Petition under Section 302 on China's Currency Valuation; Decision Not To Initiate Investigation, 46688 [E7-16455]
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 161 / Tuesday, August 21, 2007 / Notices
ISG lines 422–427, that the percentage
of ‘‘crane issue reports caused by poor
human performance’’ has increased over
time and averaged between 70–80
percent of the reports, should not be
taken to mean that human performance
is getting worse over time, and NRC
should not establish any regulatory
expectations based on such an
assumption.
Response. NRC is not adding
expectations based on these statistics
reported in NUREG–1774. NRC
recognizes there could be many factors,
known and unknown, that may be
driving the statistics. The intent of
quoting the statistics in the ISG is to
show that human performance did
contribute significantly to the rate of
load drops from cranes in the empirical
data in this hypothetical example.
To help clarify, the ISG is revised to
add the following sentence starting in
line 425: ‘‘The reason for citing this
statistic is not to imply that human
performance is deteriorating over time,
but as an indicator that human
performance does contribute
significantly to events in the empirical
data in this hypothetical example.’’
Comment 21. One commenter stated
that the statement in item 6 on ISG lines
491–493 that the NRC staff review
should look for a ‘‘rigorous
performance-monitoring program that
might compensate for elements missing
from the NUREG–1774 facilities’’ would
not be a necessary part of the LA unless
the applicant claimed better crane
reliability than the empirical data in
NUREG–1774.
Response. NRC disagrees with the
commenter. The ISG does not direct
NRC staff review to look for ‘‘ * * * a
rigorous performance-monitoring
program that might compensate for
elements missing from the NUREG–
1774 facilities.’’ ISG lines 487–493
discuss a hypothetical scenario where
there are differences, in the conditions
at the facilities from which the
empirical data were obtained, compared
to those at the GROA. The ISG lists
examples of what the LA might provide
as part of the technical basis for
whatever empirical rate(s) are chosen.
‘‘Rigorous performance-monitoring
program to account for uncertainties’’ is
just one example of justification the LA
may provide for using a particular
empirical rate (as is, or modified). This
is part of the staff review of assumptions
in the analysis, and checking for
justifiable inputs from a human
performance perspective (which the
commenter recognized is a reasonable
thing to do in the LA review).
No change to the ISG was made as a
result of this comment.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:08 Aug 20, 2007
Jkt 211001
Jon
Chen, Project Manager, Division of
High-Level Waste Repository Safety,
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and
Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555–
0001 [Telephone: (301) 492–3197; fax
number: (301) 492–3361; e-mail:
jcc2@nrc.gov]; or Robert K. Johnson,
Senior Project Manager, Division of
High-Level Waste Repository Safety,
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and
Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555–
0001 [Telephone: (301) 492–3175; fax
number: (301) 492–3361; e-mail:
rkj@nrc.gov].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 10th day
of August, 2007.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
N. King Stablein,
Chief, Project Management Branch B, Division
of High-Level Waste Repository Safety, Office
of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. E7–16456 Filed 8–20–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES
TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Petition under Section 302 on China’s
Currency Valuation; Decision Not To
Initiate Investigation
Office of the United States
Trade Representative.
ACTION: Decision not to initiate
investigation.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The United States Trade
Representative (USTR) has determined
not to initiate an investigation under
section 302 of the Trade Act of 1974
with respect to a petition addressed to
China’s currency valuation policies
because initiation of an investigation
would not be effective in addressing the
issues raised in the petition.
