[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 127 (Friday, July 2, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38594-38595]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-16085]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Buy America Waiver Notification

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice provides information regarding the FHWA's finding 
that a Buy America waiver is appropriate for the use of non-domestic 
high strength steel bars ASTM A722M 150 ksi (1\7/8\ inches in diameter) 
for emergency repairs of broken eye bars on the San Francisco Oakland 
Bay Bridge in California. These emergency repairs did not require prior 
FHWA authorization. The California Department of Transportation 
(Caltrans) conducted a search and was not able to find a domestic 
source for the high strength steel bars ASTM A722M 150 ksi (1\7/8\ 
inches in diameter). As a result, Caltrans proceeded to utilize a 
foreign source for this product. Based on the emergency situation, and 
Caltrans' reasonable efforts to comply with Buy America, the FHWA 
concludes that a public interest waiver is appropriate for the use of 
non-domestic high strength steel bars for emergency repairs of broken 
eye bars on the San Francisco Oakland Bridge in California.

DATES: The effective date of the waiver is July 6, 2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about this notice, 
please contact Mr. Gerald Yakowenko, FHWA Office of Program 
Administration, (202) 366-1562, or via e-mail at 
[email protected]. For legal questions, please contact Mr. 
Michael Harkins, FHWA Office of the Chief Counsel, (202) 366-4928, or 
via e-mail at [email protected]. Office hours for the FHWA are 
from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., est., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Electronic Access

    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded from the 
Federal Register's home page at: http://www.archives.gov and the 
Government Printing Office's database at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara.

Background

    The FHWA's Buy America policy in 23 CFR 635.410 requires a domestic 
manufacturing process for any steel or iron products (including 
protective coatings) that are permanently incorporated in a Federal-aid 
construction project. The regulation also

[[Page 38595]]

provides for a waiver of the Buy America requirements when the 
application would be inconsistent with the public interest or when 
satisfactory quality domestic steel and iron products are not 
sufficiently available. This notice provides information regarding the 
FHWA's finding that a Buy America waiver is appropriate to use non-
domestic high strength steel bars based on the public interest 
provision in FHWA's policy.
    On October 27, 2009, a repair made during the 2009 Labor Day 
weekend to a cracked eye bar on the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge 
failed, requiring the closure of the bridge. The San Francisco Oakland 
Bay Bridge carries over 280,000 vehicles per day creating 
transportation gridlock in the area. Caltrans' goals were to ensure the 
safety of the bridge and reopen it as soon as possible through an 
emergency repair contract. Caltrans contacted four steel fabricators 
regarding their ability to supply domestic high strength bars to meet 
the schedule for the emergency repairs. They were unable to find a 
fabricator who had domestic high strength steel on hand that was able 
to meet their schedule.
    In accordance with Division K, section 130 of the ``Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2008'' (Pub. L. 110-161), the FHWA published a 
notice of intent to issue a waiver on its Web site for the high 
strength steel bars (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/construction/contracts/waivers.cfm?id=46) on March 22, 2010. The FHWA received four comments 
in response to the notice. One commenter suggested that Gerdau 
Ameristeel manufactures the high strength steel bars domestically. 
Caltrans contacted Gerdau Ameristeel to verify availability of high 
strength steel bars during the period of emergency repairs. Gerdau 
Ameristeel indicated that a lead time is required and the high strength 
steel bars would not have been available for emergency repairs. Two 
comments were from Caltrans explaining the circumstances surrounding 
the project, as well as the efforts made by Caltrans in contacting 
potential domestic manufacturers. The fourth comment expressed general 
support for the Buy America requirement.
    During the 15-day comment period, the FHWA conducted additional 
nationwide review to locate potential domestic manufacturers for the 
high strength steel bars. Based on all the information available to the 
agency, the FHWA concludes that there were no domestic high strength 
steel bars ASTM A 722M 150ksi (1\7/8\ inches diameter) readily 
available for emergency repairs of the broken eye bars.
    In accordance with the provisions of section 117 of the SAFETEA-LU 
Technical Corrections Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-244, 122 Stat.1572), the 
FHWA is providing this notice as its finding that a waiver of Buy 
America requirements is appropriate. The FHWA invites public comment on 
this finding for an additional 15 days following the effective date of 
the finding. Comments may be submitted to the FHWA's Web site via the 
link provided to the California waiver page noted above.

(Authority: 23 U.S.C. 313; Pub. L. 110-161, 23 CFR 635.410)

     Issued on: June 24, 2010.
Victor M. Mendez,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2010-16085 Filed 7-1-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P