SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A), a motor vehicle that was not originally manufactured to conform to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards 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 Federal motor vehicle safety standards. Where there is no substantially similar U.S.-certified motor vehicle, 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(B) permits a nonconforming motor vehicle to be admitted into the United States if its safety features comply with, or are capable of being altered to comply with, all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards based on destructive test data or such other evidence as the Secretary of Transportation decides to be adequate.

Under 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1), import eligibility decisions may be made “on the initiative of the Secretary of Transportation or on petition of a manufacturer or importer registered under [49 U.S.C. 30141(c)].” The Secretary's authority to make these decisions has been delegated to NHTSA. The agency publishes notice of eligibility decisions as they are made.

Under 49 U.S.C. 30141(b)(2), a list of all vehicles for which import eligibility decisions have been made must be published annually in the Federal Register . On October 1, 1996, NHTSA added the list as an appendix to 49 CFR part 593, the regulations that establish procedures for import eligibility decisions (61 FR 51242). As described in the notice, NHTSA took that action to ensure that the list is more widely disseminated to government personnel who oversee vehicle imports and to interested members of the public. See61 FR 51242-43. In the notice, NHTSA expressed its intention to annually revise the list as published in the appendix to include any additional vehicles decided by the agency to be eligible for importation since the list was last published. See61 FR 51243. The agency stated that issuance of the document announcing these revisions will fulfill the annual publication requirements of 49 U.S.C. “ 30141(b)(2). Ibid.

Rulemaking Analyses and Notices

1. Executive Order 12866 (Federal Regulatory Planning and Review) and DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures

This rulemaking action was not reviewed under E.O. 12866. NHTSA has analyzed this rulemaking action and determined that it is not “significant” within the meaning of the Department of Transportation's regulatory policies and procedures.

2. Regulatory Flexibility Act

In accordance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act, NHTSA has evaluated the effects of this action on small entities. Based upon this evaluation, I certify that the revisions resulting from this rulemaking will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. Accordingly, the agency has not prepared a regulatory flexibility analysis.

Because this rulemaking does not impose any regulatory requirements, but merely furnishes information by revising the list in the Code of Federal Regulations of vehicles for which import eligibility decisions have been made, it has no economic impact.

3. Executive Order 12612 (Federalism)

This action has been analyzed in accordance with the principles and criteria contained in Executive Order 12612, and it has been determined that this rule does not have sufficient Federalism implications to warrant preparation of a Federalism Assessment. No State laws will be affected.

4. National Environmental Policy Act

The agency has considered the environmental implications of this rule in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and determined that it will not significantly affect the human environment.

5. Paperwork Reduction Act

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, P.L. 96-511, the agency notes that there are no information collection requirements associated with this rulemaking action.

6. Civil Justice Reform

This rule does not have any retroactive effect. It does not repeal or modify any existing Federal regulations. A petition for reconsideration or other administrative proceeding will not be a prerequisite to an action seeking judicial review of this rule. This rule does not preempt the states from adopting laws or regulations on the same subject, except that it will preempt a state regulation that is in actual conflict with the Federal regulation or makes compliance with the Federal regulation impossible or interferes with the implementation of the Federal statute.

7. Notice and Comment

NHTSA finds that prior notice and opportunity for comment are unnecessary under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B) because this action does not impose any regulatory requirements, but merely revises the list of vehicles not originally manufactured to conform to the Federal motor vehicle safety standards that NHTSA has decided to be eligible for importation into the United States to include all vehicles for which such decisions have been made since October 1, 2001.

In addition, so that the list of vehicles for which import eligibility decisions have been made may be included in the next edition of 49 CFR parts 400 to 999, which is due for revision on October 1, 2002, good cause exists to dispense with the requirement in 5 U.S.C. 553(d) for the effective date of the rule to be delayed for at least 30 days following its publication.

In consideration of the foregoing, Part 593 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Determinations that a vehicle not originally manufactured to ( printed page 59099) conform to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards is eligible for importation, is amended as follows:

1. The authority citation for Part 593 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322 and 30141(b); delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50.

2. Appendix A to Part 593 is revised to read as follows:

67 FR 59098