[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 175 (Friday, September 10, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49269-49270]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23517]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of The Secretary
[Docket No. OST-95-246]


North American Free Trade Agreement's Land Transportation 
Standards Subcommittee and Transportation Consultative Group: Annual 
Plenary Session

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice (1) announces the sixth joint annual plenary 
session of the North American Free Trade Agreement's (NAFTA) Land 
Transportation Standards Subcommittee (LTSS) and the Transportation 
Consultative Group (TCG) and other related meetings; and (2) invites 
representatives of non-governmental entities with an interest in land 
transportation issues to participate in a listening session immediately 
preceding the plenary meeting and to attend a briefing at a later date. 
Only U.S., Canadian, and Mexican government officials may attend the 
plenary and working group meetings.

Background

    The Land Transportation Standards Subcommittee (LTSS) was 
established by the North American Free Trade Agreement's (NAFTA) 
Committee on Standards-Related Measures to examine the land 
transportation regulatory regimes in the United States, Canada, and 
Mexico, and to seek to make certain standards more compatible. The 
Transportation Consultative Group (TCG) was formed by the three 
countries' departments of transportation to address non-standards-
related issues that affect cross-border movements among the countries, 
but that are not included in the NAFTA's LTSS work program (Annex 
913.5.a-1).

Meetings and Deadlines

    The sixth joint annual LTSS/TCG plenary session will be held from 
October 25 to 28, 1999, at the Hilton Baltimore and Towers, 20 West 
Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201. The following LTSS working 
groups will meet during the same week and at the same location: (1) 
Compliance and Driver and Vehicle Standards; (2) Vehicle Weights and 
Dimensions; and (3) Hazardous Materials Transportation Standards. 
Similarly, the following TCG working groups are expected to meet: (1) 
Cross-Border Operations and Facilitation; (2) Rail Safety and Economic 
Issues; (3) Automated Data Exchange; (4) Science and Technology; and 
(5) Maritime and Ports Policy.
    Also at the same Baltimore site, on October 25, 1999, from 2:00 
p.m. to 5:00 p.m., a listening session will be held for representatives 
of the truck, bus, and rail industries, transportation labor unions, 
brokers and shippers, chemical manufacturers, insurance industry, 
public safety advocates, and others who have notified us of their 
interest to attend and have submitted copies of their presentations, in 
English and

[[Page 49270]]

Spanish, to the address below by October 12, 1999. This is an 
opportunity for presenters to voice their concerns, provide technical 
information, and offer suggestions relevant to achieving greater 
standards compatibility and improving cross-border trade. While written 
statements may be of any length, oral presentations will be limited to 
10 minutes per presenter. After October 12, statements may be submitted 
for the record, and requests to present oral comments at the listening 
session will be accommodated only on a time-available basis.
    Although participation in the LTSS and TCG plenary and working 
group meetings is limited to government officials only, representatives 
of non-governmental entities also are invited to take part in parallel 
topical discussions, visits to transport facilities, and a final 
briefing by the heads of the U.S., Canadian, and Mexican delegations to 
be held on October 28.
    Hotel reservations may be arranged by calling the Hilton Baltimore 
and Towers directly at 1-800-445-8667 or 1-888-466-4644, by electronic 
mail at www.hilton.com. In order to ensure that they receive the 
special group rate for guest rooms, callers must identify themselves as 
delegates to the NAFTA LTSS Conference and make their reservations by 
September 20, 1999.
    A briefing to report on the outcome of the Baltimore meetings will 
be conducted at DOT at the address below, in Room 3200-04, on November 
30, 1999, from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Interested parties may notify DOT of 
their interest to attend this briefing by calling (202) 366-2892 by 
November 26.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: LTSS-related documents, including past 
working group reports and statements received by DOT from industry 
associations, transportation labor unions, public safety advocates, and 
others are available for review in Docket No. OST-95-246, at the 
address below, Room PL-401, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., e.s.t., 
Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The Docket, which is 
updated periodically, may also be accessed electronically at http://
dms.dot.gov.

Address and Phone Numbers

     Individuals and organizations interested in participating in the 
listening session on October 25, 1999 must send notice of their 
interest and copies of their presentations by October 12 to Maria 
Lameiro, U.S. Department of Transportation, OST/X-20, Room 10300, 400 
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Respondents may also send 
information by fax at (202) 366-7417. For additional information, call 
(202) 366-2892.

    Dated: September 3, 1999.
Bernestine Allen,
Acting Director, Office of International Transportation and Trade.
[FR Doc. 99-23517 Filed 9-9-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P