(a) Deputy Administrator. The Deputy Administrator is delegated authority to act for the Administrator, except where specifically limited by law, order, regulation, or instructions of the Administrator. The Deputy Administrator is delegated authority to assist the Administrator in providing executive direction to all organizational elements of NHTSA.
(b) [Reserved]
(c) Director, Office of Civil Rights. The Director, Office of Civil Rights is delegated authority to:
(1) Act as the NHTSA Director of Equal Employment Opportunity.
(2) Act as NHTSA coordinator for matters under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.), Executive Order 12250 (3 CFR, 1980 Comp., p. 298), and regulations of the Department of Justice.
(d) Chief Counsel. The Chief Counsel is delegated authority to:
(1) Exercise the powers and perform the duties of the Administrator with respect to setting of odometer regulations authorized under 49 U.S.C. chapter 327, and with respect to providing technical assistance and granting extensions of time to the states under 49 U.S.C. 32705.
(2) Establish the legal sufficiency of all investigations and enforcement actions conducted under the authority of the following chapters, including notes, of Title 49 of the United States Code Chapters 301, 303, 321, 323, 325, 327, 329 and 331; to make an initial penalty demand based on a violations of any of these chapters; and to compromise any civil penalty or monetary settlement in an amount of $100,000 or less resulting from a violation of any of these chapters.
(3) Exercise the powers of the Administrator under 49 U.S.C. 30166(c), (g), (h), (i), and (k).
(4) Issue subpoenas, after notice to the Administrator, for the attendance of witnesses and production of documents pursuant to chapters 301, 321, 323, 325, 327, 329 and 331 of Title 49 of the United States Code.
(5) Issue authoritative interpretations of the statutes administered by NHTSA and the regulations issued by the agency.
(e) Senior Associate Administrator for Policy and Operations. The Senior Associate Administrator for Policy and Operations is delegated authority for executive direction of the Associate Administrator for Planning, Administrative and Financial Management; the Chief Information Officer; the Director of Human Resources; the Director of Executive Correspondence; the Associate Administrator for Communications and Consumer Information; and the Emergency Coordinator. To carry out this direction, the Senior Associate Administrator for Policy and Operations is delegated authority, except for authority reserved to the Administrator, to direct the NHTSA planning and evaluation system in conjunction with Departmental requirements and planning goals and to coordinate the development of the Administrator's plans, budgets, and programs, and analyses of their expected impact. The Senior Associate Administrator for Policy and Operations is also delegated authority to exercise procurement authority with respect to NHTSA requirements; administer and conduct NHTSA's personnel management activities; administer NHTSA financial management programs, including systems of funds control and accounts of all financial transactions; and conduct administrative management services in support of NHTSA missions and programs.
(f) Senior Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety. The Senior Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety is delegated authority for executive direction of the Associate Administrator for Rulemaking, the Associate Administrator for Enforcement, the Associate Administrator for the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, and the Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety Research. The Senior Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety exercises executive direction with respect to the setting of standards and regulations for motor vehicle safety, fuel economy, theft prevention, consumer information, and odometer fraud. To carry out this direction, the Senior Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety is delegated authority, except for authority reserved to the Administrator or the Chief Counsel, to exercise the powers and perform the duties of the Administrator with respect to the setting of motor vehicle safety and theft prevention standards, fuel economy standards, procedural regulations, the National Driver Register, and the development of consumer information and odometer fraud regulations authorized under Chapters 301, 303, 321, 323, 325, 327, 329, and 331 of title 49, United States Code. The Senior Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety is delegated authority to develop and conduct research and development programs and projects necessary to support the purposes of Chapters 301, 323, 325, 327, 329, and 331 of title 49, United States Code, and Chapter 4 of title 23, United States Code, as amended, in coordination with the appropriate Associate Administrators, and the Chief Counsel. The Senior Associate Administrator for Vehicle Safety is also delegated authority to respond to a manufacturer's petition for exemption from 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301's notification and remedy requirements in connection with a defect or noncompliance concerning labeling errors; extend comment periods (both self-initiated and in response to a petition for extension of time) for noncontroversial rulemakings; make technical amendments or corrections to a final rule; extend the effective date of a noncontroversial final rule; administer the NHTSA enforcement program for all laws, standards, and regulations pertinent to vehicle safety, fuel economy, theft prevention, damageability, consumer information and odometer fraud, authorized under Chapters 301, 323, 325, 327, 329, and 331 of title 49, United States Code; issue regulations relating to the importation of motor vehicles under sections 30141 through 30147 of title 49, United States Code; and grant and deny petitions for import eligibility determinations submitted to NHTSA by motor vehicle manufacturers and registered importers under 49 U.S.C. 30141.
(g) Senior Associate Administrator for Traffic Injury Control. The Senior Associate Administrator for Traffic Injury Control is delegated authority for executive direction of the Associate Administrator for Research and Program Development and the Associate Administrator for Regional Operations and Program Delivery. To carry out this direction, the Senior Associate Administrator for Traffic Injury Control is delegated authority, except for authority reserved to the Administrator, over programs with respect to: Chapter 4 of title 23, United States Code, as amended; the authority vested by section 210(2) of the Clean Air Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 7544(2)); the authority vested by 49 U.S.C. 20134(a), with respect to the laws administered by the Administrator pertaining to highway, traffic, and motor vehicle safety; and the authority vested by sections 153, 154, 158, 161, 163, and 164 of title 23, United States Code, in coordination with the Federal Highway Administrator as appropriate. The Senior Associate Administrator for Traffic Injury Control is also delegated authority to exercise the powers and perform the duties of the Administrator with respect to State highway safety programs under 23 U.S.C. 402 and National Priority Safety Programs under 23 U.S.C. 405, including approval and disapproval of State highway safety plans and vouchers, in accordance with the procedural requirements of the Administration.