Reports, Forms and Record Keeping Requirements; Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collections and their expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period was published on May 4, 2004 (69 FR 24705). This is a request for an extension of a currently approved collection.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before December 2, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Versailles, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Room 5320, NVS-131, Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Versailles' telephone number is (202) 366-2057.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Title: 49 CFR 583—Automobile Parts Content Labeling.

OMB Control Number: 2127-0573.

Form Number: None.

Affected Public: Vehicle manufacturers.

Requested Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from approval date.

Abstract: Part 583 establishes requirements for the disclosure of information relating to the countries of origin of the equipment of new passenger motor vehicles. This information will be used by NHTSA to determine whether manufacturers are complying with the American Automobile Labeling Act (49 U.S.C. 32304). The American Automobile Labeling Act requires all new passenger motor vehicles (including passenger cars, certain small buses, all light trucks and multipurpose passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 8,500 pounds or less), to bear labels providing information about domestic and foreign content of their equipment. With the affixed label on the new passenger motor vehicles, it serves as an aid to potential purchasers in the selection of new passenger motor vehicles by providing them with information about the value of the U.S./Canadian and foreign parts of each vehicle, the countries of origin of the engine and transmission, and the site of the vehicle's final assembly. Manufacturers of new passenger motor vehicles, including passenger cars, certain small buses, and light trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of 8,500 pounds or less, must file a report annually.

NHTSA anticipates that no more than 20 vehicle manufacturers will be affected by these reporting requirements. NHTSA does not believe that any of these 20 manufacturers are a small business (i.e., one that employs less than 500 persons) since each manufacturer employs more than 500 persons.

NHTSA estimates that the vehicle manufacturers will incur a total annual reporting and cost burden of 6,066 hours and $4,700,000. The amount includes annual burden hours incurred by multi-stage manufacturers and motor vehicle equipment suppliers.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, within 30 days, to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention NHTSA Desk Officer.

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.
• Whether the Department's estimate for the burden of the proposed information collection is accurate.
• 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.

A comment to OMB is most effective if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication.