Request for Comments on Potential Import Prohibitions on Certain Products From the People's Republic of China Pursuant to the Pelly Amendment, 83073-83075 [2024-23639]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 199 / Tuesday, October 15, 2024 / Notices
Pa.; Consumptive Use of Up to 7.5000
mgd; Approval Date: September 26,
2024.
12. RENEWAL—Coterra Energy Inc.;
Pad ID: ChudleighW P1; ABR–
201908005.R1; Springville Township,
Susquehanna County, Pa.; Consumptive
Use of Up to 5.0000 mgd; Approval
Date: September 26, 2024.
13. RENEWAL—Coterra Energy Inc.;
Pad ID: PowersN P2; ABR–
201908008.R1; Middletown Township,
Susquehanna County, Pa.; Consumptive
Use of Up to 5.0000 mgd; Approval
Date: September 26, 2024.
14. RENEWAL—Diversified
Production LLC; Pad ID: Hurd; ABR–
20090802.R3; Ferguson Township,
Clearfield County, Pa.; Consumptive
Use of Up to 3.0000 mgd; Approval
Date: September 26, 2024.
15. RENEWAL—Repsol Oil & Gas
USA, LLC; Pad ID: THOMAS (01 038)
FT; ABR–20090524.R3; Troy Township,
Bradford County, Pa.; Consumptive Use
of Up to 6.0000 mgd; Approval Date:
September 26, 2024.
16. RENEWAL—SWN Production
Company, LLC; Pad ID: PU–BB-PricePad; ABR–201908012.R1; Lenox
Township, Susquehanna County, Pa.;
Consumptive Use of Up to 4.9990 mgd;
Approval Date: September 26, 2024.
17. RENEWAL—SWN Production
Company, LLC; Pad ID: RU–72–
FOLKVARD–PAD; ABR–201908011.R1;
Jackson Township, Susquehanna
County, Pa.; Consumptive Use of Up to
4.9990 mgd; Approval Date: September
26, 2024.
18. RENEWAL—Chesapeake
Appalachia, L.L.C.; Pad ID: Hunsinger;
ABR–20090905.R3; Rush Township,
Susquehanna County, Pa.; Consumptive
Use of Up to 7.5000 mgd; Approval
Date: September 27, 2024.
19. RENEWAL—Chesapeake
Appalachia, L.L.C.; Pad ID: Martin;
ABR–20090906.R3; Granville Township,
Bradford County, Pa.; Consumptive Use
of Up to 7.5000 mgd; Approval Date:
September 27, 2024.
20. RENEWAL—Chesapeake
Appalachia, L.L.C.; Pad ID: Sharer;
ABR–20090913.R3; Stevens Township,
Bradford County, Pa.; Consumptive Use
of Up to 7.5000 mgd; Approval Date:
September 27, 2024.
Authority: Public Law 91–575, 84
Stat. 1509 et seq., 18 CFR parts 806 and
808.
Dated: October 9, 2024.
Jason E. Oyler,
General Counsel and Secretary to the
Commission.
[FR Doc. 2024–23734 Filed 10–11–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7040–01–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:35 Oct 11, 2024
Jkt 265001
SUSQUEHANNA RIVER BASIN
COMMISSION
General Permit Notice
Susquehanna River Basin
Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
This notice lists General
Permits approved by the Susquehanna
River Basin Commission during the
period set forth in DATES.
DATES: September 1–30, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Susquehanna River Basin
Commission, 4423 North Front Street,
Harrisburg, PA 17110–1788.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jason E. Oyler, General Counsel and
Secretary to the Commission, telephone:
(717) 238–0423, ext. 1312; fax (717)
238–2436; email: joyler@srbc.gov.
Regular mail inquiries may be sent to
the above address.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
notice lists General Permits for projects,
described below, pursuant to 18 CFR
806.17(c)(4), for the time period
specified above.
1. Caernarvon Township Authority—
Well 8, General Permit Approval of
Coverage No. GP–02–20240908,
Caernarvon Township, Berks County,
Pa.; emergency/maintenance operations
approved up to 0.673 mgd (30-day
average); Approval Date: September 12,
2024.
Authority: Public Law 91–575, 84
Stat. 1509 et seq., 18 CFR parts 806 and
808.
SUMMARY:
Dated: October 9, 2024.
Jason E. Oyler,
General Counsel and Secretary to the
Commission.
[FR Doc. 2024–23733 Filed 10–11–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7040–01–P
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES
TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[Docket Number USTR–2024–0019]
Request for Comments on Potential
Import Prohibitions on Certain
Products From the People’s Republic
of China Pursuant to the Pelly
Amendment
Office of the United States
Trade Representative (USTR); U.S.
Department of State (State); U.S.
Department of the Interior (Interior).
ACTION: Request for comments.
