[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 167 (Monday, August 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 52156]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21847]



[[Page 52156]]

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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 seventh 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 
913.5-1).

Meetings and Deadlines

    The seventh joint annual LTSS/TCG plenary session will be held from 
October 23 to 27, 2000, at the Mansion Galindo Fiesta Americana Hotel, 
in the municipality of San Jaun del Rio, Queretaro, Mexico. The 
following LTSS working groups are expected to meet during the same week 
and at the same location: (1) Compliance and Driver and Vehicle 
Standards; (2) Vehicle Weights and Dimensions; (3) Hazardous Materials 
Transportation Standards; and (4) Traffic Control Devices. 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 San Juan del Rio site, on October 23, 2000, 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 Spanish, to the 
address below by October 10, 2000. 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 to10 minutes per 
presenter. After October 10, 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 27.
    Hotel reservations may be arranged through Ms. Isabel Ramirez 
Samperio at Mexico's Secretariat of Communications and Transportation 
(SCT). Participants are requested to obtain a registration form from 
DOT staff contact, Allen Wiener at (202) 366-2892. The registration 
form should be sent by fax to Ms. Ramirez at 011-525-684-1252. The 
Mansion Galindo Fiesta Americana Hotel is located at: Carretera 
Amealco, KM. 5, San Juan Del Rio, Queretaro. The hotel telephone number 
is 427-5-0250 and the fax number is 427-5-0299.
    A briefing to report on the outcome of the San Juan del Rio, 
Queretaro meetings will be conducted at DOT at the address below, on 
November 28, 2000, 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 20.

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 23, 2000 must send notice of their 
interest and copies of their presentations by October 10 to Allen 
Wiener, 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: August 21, 2000.
Bernestine Allen,
Director, Office of International Transportation and Trade.
[FR Doc. 00-21847 Filed 8-25-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P