

[Federal Register: December 28, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 248)]
[Notices]               
[Page 73970-73971]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28de07-219]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[U.S. DOT Docket Number NHTSA-2007-0049]

 
Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping Requirements

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

ACTION: Request for public comment on a previously approved collection 
of information.

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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 Part 565, 
Parts 567 and Part 541 for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 26, 2008.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments [identified by DOT Docket No. NHTSA-
2007-0049] by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov.
 Follow the online instructions for submitting 

comments. Web site: http://dms.dot.gov. Follow the instructions for 

submitting comments on the DOT electronic docket site.
    Alternatively, you can file comments using the following methods:
     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., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. 
and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    Instructions: For detailed instructions on submitting comments and 
additional information on the rulemaking process, see the Public 
Participation heading of the Supplementary Information section of this 
document. Note that all comments received will be posted without change 
to http://dms.dot.gov or 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.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to the street address listed above. The internet 
access to the docket will be at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

online instructions for accessing the dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Complete copies of each request for 
collection of information may be obtained at no charge from Ms. Deborah 
Mazyck, NHTSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building, Room W43-
443, Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Mazyck's telephone number is (202) 366-
4139 and email address is Deborah.Mazyck@dot.gov. 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;
    (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.

[[Page 73971]]

    In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks for public 
comments on the following previously approved collection of 
information:
    Title: Consolidated Labeling Requirements for 49 CFR 541, 565 and 
567.
    OMB Control Number: 2127-0510.
    Form Number: None.
    Affected Public: Vehicle manufacturers.
    Requested Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from approval 
date.
    Abstract: For Parts 565, 541 and 567.

Parts 565 and 567

    NHTSA's statute at 15 U.S.C. 1392,1397,1401,1407, and 1412 of the 
National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966 authorizes the 
issuance of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) and the 
collection of data which support their implementation. The agency, in 
prescribing an FMVSS, is to consider available relevant motor vehicle 
safety data and to consult with other agencies as it deems appropriate. 
Further, the Act mandates, that in issuing any FMVSS, the agency should 
consider whether the standard is reasonable, practicable and 
appropriate for the particular type of motor vehicle or item of motor 
vehicle equipment for which it is prescribed, and whether such 
standards will contribute to carrying out the purpose of the Act. The 
Secretary is authorized to revoke such rules and regulations as deemed 
necessary to carry out this subchapter. Using this authority, the 
agency issued the initial FMVSS No. 115, Vehicle Identification Number, 
specifying requirements for vehicle identification numbers to aid the 
agency in achieving many of its safety goals.
    The standard was amended in August 1978 by extending its 
applicability to additional classes of motor vehicles and by specifying 
the use of a 30-year, 17-character Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) 
for worldwide use. The standard was amended in May 1983 by deleting 
portions of FMVSS No. 115 and reissuing those portions as a general 
agency regulation, Part 565. Subsequently, the standard was amended 
again in June 1996 transferring the text of the FMVSS No. 115 to Part 
565, without making any substantive changes to the VIN requirements as 
a result of the proposed consolidation. The provision of the Part 565 
(amended) regulation requires vehicle manufacturers to assign a unique 
VIN to each new vehicle and to inform NHTSA of the code used in forming 
the VIN. These regulations apply to all vehicles: passenger cars, 
multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, buses, trailers, incomplete 
vehicles, and motorcycles.
    NHTSA has proposed amendments to Part 565 to revise certain 
sections in order to extend the existing VIN system for another thirty 
years, and to ensure a sufficient supply of unique available VINs and 
manufacturer identifiers for that time period (72 FR 56027, October 2, 
2007). The agency may require information to be provided in a slightly 
different way (e.g., vehicle make being transferred from the first to 
the second section of the VIN), the scope of the overall reporting 
requirement of Part 565 will not change. The agency does not anticipate 
an increase or decrease in the collection of information requirements 
if these proposals are adopted.
    Part 567 specifies the content and location of, and other 
requirements for, the certification label or tag to be affixed to motor 
vehicles and motor vehicle equipment. Specifically, the VIN is required 
to appear on the certification label. Additionally, this certificate 
will provide the consumer with information to assist him or her in 
determining which of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards are 
applicable to the vehicle or equipment, and its date of manufacture.
    NHTSA estimates the vehicle manufacturers will incur a decrease in 
total annual hour burden of 423,333. The recordkeeping hour burden for 
Part 565 and 567 represents a decrease in hour burden because of a 
decrease in the number of respondents.
    NHTSA estimates an increase in cost burden of $3,400.00. Due to the 
fluctuation of the U.S. economy, there was an increase in cost to 
comply with the reporting requirements. The change in cost burden 
reflects the 2007 Consumer Price Index as compared to that of 1987.

Part 541

    The Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act was amended by 
the Anti-Car Theft Act of 1992 (Pub. L. 102-519). The enacted Theft Act 
requires specified parts of high-theft vehicle to be marked with 
vehicle identification numbers. 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. Each 
major component part must be either labeled or affixed with the VIN and 
its replacement component part must be marked with the DOT symbol, the 
letter (R) and the manufacturers' logo. The final rule became effective 
September 1, 2006. Due to expansion of the Federal Motor Vehicle Theft 
Prevention Standard (Part 541), 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, are required them to be parts marked. 
This creates a program change for this collection.
    Part 541 shows an increase in recordkeeping costs because there 
will be a greater number of vehicles required to be parts marked 
resulting in an additional cost of affixing labels or stamping the VIN 
on motor vehicles and startup costs for the manufacturers. NHTSA 
estimates the vehicle manufacturers will incur a total cost burden of 
$87,550,100 million. NHTSA estimates a decrease in reporting and 
recordkeeping hours because there is a more accurate count of the 
number of vehicles in compliance with the FMVTPS. However, there is an 
increase in the number of target area submissions required by the 
vehicle manufacturers. NHTSA estimates the vehicle manufacturers will 
incur a net decrease for a total annual hour burden of 502,519.
    Estimated Annual Burden: The overall total estimated annual hour 
burden for this collection is 925,852. The overall total estimated cost 
burden for this collection is $87,553,500 million.
    Number of Respondents: The total number of respondents for this 
collection (Part 541, 565 and Part 567) is 4,000.
    Comments are invited on: Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Department, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

    Issued on: December 20, 2007.
Julie Abraham,
Director, International Policy Fuel Economy and Consumer Programs.
[FR Doc. E7-25209 Filed 12-27-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-59-P
