[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 49, Volume 5] [Revised as of October 1, 2002] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 49CFR501.8] [Page 26-28] TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION OF TRANSPORTATION PART 501--ORGANIZATION AND DELEGATION OF POWERS AND DUTIES--Table of Contents Sec. 501.8 Delegations. (a) Deputy Administrator. The Deputy Administrator is delegated authority to act for the Administrator, except where specifically limited by law, order, regulation, or instructions of the Administrator. The Deputy Administrator is delegated authority to provide executive direction to the Associate Administrator for State and Community Services and the Director of International Harmonization, and assist the Administrator in providing executive direction to all organizational elements of NHTSA. (b) Executive Director. The Executive Director is delegated line authority for executive direction over the Senior Associate Administrators. (c) Director, Office of Civil Rights. The Director, Office of Civil Rights is delegated authority to: (1) Act as the NHTSA Director of Equal Employment Opportunity. (2) Act as NHTSA Contracts Compliance Officer. (3) Act as NHTSA coordinator for matters under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.), Executive Order 12250 (3 CFR, 1980 Comp., p. 298), and regulations of the Department of Justice. (d) Chief Counsel. The Chief Counsel is delegated authority to: (1) Exercise the powers and perform the duties of the Administrator with respect to setting of odometer regulations authorized under 49 U.S.C. chapter 327, and with respect to providing technical assistance and granting extensions of time to the states under 49 U.S.C. 32705. (2) Establish the legal sufficiency of all investigations conducted under the authority of the following chapters of Title 49 of the United States Code: chapter 301; chapter 323; chapter 325; chapter 327; chapter 329; and chapter 331, and to compromise any civil penalty or monetary settlement in an amount of $25,000 or less resulting from a violation of any of these chapters. (3) Exercise the powers of the Administrator under 49 U.S.C. 30166 (c), (g), (h), (i), and (k). (4) Issue subpoenas, after notice to the Administrator, for the attendance of witnesses and production of documents pursuant to chapters 301, 323, 325, 327, 329, and 331 of Title 49 of the United States Code. (5) Issue authoritative interpretations of the statutes administered by NHTSA and the regulations issued by the agency. (e) Senior Associate Administrator for Policy and Operations. The Senior Associate Administrator for Policy and operations is delegated authority for executive direction of the Associate Administrator for Advanced Research and Analysis; the Associate Administrator for Administration; the Associate Administrator for Planning, Evaluation, [[Page 27]] and Budget; the Chief Information Officer; and the Director of Communications and Consumer Information. To carry out this direction, the Senior Associate Administrator for Policy and Operations is delegated authority, except for authority reserved to the Administrator, to direct the NHTSA planning and evaluation system in conjunction with Departmental requirement and planning goals; to coordinate the development of the Administrator's plans, policies, budget, and programs, and analyses of their expected impact, and their evaluation in terms of the degree of goal achievement; and to perform independent analyses of proposed Administration regulatory, grant, legislative, and program activities. Except for authority reserved to the Senior Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety, the Senior Associate Administrator for Policy and Operations is delegated authority to develop and conduct research and development programs and projects necessary to support the purposes of Chapters 301, 323, 325, 327, 329, and 331 of title 49, United States Code, and Chapter 4 of title 23, United States Code, as amended, in coordination with the Senior Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety and the Chief Counsel. The Senior Associate Administrator for Policy and Operations is also delegated authority to exercise procurement authority with respect to NHTSA requirements; administer and conduct NHTSA's personnel management activities; administer NHTSA financial management programs, including systems of funds control and accounts of all financial transactions; and conduct administrative management services in support of NHTSA missions and programs. (f) Senior Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety. The Senior Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety is delegated authority for executive direction of the Associate Administrator for Rulemaking, the Associate Administrator for Enforcement and the Associate Administrator for Applied Research. The Senior Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety exercises executive direction with respect to the setting of standards and regulations for motor