Sunshine Act Meetings; Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors, 16422-16423 [2018-07984]

Download as PDF srobinson on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES 16422 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 73 / Monday, April 16, 2018 / Notices that it was both in the public interest and consistent with the legislative intent to waive Buy America for manufactured products other than steel manufactured products. The FHWA’s national waiver for manufactured products does not apply to the requests in this notice because these involve predominately steel and iron manufactured products. The FHWA’s Buy America requirements do not have special provisions for applying Buy America to ‘‘rolling stock’’ such as vehicles or equipment (see 49 U.S.C. 5323(j)(2)(C), 49 CFR 661.11, and 49 U.S.C. 24405(a)(2)(C) for examples of Buy America rolling stock provisions for other DOT agencies). On April 18, 2017, the President issued Executive Order (E.O.) 13788— Buy American and Hire American. Section 2(a) of the E.O. 13788 establishes as a policy of the executive branch to ‘‘maximize, consistent with law. . .the use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States.’’ Section 3(b)(i) requires every agency to ‘‘assess the. . .implementation of, and compliance with Buy American Laws’’ within their jurisdictions. Section 3(b)(ii) requires agencies to assess the use of waivers within their agencies by type and impact on domestic jobs and manufacturing. Section 3(b)(iii) requires agencies to develop and propose policies to ensure that, to the extent permitted by law, Federal financial assistance awards maximize the use of materials produced in the United States. In response to these E.O. 13788 requirements, the FHWA is evaluating how to revise its Buy America policies and procedures, including the process and manner in which it decides whether to grant waivers for vehicles and equipment. This evaluation may result in delays in decisions on whether to grant Buy America waivers in the future. Although FHWA has not found manufacturers that produce vehicles and equipment in such a way that all their steel and iron elements are manufactured domestically, the Agency is evaluating the process and manner in which it considers these waivers to ensure that it is consistent with the intent and purpose of E.O. 13788. The FHWA is aware that in today’s global industry, vehicles are assembled with iron and steel components manufactured all over the world. The Agency also understands the difficulty of identifying vehicles that have 100% components made in the U.S. For example, the Chevrolet Volt, which was identified by many commenters in a November 21, 2011, Federal Register VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:42 Apr 13, 2018 Jkt 244001 Notice (76 FR 72027) as a car that is made in the United States, is comprised of only 45 percent of United States and Canadian content according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s part 583 American Automobile Labeling Act Report web page.1 There is no indication of how much of this 45 percent content is U.S. manufactured (from initial melting and mixing) iron and steel content. However, the policy behind E.O. 13788 is to help stimulate economic growth, create good jobs at decent wages, strengthen our middle class, and support the American manufacturing and defense industrial bases. Sec. 2(a), E.O. 13788. This means that FHWA Buy America policies should be interpreted and applied in a manner that fosters innovative approaches that would increase the manufacture of compliant domestic steel and iron products and consistent with 23 U.S.C. 313. Unlike other waiver requests, the requests for vehicle and equipment waivers have been for recurrent products. The products waived in the past have been of similar type and kind, yet there have been no changes in the manufacturing process to produce Buy America compliant products or products maximizing Buy America compliant content. The FHWA’s practice of approving waiver requests for these recurrent project types could be setting the expectation that FHWA will always grant waivers for these projects, discouraging innovative approaches and job creation in the domestic steel and iron industry for this sector. The FHWA is re-evaluating the process and manner in which it decides whether to grant waivers for vehicles and vehicle-related equipment. This change will not affect the approval of a waiver for vehicles and equipment received during April to December, 2016 timeframe. The projects in these lists were submitted prior to the issuance of the E.O. and have been published for informal comment consistent with the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 (Pub. L. 115–31) (see publications for December 7, 2016,2 March 21, 2017,3 and July 25, 2017 4). The FHWA received no comments in response to these publications. Because FHWA has not found domestic manufacturers that can 1 https://www.nhtsa.gov/Laws+&+Regulations/ Part+583+American+Automobile+Labeling +Act+(AALA)+Reports. 2 https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/construction/ contracts/waivers.cfm?id=139. 3 https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/construction/ contracts/waivers.cfm?id=147. 