Manufacturing and Services' Sustainable Manufacturing Initiative; Update, 42328-42329 [E8-16524]

Download as PDF 42328 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 140 / Monday, July 21, 2008 / Notices PWALKER on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES housing is defined as a component housing the brush assembly, and consisting of a wrapper which covers the brush assembly and two end plates attached to the wrapper; 2) a sweeper brush; 3) an aerator or dethatcher weight tray, or similar component designed to allow weights of any sort to be added to the unit; 4) a spreader hopper; 5) a rotating spreader plate or agitator, or other component designed for distributing media in a lawn spreader; 6) dethatcher tines; 7) aerator spikes, plugs, or other aerating component; or 8) a hitch. The major components or parts of lawn groomers that are individually covered by this investigation under the term ‘‘certain parts thereof’’ are: (1) brush housings, where the wrapper and end plates incorporating the brush assembly may be individual pieces or a single piece; and (2) weight trays, or similar components designed to allow weights of any sort to be added to a dethatcher or an aerator unit. The products for which relief is sought specifically exclude the following: 1) agricultural implements designed to work (e.g., churn, burrow, till, etc.) soil, such as cultivators, harrows, and plows; 2) lawn or farm carts and wagons that do not groom lawns; 3) grooming products incorporating a motor or an engine for the purpose of operating and/or propelling the lawn groomer; 4) lawn groomers that are designed to be hand held or are designed to be attached directly to the frame of a vehicle, rather than towed; 5) ‘‘push’’ lawn grooming products that incorporate a push handle rather than a hitch, and which are designed solely to be manually operated; 6) dethatchers with a net assembled weight (i.e., without packing, additional weights, or accessories) of more than 100 pounds, or lawn groomers–sweepers, aerators, and spreaders–with a net fully–assembled weight (i.e., without packing, additional weights, or accessories) of more than 200 pounds; and 7) lawn rollers designed to flatten grass and turf, including lawn rollers which incorporate an aerator component (e.g., ‘‘drum–style’’ spike aerators). The lawn groomers that are the subject of this investigation are currently classifiable in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (‘‘HTSUS’’) statistical reporting numbers 8432.40.0000, 8432.80.0000, 8432.90.0030, 8432.90.0080, VerDate Aug<31>2005 19:22 Jul 18, 2008 Jkt 214001 8479.89.9897, 8479.90.9496, and 9603.50.0000. These HTSUS provisions are given for reference and customs purposes only, and the description of merchandise is dispositive for determining the scope of the product included in this petition. [FR Doc. E8–16627 Filed 7–18–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–DS–S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Manufacturing and Services’ Sustainable Manufacturing Initiative; Update Notice of first round of regional showcase tours in support of Commerce’s Sustainable Manufacturing Initiative; request for suggestions of other cities and regions to be considered for future tours. ACTION: SUMMARY: The International Trade Administration’s Manufacturing & Services Unit is planning a new project as part of its Sustainable Manufacturing Initiative, to be known as ‘‘SMART,’’ which through a series of regional tours across the United States will showcase sustainable manufacturing practices. SMART (‘‘Sustainable Manufacturing’s American Regional Tours’’) will travel to a number of cities and regions in order to demonstrate the feasibility and viability of sustainable manufacturing practices for U.S. firms. DATES: Submit comments no later than 30 days after the date of this notice. ADDRESSES: Address all comments concerning this notice to Sustainable Manufacturing’s American Regional Tours, U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 2213, 1401 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at susmanuf@mail.doc.gov). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Morgan Barr in Manufacturing & Services’ Office of Trade Policy Analysis, 202–482–3703. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Sustainable manufacturing practices in the United States have become increasingly popular in recent years as companies look for new ways to make more efficient use of resources, ensure compliance with domestic and international regulations related to environment and health, enhance the marketability of their products and services, and last but not least, increase profitability. As the trend towards sustainable manufacturing practices grows, so do its implications for U.S. global competitiveness and firm profitability. PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 At the Department of Commerce, one of our main goals is to foster domestic and international conditions for doing business that allow U.S. firms to successfully compete as globalization evolves. Evidence has shown that firms incorporating both environmentally and economically sustainable manufacturing processes can gain competitive advantages by achieving inherent cost savings (i.e., improving their energy efficiency, minimizing raw materials usage, etc.) while at the same time reaping societal benefits for being good stewards of the environment. Many U.S. firms have demonstrated that being environmentally sustainable can also mean being more profitable. In order to provide effective and continued support to U.S. companies in their sustainable manufacturing efforts, Commerce’s Manufacturing and Services (MAS) unit has launched a Sustainable Manufacturing Initiative and public-private dialogue that aims to (a) identify U.S. industry’s most pressing sustainable manufacturing challenges and (b) facilitate public and private sector efforts to address these challenges. To help maintain and enhance forward momentum on this initiative, MAS is introducing its SMART project, which implements one of the four ‘‘next steps’’ identified by the Initiative’s participants at MAS’s September 2007 conference and enumerated in the April 2008 Federal Register notice (Vol. 73, No. 76/Friday, April 18, 2008): leading regional showcase tours to promote sustainable manufacturing. Numerous U.S. companies have voiced concerns over the lack of visibility that sustainable manufacturing receives nationwide and the lack of information U.S. manufacturers possess in this field. In order to continue spreading awareness of sustainable manufacturing’s benefits, both to U.S. global competitiveness and the environment, MAS will hold the first round of SMART cities and regions: St. Louis, MO (July 28, 2008), Grand