E5-8130. Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 2000-2005 Komet Standard, Classic and Eurolite Trailers Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION:

Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming 2000-2005 Komet Standard, Classic and Eurolite trailers are eligible for importation.

SUMMARY:

This document announces receipt by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 2000-2005 Komet Standard, Classic and Eurolite 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 (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 January 30, 2006.

ADDRESSES:

Comments should refer to the docket number and notice number, and be submitted to: Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh St., SW., Washington, DC 20590. [Docket hours are from 9 am to 5 pm]. 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 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 19477-78) or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.

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.

US SPECS of Aberdeen, Maryland (Registered Importer 03-321) has petitioned NHTSA to decide whether nonconforming 2000-2005 Komet Standard, Classic and Eurolite trailers are eligible for importation into the United States. The vehicles which U.S. SPECS believes are substantially similar are 2000-2005 Komet Standard, Classic and Eurolite trailers that were manufactured for importation into, and sale in, the United States and certified by their manufacturer as conforming to all applicable FMVSS.

The petitioner claims that it carefully compared non-U.S. certified 2000-2005 Komet Standard, Classic and Eurolite trailers to their U.S.-certified counterparts, and found the vehicles to be substantially similar with respect to compliance with most Federal motor vehicle safety standards.

US SPECS submitted information with its petition intended to demonstrate that non-U.S. certified 2000-2005 Komet Standard, Classic and Eurolite trailers, as originally manufactured, conform to the 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 2000-2005 Komet Standard, Classic and Eurolite trailers are capable of being altered to meet the following standards, in the manner indicated:

Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment: Installation, on vehicles not already so equipped, of (a) tail lamps; (b) rear side marker lamps; and (c) front side marker lamps. The wiring system must also be modified.

Standard No. 119 New Pneumatic Tires for Vehicles Other than Passenger Cars: Installation, on vehicles not already so equipped, of tires that conform to the requirements of this standard.

Standard No. 120 Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles Other than Passenger Cars: Installation, on vehicles not already so equipped, of (a) a tire information placard; and (b) rims that conform to the requirements of this standard.

The agency notes that the subject trailers are not equipped with braking systems. As a consequence, there is no need for the petition to discuss the vehicle's compliance with any of the brake standards that apply to trailers that are so equipped.

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.

Claude H. Harris,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.