04-21832. Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements

AGENCY:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Department of Transportation.

ACTION:

Request for public comment on an extension of a currently approved collection.

SUMMARY:

Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections.

This document describes one collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

DATES:

Comments must be received on or before November 29, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

Comments must refer to the docket notice numbers cited at the beginning of this notice and be submitted to Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590 by any of the following methods.

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
• Agency Web site: http://dms.dot.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments on the Docket Management System.
• Fax: [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Complete copies of each request for collection of information may be obtained at no charge from Carlita Ballard, NHTSA 400 Seventh Street, SW., Room 5320, NVS-131, Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Ballard's telephone number is [phone]. Please identify the relevant collection of information by referring to its OMB Control Number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before an agency submits a proposed collection of information to OMB for approval, it must first publish a document in the Federal Register providing a 60-day comment period and otherwise consult with members of the public and affected agencies concerning each proposed collection of information. The OMB has promulgated regulations describing what must be included in such a document. Under OMB's regulation (at 5 CFR 1320.8(d), an agency must ask for public comment on the following:

(i) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(ii) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(iii) How to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(iv) How to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g. permitting electronic submission of responses.

In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks for public comments on the following proposed collections of information:

Title: Petitions for Exemption from the Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard (49 CFR 543).

OMB Control Number: 2127-0542.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.

Form Number: This collection of information uses no standard forms.

Abstract: 49 U.S.C. Chapter 331 requires the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate a theft prevention standard to provide for the identification of certain motor vehicles and their major replacement parts to impede motor vehicle theft. 49 U.S.C. section 33106 provides for an exemption to this identification process by petitions from manufacturers who equip covered vehicles with standard original equipment antitheft devices, which the Secretary determines are likely to be as effective in reducing or deterring theft as the identification system. Section 543.5 is revised for each model year after model year 1996 a manufacturer may petition NHTSA to grant an exemption for one additional line of it's passenger motor vehicles from the requirements of part 541 of this chapter.

In a final rule published on April 6, 2004, the Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard was extended to include all passenger cars and multipurpose passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 6,000 pounds or less, and to light duty trucks with major parts that are interchangeable with a majority of the covered major parts of multipurpose passenger vehicles. The final rule becomes effective September 1, 2006.

Estimated Annual Burden: 67 hours.

Number of Respondents: 5.

Issued on: September 23, 2004.

Stephen R. Kratzke,

Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.