Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming Model Year 2008 Chevrolet Silverado Trucks are Eligible for Importation

Topics:  Chevrolet Silverado

Jeffrey M. Giuseppe
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
14 October 2016

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 199 (Friday, October 14, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71182-71183]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-24855]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2016-0041; Notice 1]


Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
Model Year 2008 Chevrolet Silverado Trucks are Eligible for Importation

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

ACTION: Receipt of petition.

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SUMMARY: This document announces receipt by the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 
model year (MY) 2008 Chevrolet Silverado trucks 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 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 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 
truck) and they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the 
standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is November 14, 
2016.

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 https://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

[[Page 71183]]

received will be posted without change to https://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 https://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: George Stevens, Office of Vehicle 
Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-5308).

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.
    Wallace Environmental Testing Laboratories (WETL), Inc. of Houston, 
Texas (Registered Importer R-90-005) has petitioned NHTSA to decide 
whether nonconforming 2008 Chevrolet Silverado trucks are eligible for 
importation into the United States. The vehicles which WETL believes 
are substantially similar are MY 2008 Chevrolet Silverado trucks sold 
in the United States and certified by their manufacturer as conforming 
to all applicable FMVSS.
    The petitioner claims that it compared non-U.S. certified MY 2008 
Chevrolet Silverado trucks to their U.S.-certified counterparts, and 
found the vehicles to be substantially similar with respect to 
compliance with most FMVSS.
    WETL submitted information with its petition intended to 
demonstrate that non-U.S. certified MY 2008 Chevrolet Silverado trucks, 
as originally manufactured, conform with many applicable 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 the non U.S.-certified MY 2008 Chevrolet 
Silverado trucks, as originally manufactured, conform to: 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, 106 Brake Hoses, 
108 Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment, 111 Rear 
visibility, 113 Hood Latch System, 114 Theft Protection, 116 Motor 
Vehicle Brake Fluids, 118 Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof 
Panel System, 124 Accelerator Control Systems, 126 Electronic Stability 
Control Systems, 135 Light vehicle brake systems, 138 Tire Pressure 
Monitoring Systems, 201 Occupant Protection in Interior Impact, 202a 
Head Restraints, 203 Impact Protection for the Driver from the Steering 
Control System, 204 Steering Control Rearward Displacement, 205 Glazing 
Materials, 206 Door Locks and Door Retention Components, 207 Seating 
Systems, 208 Occupant Crash Protection, 210 Seat Belt Assembly 
Anchorages, 212 Windshield Mounting, 213 Child Restraint Systems, 214 
Side Impact Protection, 216 Roof Crush Resistance, 219 Windshield Zone 
Intrusion, 225 Child Restraint Anchorage Systems, 301 Fuel System 
Integrity, and 302 Flammability of Interior Materials.
    The petitioner also contends that the subject non-U.S certified 
vehicles are capable of being readily altered to meet the following 
standards, in the manner indicated:
    Standard No. 101 Controls and Displays: Addition of the brake 
warning indicator to fully comply with the standard.
    Standard No. 110 Tire Selection and Rims: Installation of the 
required tire information placard.
    The petitioner additionally states that a vehicle identification 
plate must be affixed to the vehicle near the left windshield pillar 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), (a)(1)(B), and (b)(1); 49 
CFR 593.7; delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.95 and 501.8.

Jeffrey M. Giuseppe,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2016-24855 Filed 10-13-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-59-P