[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 40 (Wednesday, February 28, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8653-8654]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-04085]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


Establishment of a Team Under the National Construction Safety 
Team Act

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology (NIST), United States Department of Commerce, announces the 
establishment of a National Construction Safety Team pursuant to the 
National Construction Safety Team Act. The Team was established to 
study building performance and emergency response and evacuation during 
Hurricane Maria, which made landfall in the U.S. territory of Puerto 
Rico on September 20, 2017.

DATES: The National Construction Safety Team was established on 
February 21, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Howard Harary, Engineering Laboratory, National 
Institute of Standards and Technology, Mail Stop 8600, Gaithersburg, MD 
20899-8600, telephone number (301) 975-5900. Members of the public are 
encouraged to submit to the Team non-

[[Page 8654]]

privileged evidence that is relevant to the subject matter of the NIST 
investigation described in this notice. Such evidence may be submitted 
to the address contained in this section. Confidential information will 
only be accepted pursuant to an appropriate nondisclosure agreement.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Howard Harary, Engineering 
Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Mail Stop 
8600, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8600, telephone number (301) 975-5900.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: The National Construction Safety Team Act (``Act''), 
Public Law 107-231, codified at 15 U.S.C. 7301 et seq., was enacted to 
provide for the establishment of investigative teams (``Teams'') to 
assess building performance and emergency response and evacuation 
procedures in the wake of any building failure that has resulted in 
substantial loss of life or that posed significant potential of 
substantial loss of life. The purpose of investigations by Teams is to 
improve the safety and structural integrity of buildings in the United 
States. As stated in the statute, a Team shall (1) establish the likely 
technical cause or causes of the building failure; (2) evaluate the 
technical aspects of evacuation and emergency response procedures; (3) 
recommend, as necessary, specific improvements to building standards, 
codes, and practices based on the findings made pursuant to (1) and 
(2); and recommend any research and other appropriate actions needed to 
improve the structural safety of buildings, and improve evacuation and 
emergency response procedures, based on the findings of the 
investigation. In addition, NIST has promulgated regulations 
implementing the Act. The regulations are found at 15 CFR part 270.
    NIST sent a preliminary reconnaissance team to collect information 
and data related to the hurricane that made landfall in the U.S. 
territory of Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017. Based on the 
recommendations of the preliminary reconnaissance team and evaluation 
of the criteria listed in the regulations implementing the Act, 
specifically in 15 CFR 270.102, on February 28, 2018, the Director of 
the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), United 
States Department of Commerce, established a Team to study building 
performance and emergency response and evacuation during Hurricane 
Maria. The Team may include members who are Federal employees and 
members who are not Federal employees. Team members who are Federal 
employees are governed by the Federal conflict of interest laws. Team 
members who are not Federal employees will be Federal government 
contractors, and conflicts of interest related to their service on the 
Team will be governed by FAR Subpart 9.5, Organizational and Consultant 
Conflicts of Interest, which will be incorporated by reference into all 
such contracts.
    Members of the public are encouraged to submit to the Team non-
privileged data and artifacts that are relevant to the subject matter 
of the NIST investigation described in this notice. Such data and 
artifacts may be submitted to the address contained in the ADDRESSES 
section of this notice. Confidential information will only be accepted 
pursuant to an appropriate nondisclosure agreement.

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 7301 et seq., 15 CFR part 270.

Kevin Kimball,
NIST Chief of Staff.
[FR Doc. 2018-04085 Filed 2-27-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-13-P