AGENCIES:
PO 00000
Frm 00105
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
83073
Following from the United
States’ certification of the People’s
Republic of China (PRC) under the Pelly
Amendment, the President is
considering various import prohibition
options on the basis that PRC nationals
are engaging in trade or taking of
pangolins that diminishes the
effectiveness of the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES). To inform the President’s
decision-making, USTR, State, and
Interior are seeking public comments
concerning whether to impose import
prohibitions and what the scope and
product coverage of any import
prohibitions should be. Neither this
notice nor any information that the
requesting agencies provide to inform
the President’s decision constitutes or
reflects any final decision.
DATES: Submit comments no later than
November 14, 2024.
ADDRESSES: USTR, State, and Interior
strongly prefer electronic submissions
made through the Federal eRulemaking
Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. See
the submission instructions below. The
Docket Number is USTR–2024–0019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
information regarding the Pelly
Amendment certification of the PRC,
contact Naimah Aziz, Head, Division of
Management Authority, International
Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
at 703.358.2028, fwsrfipelly@fws.gov.
For trade-related information, contact
Amanda Mayhew, Deputy Assistant
U.S. Trade Representative, USTR
Environment & Natural Resources, at
202.395.9629, amanda.b.mayhew@
ustr.eop.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
I. Background
On November 3, 2023, the President
notified Congress of the Secretary of the
Interior’s certification, pursuant to
section 8(b) of the Fishermen’s
Protective Act of 1967, as amended (the
Pelly Amendment) (22 U.S.C. 1978),
that PRC nationals are engaging in trade
or taking of all eight species of
pangolins that diminishes the
effectiveness of CITES. Since 2017, all
species of pangolin have been included
in Appendix I of CITES, which lists
species threatened with extinction that
are or may be affected by trade. With
limited exceptions, CITES prohibits
international trade for primarily
commercial purposes in Appendix Ilisted species. Despite this prohibition,
the PRC remains the largest destination
country for pangolin scales. All eight
species of pangolins are threatened with
extinction primarily due to the ongoing
E:\FR\FM\15OCN1.SGM
15OCN1
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
83074
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 199 / Tuesday, October 15, 2024 / Notices
demand for their body parts, including
scales, for medicinal purposes and
consumption, according to the
International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened
Species.
In his notification to Congress on
November 3, the President reported that,
although the PRC has taken some steps
to curtail pangolin trafficking, concerns
remain about the significant demand for
pangolin scales in the PRC and its
domestic system, which allows for the
legal commercial trade of pangolin
scales for medicinal use from national
stockpiles. The President further stated
that the PRC must do more to close
domestic markets for pangolins and
pangolin specimens that provide cover
for the illegal market (one of the actions
that the CITES Parties recently amended
Resolution Conf. 17.10 (CoP19)
Conservation and Trade in Pangolins to
include). Without further actions by the
PRC to address these conservation
threats to pangolins, the President’s
notification stated ‘‘it is likely that
pangolin populations will continue to
decline, bringing the species closer to
extinction.’’ Given the complexity of
this issue, the President determined it
appropriate to proceed with additional
discussions, a routine process for
nations certified under the Pelly
Amendment, between the United States
and the PRC. The PRC’s actions taken to
date have been insufficient to lift the
certification.
Pursuant to the Pelly Amendment (22
U.S.C. 1978(a)(5)), the President now is
considering whether to direct the
Secretary of the Treasury to prohibit the
importation of certain products from the
PRC into the United States. To that end,
the President seeks the advice of USTR,
State and Interior to evaluate the scope
and implications of potential import
prohibitions. The President’s
determination may be informed by
public comments received in response
to this notice, and any progress made by
the PRC in implementing CITES
measures.
U.S. authorities will continue to
review the facts underlying the
certification and engage with the PRC to
effect meaningful results in the effort to
conserve pangolin populations and
eliminate illegal trade in pangolins. Any
import prohibitions ultimately imposed
by the President would remain in effect
until the President determines that they
no longer are appropriate or until the
Secretary of the Interior, in consultation
with the Secretary of State, determines
that the reasons for which the Pelly
Amendment certification was made no
longer prevail and terminates the
certification. Neither this notice nor any
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:35 Oct 11, 2024
Jkt 265001
information that USTR, State and
Interior provide to inform the
President’s decision constitutes or
reflects any final decision.
II. Public Comment
USTR, State and Interior invite
interested persons to submit comments
concerning whether and what import
prohibition is appropriate, specifically
regarding economic and environmental
effects of any such prohibitions,
including:
• Whether to prohibit the importation
of any product(s) of the PRC pursuant to
the certification under the Pelly
Amendment that PRC nationals are
engaging in trade or taking of pangolins
that diminishes the effectiveness of
CITES.
• What product(s) to prohibit.
• The degree to which prohibiting the
importation of any particular product
might have a positive or negative
economic or environmental effect.