4 https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/construction/ contracts/waivers.cfm?id=153. PO 00000 Frm 00138 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 produce the vehicles and equipment identified in this notice in such a way that all their steel and iron materials are manufactured domestically, FHWA finds that a waiver of FHWA’s Buy America requirements is appropriate under the non-availability criteria (23 U.S.C. 313(b)(2) and 23 CFR 635.410(c)(2)(ii)). However, FHWA believes that it is consistent with the Buy America requirements to impose the condition that the vehicles and the vehicle components be assembled in the United States. Requiring final assembly to be performed in the United States is consistent with past guidance to FHWA Division Offices on manufactured products (see Memorandum on Buy America Policy Response, Dec. 22, 1997).5 Moreover, in today’s economic environment, the Buy America requirement is especially significant in that it will ensure that Federal-aid funds are used to support and create domestic jobs. Thus, so long as the final assembly of the 151 State projects occurs in the United States, applicants to this waiver request may proceed to purchase these vehicles and equipment. In accordance with the provisions of section 117 of the ‘‘Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, Technical Corrections Act of 2008’’ (Pub. L. 110– 244), FHWA is providing this notice of its finding that a non-availability waiver of Buy America requirements is appropriate on the condition that the vehicles and equipment identified in the notice are assembled domestically. The FHWA invites public comment on this finding for an additional 15 days following the issued date of the finding. Comments may be submitted to FHWA’s website via the link provided to the waiver page noted above. (Authority: 23 U.S.C. 313; Pub. L. 110–161, 23 CFR 635.410) Issued on: April 11, 2018. Brandye L. Hendrickson, Acting Administrator, Federal Highway Administration. [FR Doc. 2018–07901 Filed 4–11–18; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 4910–22–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Sunshine Act Meetings; Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT. AGENCY: 5 https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/ contracts/122297.cfm. E:\FR\FM\16APN1.SGM 16APN1 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 73 / Monday, April 16, 2018 / Notices Notice of Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors meeting. ACTION: The meeting will be held on April 19, 2018, from 12:00 noon. to 3:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time. PLACE: This meeting will be open to the public via conference call. Any interested person may call 1–877–422– 1931, passcode 2855443940, to listen and participate in this meeting. STATUS: Open to the public. MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: The Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors (the Board) will continue its work in developing and implementing the Unified Carrier Registration Plan and Agreement and to that end, may consider matters properly before the Board. An agenda for this meeting will be available no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, April 10, 2018 at: https://ucrplan.org. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Avelino Gutierrez, Chair, Unified Carrier Registration Board of Directors at (505) 827–4565. TIME AND DATE: Issued on: April 10, 2018. Larry W. Minor, Associate Administrator, Office of Policy, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. [FR Doc. 2018–07984 Filed 4–12–18; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Maritime Administration Small Shipyard Grant Program; Application Deadlines Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation. ACTION: Notice of Small Shipyard Grant application deadlines. AGENCY: Under the Small Shipyard Grant Program, $19,600,000 is currently available for grants for capital and related improvements to qualified shipyard facilities that will be effective in fostering efficiency, competitive operations, and quality ship construction, repair, and reconfiguration. This notice announces the intention of the Maritime Administration to provide grants to small shipyards. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 20.814. Potential applicants are advised that it is expected, based on experience, that the number of applications will far exceed the funds available and that only a small percentage of applications will be funded. It is anticipated that roughly 8–20 applications will be selected for srobinson on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:42 Apr 13, 2018 Jkt 244001 funding with an average grant amount of about $1 million. Applications must be received by the Maritime Administration by 5 p.m. EDT on May 22, 2018. Applications received later than this time will not be considered. The Administrator shall award grants not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of the Appropriations Act for the fiscal year concerned. ADDRESSES: Grant Applications should be sent to the Associate Administrator for Business and Finance Development, Room W21–318, Maritime Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. Only applicants who comply with all submission requirements described in this Notice will be eligible for award. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information concerning this notice, please contact David M. Heller, Director, Office of Shipyards and Marine Engineering, Maritime Administration, Room W21–318, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20590; phone: (202) 366–5737; or fax: (202) 366–6988. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Grants under the Maritime Administration’s Small Shipyard Grant Program may not be used to construct buildings or other physical facilities or to acquire land. Grant funds may be used for maritime training programs to foster employee skills and enhanced productivity related to shipbuilding, ship repair, and associated industries. Grants for such training programs may only be awarded to ‘‘Eligible Applicants’’ as described below, but training programs can be established through vendors to such applicants. Table of Contents A. Program Description B. Federal Award Information C. Eligibility Information D. Application and Submission Information E. Application Review F. Federal Award Administration G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts H. Other Information A. Program Description The Small Shipyard Grant Program was authorized under Section 3505 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Pub. L. 115–91), codified at 46 U.S.C. 54101. The statute authorizes the Maritime Administrator to provide assistance in the form of grants to make capital and related improvements in small shipyards and to provide training for workers in shipbuilding, ship repair, and associated industries. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, appropriated $20,000,000 to the Small Shipyard PO 00000 Frm 00139 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 16423 Grant Program. The purpose of the Program is to foster efficiency, competitive operations, and quality ship construction, repair, and reconfiguration in small shipyards across the United States in addition to fostering employee skills and enhanced productivity related to shipbuilding, ship repair, and associated industries. B. Federal Award Information Under the Small Shipyard Grant Program, $19,600,000 is available for grants for: (1) Capital and related improvements to qualified shipyard facilities that will be effective in fostering efficiency, competitive operations, and quality ship construction, repair, and reconfiguration; and (2) training projects that would be effective in fostering employee skills and enhanced productivity related to shipbuilding, ship repair, and associated industries. The Maritime Administration intends to award the full amount of the available funding through grants to the extent that there are worthy applications. No more than 25 percent of the funds available will be awarded to shipyard facilities in one geographic location that have more than 600 production employees. The Maritime Administration will seek to obtain the maximum benefit from the available funding by awarding grants to as many of the worthiest projects as possible. The Maritime Administration may partially fund applications by selecting parts of the total project. The start date and period of performance for each award will depend on the specific project and must be agreed to by the Maritime Administration. Amounts awarded as a grant under this Notice that are not expended by the recipient shall remain available to the Administrator for use for grants under this program, either in the same or different fiscal year as this Notice. C. Eligibility Information To be selected for a Small Shipyard Grant, an applicant must be an Eligible Applicant and the project must be an Eligible Project. 1. Eligible Applicants Section 54101, Title 46, United States Code, provides that shipyards can apply for grants. The shipyard facility for which a grant is sought must be in a single geographic location and may not have more than 1,200 production employees. The applicant must be the operating company of the shipyard facility. The shipyard facility must construct, repair, or reconfigure vessels 40 feet in length or greater for commercial or government use, or E:\FR\FM\16APN1.SGM 16APN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 73 (Monday, April 16, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16422-16423]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-07984]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration


Sunshine Act Meetings; Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of 
Directors

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

[[Page 16423]]


ACTION: Notice of Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors 
meeting.

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TIME AND DATE: The meeting will be held on April 19, 2018, from 12:00 
noon. to 3:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time.

PLACE: This meeting will be open to the public via conference call. Any 
interested person may call 1-877-422-1931, passcode 2855443940, to 
listen and participate in this meeting.

STATUS: Open to the public.

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: The Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board 
of Directors (the Board) will continue its work in developing and 
implementing the Unified Carrier Registration Plan and Agreement and to 
that end, may consider matters properly before the Board. An agenda for 
this meeting will be available no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight 
Time, April 10, 2018 at: https://ucrplan.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Avelino Gutierrez, Chair, Unified 
Carrier Registration Board of Directors at (505) 827-4565.

    Issued on: April 10, 2018.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator, Office of Policy, Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2018-07984 Filed 4-12-18; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P
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