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 14, 2007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Terrence J. McCartin, Deputy Assistant
United States Trade Representative for
China Enforcement, (202) 395–3900; or
William Busis, Associate General
Counsel and Chairman of the Section
301 Committee, (202) 395–3150.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May
17, 2007, the Bipartisan China Currency
Action Coalition filed a petition
pursuant to section 302(a)(1) of the
Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the
Trade Act), alleging that certain acts,
policies and practices of the
Government of China with respect to the
valuation of China’s currency deny and
violate international legal rights of the
United States, are unjustifiable, and
PO 00000
Frm 00090
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
burden or restrict U.S. commerce. In
particular, the petition alleged that
China’s acts, policies, and practices that
´
maintain a fixed exchange rate vis-a-vis
the U.S. dollar have resulted in a
significant undervaluation of China’s
currency. The petition alleged that these
acts, policies and practices amount to: a
prohibited export subsidy under the
Agreement on Subsidies and
Countervailing Measures and articles VI
and XVI of the General Agreement on
Tariffs and Trade 1994 (GATT 1994);
exchange action under article XV of the
GATT 1994 that frustrates the intent of
articles I, II, III, VI, XI , and XVI of the
GATT 1994; and subsidies that are
inconsistent with China’s obligations
under articles 3, 9, and 10 of the
Agreement on Agriculture. The petition
also alleged that these acts, policies, and
practices of China violate international
legal rights of the United States under
articles IV and VIII of the Articles of
Agreement of the International
Monetary Fund, and that they burden or
restrict U.S. commerce by, among other
things, suppressing U.S. manufacturing
for domestic consumption and the
growth in U.S. exports.
On June 14, 2007, the USTR
determined not to initiate an
investigation under section 302 of the
Trade Act because, among other
reasons, an investigation would not be
effective in addressing the acts, policies,
and practices covered in the petition.
The Administration is currently
involved in efforts to address with the
Government of China the currency
valuation issues raised in the petition.
The USTR believes that initiation of an
investigation under section 302 would
hamper, rather than advance,
Administration efforts to address
China’s currency valuation policies.
William Busis,
Chairman, Section 301 Committee.
[FR Doc. E7–16455 Filed 8–20–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190–W7–P
PEACE CORPS
Volunteer Language Testing Scores
System
Peace Corps.
Notice to add a new system of
AGENCY:
ACTION:
records.
SUMMARY: As required under the Privacy
Act of 1974, (5 U.S.C. 552a), as
amended, the Peace Corps is giving
notice of a new system of records,
Volunteer Language Testing Scores
System.
E:\FR\FM\21AUN1.SGM
21AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 21, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 46688]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-16455]
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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Petition under Section 302 on China's Currency Valuation;
Decision Not To Initiate Investigation
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.
ACTION: Decision not to initiate investigation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has determined
not to initiate an investigation under section 302 of the Trade Act of
1974 with respect to a petition addressed to China's currency valuation
policies because initiation of an investigation would not be effective
in addressing the issues raised in the petition.
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 14, 2007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terrence J. McCartin, Deputy Assistant
United States Trade Representative for China Enforcement, (202) 395-
3900; or William Busis, Associate General Counsel and Chairman of the
Section 301 Committee, (202) 395-3150.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 17, 2007, the Bipartisan China
Currency Action Coalition filed a petition pursuant to section
302(a)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the Trade Act),
alleging that certain acts, policies and practices of the Government of
China with respect to the valuation of China's currency deny and
violate international legal rights of the United States, are
unjustifiable, and burden or restrict U.S. commerce. In particular, the
petition alleged that China's acts, policies, and practices that
maintain a fixed exchange rate vis-[aacute]-vis the U.S. dollar have
resulted in a significant undervaluation of China's currency. The
petition alleged that these acts, policies and practices amount to: a
prohibited export subsidy under the Agreement on Subsidies and
Countervailing Measures and articles VI and XVI of the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (GATT 1994); exchange action under
article XV of the GATT 1994 that frustrates the intent of articles I,
II, III, VI, XI , and XVI of the GATT 1994; and subsidies that are
inconsistent with China's obligations under articles 3, 9, and 10 of
the Agreement on Agriculture. The petition also alleged that these
acts, policies, and practices of China violate international legal
rights of the United States under articles IV and VIII of the Articles
of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund, and that they burden
or restrict U.S. commerce by, among other things, suppressing U.S.
manufacturing for domestic consumption and the growth in U.S. exports.
On June 14, 2007, the USTR determined not to initiate an
investigation under section 302 of the Trade Act because, among other
reasons, an investigation would not be effective in addressing the
acts, policies, and practices covered in the petition. The
Administration is currently involved in efforts to address with the
Government of China the currency valuation issues raised in the
petition. The USTR believes that initiation of an investigation under
section 302 would hamper, rather than advance, Administration efforts
to address China's currency valuation policies.
William Busis,
Chairman, Section 301 Committee.
[FR Doc. E7-16455 Filed 8-20-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W7-P
