<searchTitle>Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records Notice; Federal Register Vol. 74, Issue </searchTitle>
<granuleClass>NOTICE</granuleClass>
<accessId>E9-21802</accessId>
<agency order="1">DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION</agency>
<agency order="2">National Highway Traffic Safety Administration</agency>
<effectiveDate>2009-09-10</effectiveDate>
<billingCode>4910-9X-P</billingCode>
<frDocNumber>E9-21802</frDocNumber>
<action>Notice to alter a Privacy Act system of records.</action>
<summary>NHTSA is republishing the Privacy Act system of records notice (SORN) for the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save program (CARS program) database system replacing the previously published SORN of July 27, 2009 in order to: (1) Expand the routine uses of records maintained in the system to include sharing complaint records with State Attorneys General and the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), for purposes of investigating and prosecuting criminal violations, including fraud associated with the CARS program, and (2) update the system location, storage and retrievability sections of the SORN to reflect the use of word-searchable electronic files (i.e., Excel spreadsheets) to store complaint information, including that to be shared with the State Attorneys General and NAAG. These changes are more thoroughly detailed below and in the accompanying updated Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) that may be found on the DOT Privacy Web site at http://www.dot.gov/privacy.</summary>
<dates>Effective September 10, 2009. The CARS Program is a temporary program covering eligible automobile purchases/leases occurring between July 1, 2009 and November 1, 2009. The Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act of 2009 (the CARS Act), which authorized the CARS Program, requires the Secretary of Transportation, acting through NHTSA, to take steps to identify, prevent and penalize fraud associated with the Program. Since the inception of the CARS Program, NHTSA has received a substantial number of complaints from consumers located nation-wide, including time-sensitive complaints of dealer misconduct associated with the conduct of the Program. In order for these consumer complaints to be investigated and resolved in a timely manner (i.e., while the CARS Program remains operational and before the complaints become moot), NHTSA has sought the assistance of State Attorneys General. For this reason, NHTSA must begin sharing consumer complaint information, including personally identifiable information (PII) of consumers, with State Attorneys General and NAAG prior to completion of a 30-day public notice and comment period under this SORN. NHTSA nonetheless seeks and will accept public comment on this SORN for a 30 day period. Because our ability to consider comments received may be limited, we encourage the earliest possible submission of comments. If feasible, we may publish a further alteration to this SORN in light of any comments received.</dates>
<contact>For privacy issues please contact: Dee Smith, NHTSA Privacy Officer, NHTSA Office of the CIO, NPO-420, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590 or dee.smith@dot.gov.</contact>
<tocDoc>Privacy Act; Systems of Records
, </tocDoc>
<emailRef>dee.smith@dot.gov</emailRef>
<urlRef>http://www.cars.gov</urlRef>
<urlRef>http://www.dot.gov/privacy</urlRef>
<urlRef>http://www.dot.gov/privacy/privacyactnotices/</urlRef>