Interpretation ID: aiam2268
Chairman
Committee on Agriculture and Forestry
United States Senate
Washington
DC 20590;
Dear Mr. Chairman: This is in response to your letter of April 1, 1976, forwardin correspondence from Mr. James A. Graham concerning the recently issued Part 581 bumper standard.; On March 4, 1976, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administratio (NHTSA) published a Federal bumper standard (41 FR 9346, 49 CFR Part 581) under the authority of Title I of the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act (Pub. L. 92-513). The standard, effective September 1, 1978, specifies limitations on damage to non-safety related as well as safety-related vehicle components in low-speed collisions. Several manufacturers, including Gulf and Western Manufacturing Company, have filed petitions for reconsideration of the standard in conformance with NHTSA rulemaking procedures (49 CFR 553.35).; It is NHTSA's policy to issue a notice of action taken on petitions fo reconsideration within 120 days after publication of the final rule, unless action within that time is impracticable. Since the agency is currently in the process of considering the petitions received, it would not be appropriate for us to comment at this time on the remarks made by Mr. Graham in his letter.; I assure you that Mr. Graham's comments and the information containe in all of the petitions for reconsideration will receive thorough consideration. The agency's response to the petitions will be published in the *Federal Register*.; Sincerely, Frank Berndt, Acting Chief Counsel