[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 57 (Thursday, March 25, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14484-14485]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-6567]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-2010-0031; Notice 1]
Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming
1991 Porsche 911 Series Passenger Cars Are Eligible for Importation
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming
1991 Porsche 911 series passenger cars, are eligible for importation.
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SUMMARY: This document announces receipt by the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that
1991 Porsche 911 series passenger cars 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 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 (the U.S.-certified version of the 1991 Porsche 911 series
passenger cars), and they are capable of being readily altered to
conform to the standards.
DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is April 26, 2010.
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 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)(A), a motor vehicle that was not
originally manufactured to conform to all applicable FMVSS 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, 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 FMVSS.
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.
J.K. Technologies, LLC (``JK''), of Baltimore, Maryland (Registered
Importer 90-006) has petitioned NHTSA to decide whether nonconforming
1991 Porsche 911 series passenger cars are eligible for importation
into the United States. The vehicles which JK believes are
substantially similar are 1991 Porsche 911 series passenger cars that
were manufactured for sale in the United States and certified by their
manufacturer as conforming to all applicable FMVSS.
The petitioner states that it compared non-U.S. certified 1991
Porsche 911 series passenger cars to their U.S.-certified counterparts,
and found the vehicles to be substantially similar with
[[Page 14485]]
respect to compliance with most FMVSS.
JK submitted information with its petition intended to demonstrate
that non-U.S. certified 1991 Porsche 911 series passenger cars, as
originally manufactured, conform to many FMVSS in the same manner as
their U.S.-certified counterparts, or are capable of being readily
altered to conform to those standards.
Specifically, the petitioner claims that non-U.S. certified 1991
Porsche 911 series passenger cars are identical to their U.S.-certified
counterparts with respect to compliance with Standard Nos. 102
Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission
Braking Effect, 103 Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems, 104
Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems, 105 Hydraulic and Electric Brake
Systems, 106 Brake Hoses, 109 New Pneumatic Tires, 113 Hood Latch
System, 116 Motor Vehicle Brake Fluids, 124 Accelerator Control
Systems, 201 Occupant Protection in Interior Impact, 202 Head
Restraints, 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 Disks, and Hub Caps, 212 Windshield Mounting, 216
Roof Crush Resistance, 219 Windshield Zone Intrusion, 301 Fuel System
Integrity , and 302 Flammability of Interior Materials.
The petitioner also contends that the vehicles are capable of being
readily altered to meet the following standards, in the manner
indicated:
Standard No. 101 Controls and Displays: replacement of the
instrument cluster with a conforming U.S.-model component.
Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated
Equipment: installation of the following conforming U.S.-model
components on vehicles that are not already so equipped: (a) Front side
marker lamps; (b) headlamps; (c) tail lamps with integral rear side
marker lamps; and (d) a high mounted stop lamp.
Standard No. 110 Tire Selection and Rims: installation of a tire
information placard.
Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirrors: installation of a conforming
U.S.-model passenger side rearview mirror, or inscription of the
required warning statement on the face of that mirror.
Standard No. 114 Theft Protection: installation of a supplemental
key warning buzzer to ensure that the theft protection system meets the
requirements of this standard.
Standard No. 118 Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel
Systems: installation of a supplemental interlock relay to ensure that
the power-operated window system meets the requirements of this
standard.
Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: installation of a
supplemental seat belt warning buzzer to ensure that the seat belt
warning system meets the requirements of this standard.
The petitioner states that the occupant restraint systems used in
vehicle consist of a driver's side air bag, and combination lap and
shoulder belts at the front and rear outboard seating positions.
Standard No. 214 Side Impact Protection: installation of U.S.-model
door reinforcement beams.
The petitioner additionally states that a vehicle identification
plate must be affixed to the vehicles near the left windshield post to
meet the requirements of 49 CFR Part 565.
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 1.50 and 501.8.
Issued on: March 19, 2010.
Claude H. Harris,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2010-6567 Filed 3-24-10; 8:45 am]
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