Rapids, MI (September 3, 2008), and Rochester, NY (September 23, 2008). SMART city events will most likely include tours of local manufacturing facilities that showcase those firms that are incorporating sustainable manufacturing techniques into their production processes or have facilities that are otherwise sustainable. The goal of these tours is to demonstrate to other similarly situated firms in the area that incorporating sustainable manufacturing techniques into the production cycle is not cost-prohibitive and, in fact, can help the long-term economic viability of American manufacturers. E:\FR\FM\21JYN1.SGM 21JYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 140 / Monday, July 21, 2008 / Notices Manufacturing and Services seeks public input on possible cities and/or regions that would benefit from hosting a SMART event or firms that would be willing to demonstrate and showcase their sustainable manufacturing capabilities and practices as part of a possible SMART event in their region (SMART participants will not be paid and funding is considered on a case-bycase basis). Dated: July 14, 2008. Matthew Howard, Office of Trade Policy Analysis. [FR Doc. E8–16524 Filed 7–18–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–DR–P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary [No. DoD–2007–HA–0116] Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request PWALKER on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES ACTION: Notice. The Department of Defense has submitted to OMB for clearance, the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). DATES: Consideration will be given to all comments received by August 20, 2008. Title and OMB Number: Viability of TRICARE Standard Survey; OMB Control Number 0720–0031. Type of Request: Revision. Number of Respondents: 40,000. Responses Per Respondent: 1. Annual Responses: 40,000. Average Burden Per Response: 5 minutes. Annual Burden Hours: 3,333. Needs and Uses: As mandated by Congress, confidential surveys of civilian health care providers and beneficiaries who use TRICARE will be completed in TRICARE market areas within the United States. The provider survey will be used to determine how many providers accept new TRICARE Standard patients in each market area. Surveys will be conducted in at least 40 locations in the United States each fiscal year from 2008 to 2011. Twenty locations will be TRICARE PRIME Service Areas and twenty locations will be geographic areas where TRICARE Prime is not offered. Affected Public: Individuals and households. Frequency: On occasion. Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary. OMB Desk Officer: Mr. John Kraemer. Written comments and recommendations on the proposed VerDate Aug<31>2005 19:22 Jul 18, 2008 Jkt 214001 information collection should be sent to Mr. Kraemer at the Office of Management and Budget, Desk Officer for DoD, Room 10236, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503. You may also submit comments, identified by docket number and title, by the following method: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name, docket number and title for this Federal Register document. The general policy for comments and other submissions from members of the public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the Internet at https:// www.regulations.gov as they are received without change, including any personal identifiers or contact information. DoD Clearance Officer: Ms. Patricia Toppings. Written requests for copies of the information collection proposal should be sent to Ms. Toppings at WHS/ESD/ Information Management Division, 1777 North Kent Street, RPN, Suite 11000, Arlington, VA 22209–2133. Dated: July 11, 2008. Patricia L. Toppings, OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense. [FR Doc. E8–16595 Filed 7–18–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 5001–06–P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary [Docket No. DoD–2007–OS–0031] Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request ACTION: Notice. The Department of Defense has submitted to OMB for clearance, the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). DATES: Consideration will be given to all comments received by August 20, 2008. Title, Form, And OMB Number: Post Election Survey of Overseas Citizens and Post-Election Survey of Local Election Officials; OMB Number 0704– 0125. Type of Request: Revision. Number of Respondents: 2,167. Responses Per Respondent: 1. Annual Responses: 2,167. Average Burden Per Response: .31 hours. PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 42329 Annual Burden Hours: 672. Needs and Uses: The information collection requirement is necessary to meet a requirement of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) of 1986 [42 U.S.C. 1973ff]. UOCAVA requires a report to the President and Congress on the effectiveness of assistance under the Act, a statistical analysis of voter participation, and a description of StateFederal cooperation. Affected Public: Individuals or households; state, local, or tribal government. Frequency: Quadrennially. Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary. OMB Desk Officer: Ms. Sharon Mar. Written comments and recommendations on the proposed information collection should be sent to Ms. Mar at the Office of Management and Budget, Desk Officer for DoD, Room 10236, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503. Comments may be e-mail to Ms. Mar at Sharon_Mar@omb.eop.gov. You may also submit comments, identified by docket number and title, by the following method: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name, docket number and title for this Federal Register document. The general policy for comments and other submissions from members of the public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the Internet at https:// www.regulations.gov as they are received without change, including any personal identifiers or contact information. DoD Clearance Officer: Ms. Patricia Toppings. Written requests for copies of the information collection proposal should be sent to Ms. Toppings at WHS/ESD/ Information Management Division, 1777 North Kent Street, RPN, Suite 11000, Arlington, VA 22209–2133. Dated: July 7, 2008. Patricia L. Toppings, Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense. [FR Doc. E8–16597 Filed 7–18–08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 5001–06–P E:\FR\FM\21JYN1.SGM 21JYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 140 (Monday, July 21, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42328-42329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-16524]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Manufacturing and Services' Sustainable Manufacturing Initiative; 
Update

