[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 246 (Friday, December 21, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66005-66006]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-31589]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

[Docket No. 301-120]


Extension of Investigation and Request for Public Comment: Wheat 
Trading Practices of the Canadian Wheat Board

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The United States Trade Representative (Trade Representative) 
has decided to extend his investigation of the wheat trading practices 
of the Government of Canada and the Canadian Wheat Board until January 
22, 2002. The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) 
invites public comments on the issues in the investigation.

DATES: Comments are due on or before 5 pm on Monday, January 14, 2002.

ADDRESS: Comments should be submitted (i) electronically, to 
[email protected], with Docket 301-120 in the subject line, or (ii) by 
mail, to Sybia Harrison, Staff Assistant to the Section 301 Committee, 
ATTN: Docket 301-120, Office of the United States Trade Representative, 
1724 F Street, NW, Room 217, Washington, DC 20508, with a confirmation 
copy sent electronically or by fax to 202-395-9458.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sharon Bomer Lauritsen, Director of 
Agricultural Affairs, (202) 395-6127, or William Busis, Associate 
General Counsel, (202) 395-3150. For information concerning procedures 
for submitting public comments, please contact Sybia Harrison, Staff 
Assistant to the Section 301 Committee, (202) 395-3419.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 8, 2000, the North Dakota Wheat 
Commission filed a petition pursuant to section 302(a) of the Trade Act 
of 1974, as amended (the Trade Act) (19 U.S.C. 2412(a)), alleging that 
certain wheat trading practices of the Government of Canada and the 
Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) are unreasonable, and that such practices 
burden or restrict U.S. commerce. In response to the petition, the 
Trade

[[Page 66006]]

Representative initiated an investigation on October 23, 2000 to 
determine whether such acts, policies or practices of the Government of 
Canada and the Canadian Wheat Board with respect to wheat trading are 
unreasonable and burden or restrict U.S. commerce and are, therefore, 
actionable under section 301. See 65 FR 69,362 (Nov. 16, 2000).
    On March 30, 2001 the Trade Representative requested that the 
United States International Trade Commission (ITC) conduct an 
investigation, pursuant to section 332 of the Tariff Act of 1930, of 
the conditions of competition between the U.S. and Canadian wheat 
industries in the United States and third-country markets. The ITC 
issued a confidential version of its Section 332 report on November 1, 
2001, and a public version is scheduled for release on December 21, 
2001. The report is entitled: ``Wheat Trading Practices: Competitive 
Conditions Between U.S. and Canadian Wheat (Inv. No. 332-429).''
    On September 24, 2001, the petitioner requested in writing that the 
Trade Representative delay a decision on the actionability of CWB 
practices until January 22, 2002. In light of the petitioner's request 
and in order to have sufficient time to analyze the ITC Section 332 
report, the Trade Representative decided to extend his investigation 
until January 22, 2002. Accordingly, on October 5, 2001 the Trade 
Representative determined under Section 304(a)(1) of the Trade Act that 
he had insufficient information at that time to make a final 
determination that the wheat trading practices of the Government of 
Canada and the Canadian Wheat Board are actionable under Section 
301(b), and announced that he would make a determination as to 
actionability by January 22, 2002.

Public Comment: Requirements for Submissions

    Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on any 
issues raised in the petition or in other submissions to USTR in this 
investigation. In particular, comments are invited regarding (i) The 
actionability under Section 301(b) of the Trade Act of the acts, 
policies and practices of the Government of Canada and the Canadian 
Wheat Board that are the subject of this investigation; (ii) the burden 
or restriction, if any, on U.S. commerce caused by these acts, policies 
and practices; and (iii) appropriate action under section 301 which 
could be taken in response. In preparing comments, interested persons 
may wish to draw on the information or analysis contained in the ITC 
report.
    Persons submitting comments in response to this notice should, by 
no later than 5 pm on Monday, January 14, 2002, either send one copy by 
U.S. mail, first class, postage prepaid, to Sybia Harrison at the 
address listed above or transmit a copy electronically to 
[email protected], with Docket 301-120 in the subject line. For documents 
sent by U.S. mail, USTR requests that the submitter provide a 
confirmation copy, either electronically or by fax to 202-395-9458. 
USTR encourages the submission of documents in Adobe PDF format, as 
attachments to an electronic mail. For any document containing business 
confidential information submitted by electronic transmission, the file 
name of the business confidential version should begin with the 
characters ``BC'', and the file name of the public version should begin 
with the characters ``P''. The ``P'' or ``BC'' should be followed by 
the name of the submitter. Interested persons who make submissions by 
electronic mail should not provide separate cover letters; information 
that might appear in a cover letter should be included in the 
submission itself. Similarly, to the extent possible, any attachments 
to the submission should be included in the same file as the submission 
itself, and not as separate files.
    Comments will be placed in a file (Docket 301-120) open to public 
inspection pursuant to 15 CFR 2006.13, except confidential business 
information exempt from public inspection in accordance with 15 CFR 
2006.15. Confidential business information submitted in accordance with 
15 CFR 2006.15 must be clearly marked ``BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL'' at the 
top of each page, and must be accompanied by a nonconfidential summary 
of the confidential information. The nonconfidential summary shall be 
placed in the file that is open to public inspection. Copies of the 
public version of the petition, other documents submitted in the 
investigation, and the public version of the ITC Section 332 report are 
available for public inspection in the USTR Reading Room. The USTR 
Reading Room is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. 
to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and is located in Room 3, First 
Floor, Office of the United States Trade Representative, 1724 F Street, 
NW, Washington, DC 20508. An appointment to review the docket (Docket 
No. 301-120) may be made by calling Brenda Webb at (202) 395-6186.

William L. Busis,
Chairman, Section 301 Committee.
[FR Doc. 01-31589 Filed 12-20-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-P