[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 146 (Tuesday, July 29, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43950-43951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-17311]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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: Notice of opportunity to submit information for 2008 monitoring 
reports.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to statute (see below), the Commission monitors U.S. 
imports of fresh or chilled tomatoes and fresh or chilled peppers, 
other than chili peppers, for the purpose of expediting an 
investigation under certain U.S. safeguard laws, should an appropriate 
petition be filed. As part of that monitoring, the Commission has 
instituted investigations under section 332 of the Tariff Act of 1930 
(19 U.S.C. 1332) for the purpose of compiling data on trade and the 
domestic industry. The Commission is in the process of preparing its 
reports for the period ending June 30, 2008, and is seeking input from 
interested members of the public. The Commission expects to make its 
reports available to the public in electronic form on the Commission's 
Web site in November 2008.

DATES: September 11, 2008: Deadline for filing written submissions and 
other information. November 21, 2008: Anticipated posting of Commission 
report.

ADDRESSES: All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing 
rooms, are located in the United States International Trade Commission 
Building, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC. All written submissions 
should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade 
Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20436. The public record 
for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic 
docket (EDIS) at http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/edis.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brendan Lynch (202-205-3313, 
[email protected]) or Jonathan Coleman (202-205-3465, 
[email protected]), Agriculture and Fisheries Division, Office 
of Industries, for general information, or William Gearhart (202-205-
3091, [email protected]), Office of the General Counsel, for 
information on legal aspects. The media should contact Margaret 
O'Laughlin (202-205-1819 or [email protected]), Office of 
External Relations. Hearing-impaired individuals may obtain information 
on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal at 202-205-
1810. General information concerning the Commission may also be 
obtained by accessing its Internet server (http://www.usitc.gov). 
Persons with mobility impairments who will need special assistance in 
gaining access to the Commission should contact the Office of the 
Secretary at 202-205-2000.
    Background: Section 316 of the North American Free-Trade Agreement 
Implementation Act (NAFTA Implementation Act) (19 U.S.C. 3881) requires 
that the Commission monitor U.S. 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, for 
purposes of expediting an investigation concerning provisional relief 
under section 202 of the Trade Act of 1974 or section 302 of the NAFTA 
Implementation Act. Section 316 does not require that the Commission 
publish reports on this monitoring activity or otherwise make the 
information available to the public. However, the Commission maintains 
current data files on tomatoes and peppers in order to conduct an 
expedited investigation should a request be received. Following 
enactment of section 316, 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).
    The Commission will continue to make its reports available to the 
public in electronic form (with the exception of any confidential 
business information (CBI)), and will maintain electronic copies of its 
reports on its Web site until one year after the monitoring requirement 
expires on January 1, 2009. The most recent Commission

[[Page 43951]]

monitoring reports in this series were published in November 2007 and 
are available on the Commission's Web site.
    Written Submissions: The Commission does not plan to hold a public 
hearing in connection with preparation of these reports. However, 
interested persons are invited to submit written statements containing 
data and other information concerning the matters to be addressed. All 
submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, and should be 
received no later than the close of business on September 11, 2008. All 
written submissions must conform with the provisions of section 201.8 
of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.8). 
Section 201.8 requires that a signed original (or a copy so designated) 
and fourteen (14) copies of each document be filed. In the event that 
confidential treatment of a document is requested, at least four (4) 
additional copies must be filed, in which the confidential information 
must be deleted (see the following paragraph for further information 
regarding confidential business information). The Commission's rules 
authorize the filing of submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or 
electronic means only to the extent permitted by section 201.8 of the 
rules (see Handbook for Electronic Filing Procedures, http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/fed_reg_notices/rules/documents/handbook_on_electronic_filing.pdf). Persons with questions regarding 
electronic filing should contact the Secretary (202-205-2000).
    Any submissions that contain confidential business information must 
also conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's 
Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.6 of the 
rules requires that the cover of the document and the individual pages 
be clearly marked as to whether they are the ``confidential'' or ``non-
confidential'' version, and that the confidential business information 
be clearly identified by means of brackets. All written submissions, 
except for confidential business information, will be made available 
for inspection by interested parties.
    The Commission will not publish such confidential business 
information in the monitoring reports it posts on its Web site in a 
manner that would reveal the operations of the firm supplying the 
information. However, the Commission may include such information in 
any report it sends to the President under section 202 of the Trade Act 
of 1974 or section 302 of the NAFTA Implementation Act, if it is 
required to conduct an investigation involving these products under 
either of these statutory authorities.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: July 23, 2008.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
 [FR Doc. E8-17311 Filed 7-28-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P