ACTION: Notice of first round of regional showcase tours in support of 
Commerce's Sustainable Manufacturing Initiative; request for 
suggestions of other cities and regions to be considered for future 
tours.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The International Trade Administration's Manufacturing & 
Services Unit is planning a new project as part of its Sustainable 
Manufacturing Initiative, to be known as ``SMART,'' which through a 
series of regional tours across the United States will showcase 
sustainable manufacturing practices. SMART (``Sustainable 
Manufacturing's American Regional Tours'') will travel to a number of 
cities and regions in order to demonstrate the feasibility and 
viability of sustainable manufacturing practices for U.S. firms.

DATES: Submit comments no later than 30 days after the date of this 
notice.

ADDRESSES: Address all comments concerning this notice to Sustainable 
Manufacturing's American Regional Tours, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
Room 2213, 1401 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via 
the Internet at susmanuf@mail.doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Morgan Barr in Manufacturing & 
Services' Office of Trade Policy Analysis, 202-482-3703.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Sustainable manufacturing practices in the 
United States have become increasingly popular in recent years as 
companies look for new ways to make more efficient use of resources, 
ensure compliance with domestic and international regulations related 
to environment and health, enhance the marketability of their products 
and services, and last but not least, increase profitability. As the 
trend towards sustainable manufacturing practices grows, so do its 
implications for U.S. global competitiveness and firm profitability.
    At the Department of Commerce, one of our main goals is to foster 
domestic and international conditions for doing business that allow 
U.S. firms to successfully compete as globalization evolves. Evidence 
has shown that firms incorporating both environmentally and 
economically sustainable manufacturing processes can gain competitive 
advantages by achieving inherent cost savings (i.e., improving their 
energy efficiency, minimizing raw materials usage, etc.) while at the 
same time reaping societal benefits for being good stewards of the 
environment. Many U.S. firms have demonstrated that being 
environmentally sustainable can also mean being more profitable.
    In order to provide effective and continued support to U.S. 
companies in their sustainable manufacturing efforts, Commerce's 
Manufacturing and Services (MAS) unit has launched a Sustainable 
Manufacturing Initiative and public-private dialogue that aims to (a) 
identify U.S. industry's most pressing sustainable manufacturing 
challenges and (b) facilitate public and private sector efforts to 
address these challenges.
    To help maintain and enhance forward momentum on this initiative, 
MAS is introducing its SMART project, which implements one of the four 
``next steps'' identified by the Initiative's participants at MAS's 
September 2007 conference and enumerated in the April 2008 Federal 
Register notice (Vol. 73, No. 76/Friday, April 18, 2008): leading 
regional showcase tours to promote sustainable manufacturing.
    Numerous U.S. companies have voiced concerns over the lack of 
visibility that sustainable manufacturing receives nationwide and the 
lack of information U.S. manufacturers possess in this field. In order 
to continue spreading awareness of sustainable manufacturing's 
benefits, both to U.S. global competitiveness and the environment, MAS 
will hold the first round of SMART cities and regions: St. Louis, MO 
(July 28, 2008), Grand Rapids, MI (September 3, 2008), and Rochester, 
NY (September 23, 2008).
    SMART city events will most likely include tours of local 
manufacturing facilities that showcase those firms that are 
incorporating sustainable manufacturing techniques into their 
production processes or have facilities that are otherwise sustainable. 
The goal of these tours is to demonstrate to other similarly situated 
firms in the area that incorporating sustainable manufacturing 
techniques into the production cycle is not cost-prohibitive and, in 
fact, can help the long-term economic viability of American 
manufacturers.

[[Page 42329]]

    Manufacturing and Services seeks public input on possible cities 
and/or regions that would benefit from hosting a SMART event or firms 
that would be willing to demonstrate and showcase their sustainable 
manufacturing capabilities and practices as part of a possible SMART 
event in their region (SMART participants will not be paid and funding 
is considered on a case-by-case basis).

    Dated: July 14, 2008.
Matthew Howard,
Office of Trade Policy Analysis.
[FR Doc. E8-16524 Filed 7-18-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P
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