[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 77 (Tuesday, April 22, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22531-22532]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-09125]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. TA-131-039]


Environmental Goods Trade Agreement: Advice on the Probable 
Economic Effect of Providing Duty-Free Treatment for Imports

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation, scheduling of public hearing, and 
opportunity to provide written submissions.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request dated April 2, 2014 (received 
April 4, 2014) from the United States Trade Representative (USTR) under 
section 131 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2151), the U.S. 
International Trade Commission (Commission) instituted investigation 
No. TA-131-039, Environmental Goods Trade Agreement: Advice on the 
Probable Economic Effect of Providing Duty-Free Treatment for Imports.

DATES: 

May 6, 2014: Deadline for filing requests to appear at the public 
hearing.
May 6, 2014: Deadline for filing pre-hearing briefs and statements.
May 14, 2014: Public hearing.
May 19, 2014: Deadline for filing post-hearing briefs and statements.
May 19, 2014: Deadline for filing all other written submissions.
August 4, 2014: Transmittal to USTR 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)

[[Page 22532]]

at https://edis.usitc.gov/edis3-internal/app.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project Leader Andrew David (202-205-
3368 or [email protected]), or Deputy Project Leader Laura 
Bloodgood (202-708-4726 or [email protected]) for information 
specific to this investigation. For information on the legal aspects of 
this investigation, contact William Gearhart of the Commission's Office 
of the General Counsel (202-205-3091 or [email protected]). 
The media should contact Margaret O'Laughlin, Office of External 
Relations (202-205-1819 or [email protected]). 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: In his letter the USTR stated that he had notified 
Congress on March 21, 2014, of the President's intent to enter into 
negotiations with a group of World Trade Organization (WTO) Members to 
eliminate tariffs on environmental goods. As requested by the USTR, the 
Commission will, pursuant to section 131 of the Trade Act of 1974, 
provide a report containing its advice as to the probable economic 
effect of providing duty-free treatment for imports of environmental 
goods (as identified in the list attached to the USTR's letter) from 
all U.S. trading partners on (i) industries in the United States 
producing like or directly competitive products, and (ii) consumers. As 
requested, the report will provide analysis for each of the 
environmental goods for which U.S. tariffs remain, taking into account 
implementation of U.S. commitments in the WTO. The Commission's advice 
will be based on the U.S. tariff nomenclature in effect during 2014 and 
trade data for 2013. As requested, the Commission will provide its 
report to the USTR by August 4, 2014. A copy of the list of 
environmental goods attached to the USTR's letter can be found at 
http://www.usitc.gov/research_and_analysis/What_We_Are_Working_On.htm.
    The USTR stated that portions of the Commission's report will be 
classified as national security information and that the USTR considers 
the report to be an inter-agency memorandum that will contain pre-
decisional advice and be subject to the deliberative process privilege.
    This is one of two reports on environmental goods that the USTR 
requested in his letter of April 2, 2014. The USTR also requested, 
pursuant to section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. Sec.  
1332(g)), that the Commission conduct an investigation and prepare a 
report containing certain trade information and estimates on 
environmental goods, as specified in the letter. Notice of that 
investigation, No. 332-548, U.S. Environmental Goods Trade, is being 
published separately in the Federal Register. The USTR asked the 
Commission to provide this second report by October 6, 2014.
    Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with this 
investigation will be held at the U.S. International Trade Commission 
Building, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC, beginning at 9:30 a.m. on 
May 14, 2014. Requests to appear at the public hearing should be filed 
with the Secretary, no later than 5:15 p.m., May 6, 2014, in accordance 
with the requirements in the ``Submissions'' section below. All pre-
hearing briefs and statements should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., 
May 6, 2014; and all post-hearing briefs and statements should be filed 
not later than 5:15 p.m., May 19, 2014.
    Written Submissions: In lieu of or in addition to participating in 
the hearing, interested parties are invited to file written submissions 
concerning this investigation. All written submissions should be 
addressed to the Secretary, and should be received not later than 5:15 
p.m., May 19, 2014. 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 and the Commission's Handbook 
on Filing Procedures require that interested parties file documents 
electronically on or before the filing deadline and submit eight (8) 
true paper copies by 12:00 p.m. eastern time on the next business day. 
In the event that confidential treatment of a document is requested, 
interested parties must file, at the same time as the eight paper 
copies, at least four (4) additional true paper copies in which the 
confidential information must be deleted (see the following paragraph 
for further information regarding confidential business information). 
Persons with questions regarding electronic filing should contact the 
Secretary (202-205-2000).
    Any submissions that contain confidential business information 
(CBI) 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 may include some or all of the confidential business 
information submitted in the course of this investigation in the report 
it sends to the USTR. The Commission will not otherwise publish any 
confidential business information in a manner that would reveal the 
operations of the firm supplying the information.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: April 17, 2014.
William R. Bishop,
Supervisory Hearings and Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-09125 Filed 4-21-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P