PROPOSED RULES 11569 [4910-60-M] [4910-59-M] Safety Administration. 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION National Highway Traffic Safety 20590, 202-426-1740. Administration SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Materials Transportation Bureau [49 CFR Part 58 1] In February 1976, acting under the au- thority of Section 102 of the Motor [49 CFR Parts 171, 172,173, 174, 175, 176, [Docket No. 73-19; Notice 25] Vehicle Information and Cost Savings 177] Act (Cost Savings Act) (15 US.C. BUMPER STANDARD 1912), NHTSA issued a standard (49 [Docket No. HIU-145B; Notice No. 79-23 Request for Public Comment CFR Part 581) limiting damage to ve- hicle bumpers and other vehicle com- AGENCY: National Highway Traffic HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ponents in low speed collisions (41 FR Safety Administration (NHTSA). 9346; March 4, 1976). Subsection ACTION: Advanced Notice of Pro- 102(b)(1) of the Cost Savings Act re- Additional Hearing Date posed Rulemaking. quires that any bumper standard es- tablished under that Act, * * * AGENCY: Materiais Transportation SUMMARY:. This notice requests public comment on a NHTSA prelimi- * * * shall seek to obtain the maximum Bureau, Research and Special Pro- nary analysis and the calculations sup- feasible reduction of costs to the public and grams Administration, Department of porting that analysis, prepared in re- to the consumer, taking into account: Transportation. CA) the cost of implementing the standard sponse to a directive from the Senate and the benefits attainable as the result of Appropriations Committee to assess implementation of the standard; ACTION: Announcement of an addi- the projected costs and benefits t 9 (B) the effect of implementation of the tional hearing. consumers of the Part 581 Bumper standard on the cost of insurance and pros- Standard. Comments are also request- pective legal fees and costs; SUMMARY: This notice is in refer- ed on an analysis of the bumper stand- (C) savings in terms of consumer time and ard submitted to NHTSA by Houdaille inconvenience, and ence to a February 27, 1979, hearing Industries, on a John Z. DeLorean (D) considerations of health and safety, that was held in Washington, D.C. on Corporation study of bumper costs, including emission standards. the .transportation of hazardous sub- and on questions posed in this notice The Senate Appropriations Commit- stances. That hearing was announced relating to all of the analyses. Com- tee, in its report on the fiscal year in the February 22, 1979, FDERADL REG- ments received will be used in prepara- 1979 Department of Transportation s rr on page 10676. Because the short tion of NHTA's final report to the Appropriations Bill (Senate Report Appropriations Committee and as a No. 95-938; 95th Cong., 2d Session, p. time between the publication of the basis for possible future rulemaking 25. June 19, 1978). directed NTSA to notice in-the FEDERAL REGISTER and on this subject. This notice also invites conduct studies and analysis reeval- the date of the hearing may have pre- applications for financial assistance uating to the maximum extent feasi- vented some interested persons from from individuals or organizations who ble the level of bumper damage resist- attending;, another hearing is sched- desire to participate In the review of ance which is most cost beneficial to the analyses and the possible recom- uled for March 22, 1979; 9:00 a.m.-5:00 the consumer. The Committee- direct- mendation of future rulemaking activ- ed NHTSA to modify the bumper pm. ities resulting from the analyses, but standard to reflect"the results of this who are financially unable to do so. study. Any such modification would, DATE: An additional hearing is sched- DATES: Comments must be received of course, have to be in conformity uled for March 22, 1979. on or before April 30, 1979. Applica- with each provision of the statute. tions for financial assistance must be To provide a framework for analysis ADDRESS: The hearing will be held received on or before March 16, 1979. of the bumper standard, making best in Room 3201 of the Trans Point use of the data available on bumper ADDRESSES: Comments should refer Building, 2100 Second Street, SW., performance, NHTSA employed para- to the docket number and be submit- metric analyses to take into account Washington, D.C. ted to: Room 5108, Nassif Building, the sensitivity of estimates oLbumper 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, costs and benefits to variations in key FOR FURTHER INFORMATION D.C. 20590. Applications for financial parameters. Using this approach, CONTACT' assistance should be submitted to: Ms. NHTSA has examined the projected 'I.. Metcalfe, Standards Division, Ann Mitchell, National Highway Traf- costs and benefits.associatid with the fic Safety Administration, Room 5232, three major bumper construction ma- Office of Hazardous Materials Regu- 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, ternis-steel, aluminum, and solt lations, Materials Transportation D.C. 20590. Requests for copies of the face-at several impact speeds. Bureau, DOT, Washington, D.C. calculations supporting NrSA's pre- In conducting Its analysis, NHTSA 20590, 202-426-0656. liminary analysis, copies of the Hou- has calculated costs and benefits using dalle Industries study, and copies of insurance industry records and esti- (49 U.S.C. 1803, 1804, 1808; 49 CFR 1. 53; 49 the John Z. DeLorean Corp. study mates, as well as auto manufacturers' CFR Part 1, Appendix A; and 49 CFR Part should be submitted to: Department.of and supply industry estimates and test 106, Appendix A, paragraph (a)(4).) Transportation, National Highway data. NHTS's preliminary analysis Traffic Safety Administration, Gener- (Appendix A of this notice) was sub- Issued in Washington, D.C. on Feb- al Services Division. NAD-42, 400 Sev- mitted to Congress on January 26, ruary 23, 1979. enth Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 1979. The analysis concluded: 20590, 202-426-0874. These results indicate that with any of ALAN L RonERTs, FOR FURTE R INFORMATION the technologles chosen, the present per- Associate Director for Haaard- CONTACT. formance requirements provide -substantial net benefits to consumers over the lifetime ous Materials Regulation, Ma- Mr. Michael Browlee, Director, of a vehicle. At the same time, It Is not at all terials TransportationBureau. Office of Automotive Ratings, Room clear that the 5-mph standard results In the [F Doc. 79-6216 Filed 2-28-'i9; 8:45 am] 5319, National Highway Traffic greatest net benefits to the consumer.

FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL 44, NO. 42-THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 1979