[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 33 (Wednesday, February 19, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9479-9481]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03191]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-574]


Renewable Electricity: Potential Economic Effects of Increased 
Commitments in Massachusetts; Institution of Investigation and 
Scheduling of Hearing

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice of investigation and scheduling of a public hearing.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt on January 23, 2020, of a request from the 
Committee on Ways and Means (Committee) of the U.S. House of 
Representatives, under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930, the 
U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) instituted 
Investigation No. 332-574, Renewable Electricity: Potential Economic 
Effects of Increased Commitments in Massachusetts, for the purpose of 
providing a report regarding the potential economic effects of 
increased renewable energy commitments in Massachusetts, and the role 
of renewable electricity imports in meeting these commitments.

DATES: 
    April 16, 2020: Deadline for filing requests to appear at the 
public hearing.
    April 23, 2020: Deadline for filing prehearing briefs and 
statements.
    May 7, 2020: Public hearing.
    May 15, 2020: Deadline for filing post-hearing briefs and 
statements.
    July 28, 2020: Deadline for filing all other written submissions.
    January 25, 2021: Transmittal of Commission report to the 
Committee.

ADDRESSES: All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing 
rooms, are located in the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 
500 E Street SW, Washington, DC. All written submissions should be 
addressed to the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E 
Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. The public record for this 
investigation may

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be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project Leader Diana Friedman (202-
205-3433 or [email protected]) or Deputy Project Leader Patricia 
Mueller (202-205-2599 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 website (https://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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: As requested by the Committee, the Commission will 
conduct an investigation and prepare a report that provides, to the 
extent practical, the following information:
    (1) An overview of the current situation and recent trends in New 
England and Massachusetts electricity markets with regard to domestic 
and imported electricity sources and rates for residential and 
commercial uses, and the status of the transition from nuclear and 
fossil fuels to renewable sources. This overview will include a 
description of the Commonwealth's most recent renewable energy goals 
and commitments as compared to previous commitments and initiatives, as 
well as the renewable energy goals and commitments in other New England 
states, and the potential available resources to meet those goals;
    (2) A quantitative analysis of the potential economic effects on 
the Commonwealth, and broader New England region, of Massachusetts 
reaching its goals and commitments for renewable electricity sourcing. 
The analysis should include, for example, the potential economic 
effects on residential and commercial consumers of electricity;
    (3) A quantitative analysis of the likely effects on greenhouse gas 
emissions of meeting these goals and commitments; and
    (4) Relevant case studies involving other states, regions, or 
countries that provide insights into the potential economic effects of 
imports of hydroelectricity, including on efforts to meet renewable 
energy targets, the rates paid by commercial and residential consumers, 
and on greenhouse gas emissions.
    The Committee requested that the analysis not focus on proposed or 
pending renewable energy transmission projects. The Committee asked 
that the Commission deliver the report 12 months from the date of the 
letter, and the Commission expects to transmit its report by January 
25, 2021. The Committee stated that it intends to make the Commission's 
report available to the public and asked that the report not include 
any confidential business information. The Committee noted that it had 
sent an earlier version of this letter and asked that the Commission 
accept the January 23, 2020 letter as a replacement for the Committee's 
letter of December 19, 2019.
    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 7, 2020. Requests to appear at the public hearing should be filed 
with the Secretary no later than 5:15 p.m., April 16, 2020, in 
accordance with the requirements in the ``Written Submissions'' section 
below. All prehearing briefs and statements should be filed not later 
than 5:15 p.m., April 23, 2020, and all post-hearing briefs and 
statements should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., May 15, 2020. 
Post-hearing briefs and statements should address matters raised at the 
hearing. In the event that, as of the close of business on April 23, 
2020, no witnesses are scheduled to appear at the hearing, the hearing 
will be canceled. Any person interested in attending the hearing as an 
observer or nonparticipant should contact the Office of the Secretary 
at 202-205-2000 after April 23, 2020, for information concerning 
whether the hearing will be held.
    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., July 28, 2020. All written submissions must conform to the 
provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedure (19 CFR 201.8). Section 201.8, as further explained in the 
Commission's Handbook on Filing Procedures, requires that interested 
parties file documents electronically on or before the filing deadline. 
Interested parties must 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 paragraphs for further information 
regarding confidential business information). Persons with questions 
regarding electronic filing should contact the Office of the Secretary, 
Docket Services Division (202-205-1802).
    Confidential Business Information. Any submissions that contain 
confidential business information must also conform to 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 is clearly identified by means of 
brackets. All written submissions, except for confidential business 
information, will be made available for inspection by interested 
parties.
    As requested by the Committee, the Commission will not include any 
confidential business information in the report that it sends to the 
Committee. However, all information, including confidential business 
information, submitted in this investigation may be disclosed to and 
used: (i) By the Commission, its employees and Offices, and contract 
personnel (a) for developing or maintaining the records of this or a 
related proceeding, or (b) in internal investigations, audits, reviews, 
and evaluations relating to the programs, personnel, and operations of 
the Commission including under 5 U.S.C. Appendix 3; or (ii) by U.S. 
government employees and contract personnel (a) for cybersecurity 
purposes or (b) in monitoring user activity on U.S. government 
classified networks. The Commission will not otherwise disclose any 
confidential business information in a way that would reveal the 
operations of the firm supplying the information.
    Summaries of Written Submissions: Persons wishing to have a summary 
of their position included in the report should include a summary with 
their written submission and should mark the summary as having been 
provided for that purpose. The summary should be

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clearly marked as ``summary for inclusion in the report'' at the top of 
the page. The summary may not exceed 500 words, should be in MS Word 
format or a format that can be easily converted to MS Word, and should 
not include any confidential business information. The summary will be 
published as provided if it meets these requirements and is germane to 
the subject matter of the investigation. The Commission will list the 
name of the organization furnishing the summary and will include a link 
to the Commission's Electronic Document Information System (EDIS) where 
the full written submission can be found.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: February 12, 2020.
Lisa Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2020-03191 Filed 2-18-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P