[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 189 (Thursday, September 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 58288]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-24916]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation Nos. 332-350 and 332-351]


Monitoring of U.S. Imports of Tomatoes, Monitoring of U.S. 
Imports of Peppers

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Changes in written submission's due date and date of 
publication of monitoring reports in 2000.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: September 22 , 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information, Timothy 
McCarty (202-205-3324) or Cathy Jabara (202-205-3309), Agriculture and 
Forest Products Division, Office of Industries, or for information on 
legal aspects, William Gearhart (202-205-3091), Office of the General 
Counsel, U.S. International Trade Commission. Hearing impaired persons 
can obtain information on these studies by contacting the Commission's 
TDD terminal on (202) 205-1810. General information concerning the 
Commission may also be obtained by accessing its internet server 
(http://www.usitc.gov).

Background

    Section 316 of the North American Free-Trade Agreement 
Implementation Act (NAFTA Implementation Act), 19 U.S.C. 3381, directs 
the Commission to monitor imports of fresh or chilled tomatoes (HTS 
heading 0702.00) and fresh or chilled peppers, other than chili peppers 
(HTS subheading 0709.60.00), until January 1, 2009. As a result of such 
monitoring, the domestic industry producing a like or directly 
competitive perishable agricultural product may request, in a global 
safeguard petition filed under section 202 of the Trade Act of 1974 or 
a bilateral safeguard petition filed under section 302 of the NAFTA 
Implementation Act, that provisional relief be provided pending 
completion of a full section 202 or 302 investigation. If provisional 
relief is requested, the Commission has 21 days in which to make its 
decision and to transmit any provisional relief recommendation to the 
President. In response to the monitoring directive, the Commission 
instituted investigation No. 332-350, Monitoring of U.S. Imports of 
Tomatoes (59 FR 1763) and investigation No. 332-351, Monitoring of U.S. 
Imports of Peppers (59 FR 1762).
    Although section 316 of the NAFTA Implementation Act does not 
require that the Commission publish reports on the results of its 
monitoring activities, the initial notices of investigation for these 
studies indicated that the Commission planned to publish reports on the 
monitoring annually. Subsequently, the Commission has published 
statistical reports in those years in which it was not conducting an 
investigation under other statutory authority with respect to such 
products.
    On June 12, 2000, the Commission published in the Federal Register 
a notice that it intended to publish monitoring reports in September 
2000. In the same notice, the Commission also invited all interested 
persons to submit written statements concerning the matters to be 
addressed in the reports, so as to be received no later than the close 
of business on June 28, 2000. In response to this request, the 
Commission received two comments, from the Florida Tomato Exchange and 
the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, asking 
that additional data be included in the Commission's forthcoming 
reports and that the official record of these investigations be held 
open so that certain Florida statistics might be included in this 
year's reports. In response, the Commission extended the deadline for 
filing of written statements until October 2, 2000, and changed the 
date for intended publication of its reports to November 15, 2000.

Written Submissions

    The Commission does not plan to hold a public hearing in connection 
with preparation of the 2000 statistical reports. However, interested 
persons are invited to submit written statements concerning the matters 
to be addressed in the reports. Commercial or financial information 
which a submitter desires the Commission to treat as confidential must 
be provided on separate sheets of paper, each clearly marked 
``Confidential Business Information'' at the top. All submissions 
requesting confidential treatment must conform with the requirements of 
section 201.6 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 
CFR 201.6). All written submissions, except for confidential business 
information, will be made available in the Office of the Secretary of 
the Commission for inspection by interested persons. To be assured of 
consideration by the Commission, written statements relating to the 
Commission's report should be submitted to the Commission in accordance 
with section 201.8 of the Commission's rules at the earliest practical 
date and should be received no later than the close of business on 
October 2, 2000. All submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, 
United States International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20436.

    Issued: September 22, 2000.

    By order of the Commission.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-24916 Filed 9-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P