[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 118 (Monday, June 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29475-29476]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-14485]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Manufacturing and Services' Sustainable Manufacturing Initiative; 
Update

ACTION: Notice of second round of regional showcase tours in support of 
Commerce's Sustainable Manufacturing Initiative; notice of event in 
Seattle; request for suggestions of other cities and regions to be 
considered for future tours; request for volunteer hosts to be 
considered for future tours.

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SUMMARY: As part of its Sustainable Manufacturing Initiative, the 
International Trade Administration's Manufacturing & Services Unit is 
planning a second round of regional facility tours across the United 
States that will showcase sustainable business practices at 
manufacturing firms and service providers. This round of tours will use 
the past round of Sustainable Manufacturing American Regional Tours 
(SMARTs) as a template by traveling to a number of cities and regions 
in order to demonstrate the feasibility and viability of sustainable 
business practices for U.S. firms. While the previous round of tours 
focused on manufacturers, this round will look at supply chains in 
various regions and sustainability issues affecting the competitiveness 
of firms in those supply chains.

DATES: Submit comments no later than 30 days after the date of this 
notice.

ADDRESSES: Address all comments concerning this notice to the 
Sustainable Manufacturing Initiative, U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 
2213, 1401 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the 
Internet at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Howard in Manufacturing & 
Services' Office of Trade Policy Analysis, 202-482-3703.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Regional facility tours like the SMARTs are one of the main project 
areas of the Manufacturing and Services (MAS) Sustainable Manufacturing 
Initiative (SMI) and Public-Private Dialogue (for more information 
visit http://www.manufacturing.gov/sustainability). In order to provide 
effective and continued support to U.S. companies in their sustainable 
manufacturing efforts, MAS launched the SMI which (a) identifies U.S. 
industry's most pressing sustainability challenges and (b) facilitates 
public and private sector efforts to address these challenges.
    As referenced in a July 2008 Federal Register notice (FR 42328, 
July 21, 2008), MAS held a series of SMARTs in 2008: St. Louis, MO 
(July 28, 2008), Grand Rapids, MI (September 3, 2008), and Rochester, 
NY (September 23, 2008). This first round of regional facility tours 
focused on U.S. manufacturers and showcased efforts at implementing and 
benefiting from cost-effective sustainable manufacturing practices. As 
company supply chains become the critical component to a

[[Page 29476]]

firm's competitiveness, working with manufacturers and service 
providers on their sustainability practices will take on increasing 
importance. U.S. companies are concerned with cutting costs, meeting 
new regulatory challenges, the lack of visibility that sustainable 
business practices receive nationwide, and the lack of information U.S. 
manufacturers and service providers possess in this field. In order to 
continue spreading awareness of the cost-effectiveness of implementing 
sustainable business practices, especially the importance of 
sustainable supply chains, both to U.S. global competitiveness and the 
environment, MAS will begin its second round of regional facility tours 
in Seattle, Washington in July 2009 and will aim to visit at least two 
additional regions by the end of 2009.
    The goal of these tours is to demonstrate to other similarly 
situated firms in the area that incorporating sustainable business 
techniques into the production and distribution cycle is not cost-
prohibitive and, in fact, can help the long-term economic viability of 
American firms.
    The event in Seattle will most likely be held in mid-July and will 
likely include tours of four facilities engaged in sustainable business 
practices at various points in a supply chain. Environmental managers, 
plant managers and other relevant company decision-makers from local 
small and medium-sized manufacturers and service providers who are 
interested in attending this event should contact the sustainable 
manufacturing team through the email address listed above. The team, in 
consultation with the local U.S. Export Assistance Center and 
Washington Manufacturing Services, will make a determination on 
attendance on a first-come-first-served basis, taking into account the 
criteria named above as well as the U.S. Export Assistance Center and 
Washington Manufacturing Services' knowledge of the local economy and 
the relevance of the event to individual firms in the Seattle area and 
to strive for the tour participants to reflect the diversity of the 
local business community within the manufacturing industry sector. Only 
one representative from each company will be invited to attend.
    Each of the future events will most likely include tours of local 
manufacturing and service provider facilities that showcase firms that 
are incorporating sustainable business techniques into their business 
operations or have facilities that are otherwise sustainable. 
Manufacturing and Services seeks public input on possible cities and/or 
regions that would benefit from hosting a sustainable supply chain 
event or firms that would be willing to demonstrate and showcase their 
sustainable business capabilities and practices as part of a possible 
regional facility tour in their region. Responses to this notice should 
include a brief rationale as to why a particular firm, city or region 
would be a strong candidate for one of these events. Participants will 
not be paid.

    Dated: June 16, 2009.
Matthew Howard,
Office of Trade Policy Analysis.
[FR Doc. E9-14485 Filed 6-19-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P