with its petition intended to 
demonstrate that 1994 and 1997 Westfalia 14 Foot Double Axle Cargo 
Trailers are capable of being altered to comply with all standards to 
which they were not originally manufactured to conform.
    The petitioner contends that the nonconforming 1994 and 1997 
Westfalia 14 Foot Double Axle Cargo Trailers are capable of being 
readily altered to meet the following standards, in the manner 
indicated:
    Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated 
Equipment: installation of conforming Turn Signals, Stop Lamps, Side 
Marker Lamps, Reflex Reflectors, and a License Plate Lamp in a manner 
consistent with requirements of the standard.
    Standard No. 119 New Pneumatic Tires for Vehicles other than 
Passenger Cars: installation of tire and rim combinations meeting the 
vehicle's gross vehicle and gross axle weight ratings (GVWR and GAWR) 
and other requirements of the standard if the vehicle is not already so 
equipped.
    Standard No. 120 Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles Other 
than Passenger Cars: installation of a tire information placard 
conforming with the standard and inspection and replacement of any 
nonconforming rims with ones conforming to the standard.
    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 addresses 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 1.95 and 501.8.

    Issued on: December 27, 2013.
Claude H. Harris,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2013-31397 Filed 12-31-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P