(a) Except as specified in paragraph (b) of this section, information relevant to a determination under this part, including a petition and supporting data, and the grant or denial of the petition or the making of a determination on the Administrator's initiative, is available for public inspection in the Docket Section, Room 5109, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh St., SW., Washington, DC 20590. Copies of available information may be obtained, as provided in part 7 of this chapter.

(b) Except for release of confidential information authorized under part 512 of this chapter, information made available for inspection under paragraph (a) of this section does not include information for which confidentiality has been requested and granted in accordance with part 512 of this chapter, and 5 U.S.C. 552(b). To the extent that a petition contains material relating to the methodology by which the petitioner intends to achieve conformance with a specific standard, the petitioner may request confidential treatment of such material on the grounds that it contains a trade secret or confidential information in accordance with part 512 of this chapter.