vehicle safety, fuel economy, theft prevention, consumer information, and odometer fraud. To carry out this direction, the Senior Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety is delegated authority, except for authority reserved to the Administrator or the Chief Counsel, to exercise the powers and perform the duties of the Administrator with respect to the setting of motor vehicle safety and theft prevention standards, average fuel economy standards, procedural regulations, and the development of consumer information and odometer fraud regulations authorized under Chapters 301, 323, 325, 327, 329, and 331 of title 49, United States Code. Except for authority reserved to the Senior Associate Administrator for Policy and Operations, the Senior Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety is delegated authority to develop and conduct research and development programs and projects necessary to support the purposes of Chapters 301, 323, 325, 327, 329, and 331 of title 49, United States Code, and Chapter 4 of title 23, United States Code, as amended, in coordination with the appropriate Associate Administrators, and the Chief Counsel. The Senior Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety is also delegated authority to respond to a manufacturer's petition for exemption from 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301's notification and remedy requirements in connection with a defect or noncompliance concerning labeling errors; extend comment periods (both self-initiated and in response to a petition for extension of time) for noncontroversial rulemakings; make technical amendments or corrections to a final rule; extend the effective date of a noncontroversial final rule; administer the NHTSA enforcement program for all laws, standards, and regulations pertinent to vehicle safety, fuel economy, theft prevention, damageability, consumer information and odometer fraud, authorized under Chapters 301, 323, 325, 327, 329, and 331 of title 49, United States Code; issue regulations relating to the importation of motor vehicles under sections 30141 through 30147 of title 49, United States Code; and grant and deny petitions for import eligibility determinations submitted to NHTSA by motor vehicle manufacturers and registered importers under 49 U.S.C. 30141. [[Page 28]] (g) Senior Associate Administrator for Traffic Injury Control. The Senior Associate Administrator for Traffic Injury Control is delegated authority for executive direction of the Associate Administrator for Program Development and Delivery and the Associate Administrator for Injury Control Operations and Resources. To carry out this direction, the Senior Associate Administrator for Traffic Injury Control is delegated authority, except for authority reserved to the Administrator, over programs with respect to: Chapter 4 of title 23, United States Code, as amended; the authority vested by section 210(2) of the Clean Air Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 7544(2)); the authority vested by 49 U.S.C. 20134(a), with respect to the laws administered by the Administrator pertaining to highway, traffic, and motor vehicle safety; the Act of July 14, 1960, as amended (23 U.S.C. 313 note) and 49 U.S.C. Chapter 303; the authority vested by section 157(g) of title 23, United States Code; the authority vested by sections 153, 154, 157(except paragraph (g)), 161, 163, and 164 of title 23, United States Code, with the concurrence of the Federal Highway Administrator; and secton 209 of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1978 (23 U.S.C. 401 note) as delegated by the Secretary in Sec. 501.2(i). The Senior Associate Administrator for Traffic Injury Control is also delegated authority to exercise the powers and perform the duties of the Administrator with respect to State and community highway safety programs under 23 U.S.C. 402, including approval and disapproval of State highway safety plans and final vouchers, in accordance with the procedural requirements of the Administration; to approve the awarding of alcohol incentive grants to the States under 23 U.S.C. 408 and drunk driving prevention grants under 23 U.S.C. 410, for years subsequent to the initial awarding of such grants by the Administrator; as appropriate for activities benefiting states and communities; and to implement 23 U.S.C. 403. (h) Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance, Enforcement. The Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance, Enforcement, is delegated authority to exercise the powers and perform the duties of the Administrator with respect to granting and denying petitions for import eligibility decisions submitted to NHTSA by motor vehicle manufacturers and registered importers under 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1). [60 FR 43030, Aug. 18, 1995, as amended at 61 FR 26469, May 28, 1996; 67 FR 44084, July 1, 2002] Effective Date Note: At 67 FR 45085, July 1, 2002, Sec. 501.8 was amended by removing and reserving paragraph (b), effective Oct. 3, 2002.