• Actions other than import
prohibitions that would help bring
about an end to illegal trade in these
imperiled species.
Comments should include sufficient
information, such as scientific journal
articles or other publications, to allow
verification of any scientific or
commercial information submitted.
Submissions including supporting
information will be of greater assistance
than submissions merely stating support
for, or opposition to, a particular
recommended action.
III. Requirements for Submissions
To be assured of consideration,
submit your written comments by the
November 14, 2024 deadline. All
submissions must be in English. USTR,
State and Interior strongly encourages
submissions via regulations.gov, using
Docket Number USTR–2024–0019.
USTR will not accept hand-delivered
submissions. To make a submission via
regulations.gov, enter docket number
USTR–2024–0019 on the home page and
click ‘search.’ The site will provide a
search-results page listing all documents
associated with this docket. Find a
reference to this notice by selecting
‘notice’ under ‘document type’ and click
in the ‘refine document results’ section
on the left side of the screen and click
on the link entitled ‘comment.’
Regulations.gov allows users to submit
comments by filling in a ‘type comment’
field, or by attaching a document using
an ‘upload file’ field. USTR prefers that
you provide submissions in an in an
attached document and note ‘see
attached’ in the ‘comment’ field on the
online submission form.
PO 00000
Frm 00106
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
USTR, State and Interior prefer
submissions in Microsoft Word (.doc) or
Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). If you use an
application other than those two, please
indicate the name of the application in
the ‘type comment’ field.
On the first page of the submission,
identify the subject matter of the
comment as ‘‘Request for Comments on
Potential Import Prohibitions on Certain
Products from the People’s Republic of
China Pursuant to the Pelly
Amendment’’. File names should reflect
the name of the person or entity
submitting the comments. Please do not
attach separate cover letters, exhibits,
annexes or other attachments to
electronic submissions. Instead, to the
extent possible, please include these in
the same file as the submission itself.
Submissions should not exceed 30
single-spaced, standard letter-size pages
in 12-point type, including attachments.
You will receive a tracking number
upon completion of the submission
procedure at Regulations.gov. The
tracking number is confirmation that
Regulations.gov received your
submission. Keep the confirmation for
your records.
USTR is not able to provide technical
assistance for Regulations.gov. For
further information on using
Regulations.gov, please consult the
resources provided on the website by
clicking on ‘How to Use
Regulations.gov’ on the bottom of the
home page. USTR may not consider
submissions that are not made in
accordance with these instructions.
If you are unable to submit comments
as requested, please contact Amanda
Mayhew, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade
Representative, USTR Environment &
Natural Resources, at 202.395.9629,
amanda.b.mayhew@ustr.eop.gov, before
transmitting a comment and in advance
of the deadline to arrange for an
alternative method of transmission.
General information concerning USTR
is available at https://www.ustr.gov.
IV. Business Confidential Information
(BCI) Submissions
If you ask information you submit to
be treated as BCI, you must certify that
the information is business confidential
and you would not customarily release
it to the public. For any comments
submitted electronically containing BCI,
the file name of the business
confidential version should begin with
the characters ‘BCI.’ You must clearly
mark any page containing BCI with
‘BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL’ at the top
of that page. Additionally, you must
include ‘Business Confidential’ in the
‘type comment’ field. Filers of
submissions containing BCI also must
E:\FR\FM\15OCN1.SGM
15OCN1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 199 / Tuesday, October 15, 2024 / Notices
submit a public version of their
submission that will be placed in the
docket for public inspection. The file
name of the public version should begin
with the character ‘P.’ The TPSC will
post the non-confidential version in the
docket and it will be open to public
inspection.
V. Public Viewing of Review
Submissions
Written submissions will be posted in
the docket for public inspection, except
properly designated BCI. You can view
submissions at regulations.gov by
entering Docket Number USTR–2024–
0019 in the search field on the home
page.
Amanda Mayhew,
Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative
for Environment and Natural Resources,
Office of the United States Trade
Representative.
Matthew Strickler,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and
Wildlife and Parks, U.S. Department of the
Interior.
Scott B. Ticknor,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environment,
Acting U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2024–23639 Filed 10–11–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290–F4–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Notice of Final Federal Agency Actions
on Proposed Transportation Project in
Florida
Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of limitation on claims
for judicial review.
AGENCY:
The FHWA, on behalf of the
FDOT, is issuing this notice to
announce actions taken by FDOT and
other Federal Agencies that are final
agency actions. These actions relate to
the proposed Truck Parking—Central
Florida Corridor: Osceola County Site
(Financial Management Number
446445–5). The Osceola County Site is
located along the south side of County
Road (CR) 532 (Osceola Polk Line Road),
approximately 3.87 miles east of the
Interstate 4 (I–4) interchange with CR
532 within Osceola County. The site
will supply 234 truck parking spaces; a
centralized restroom building with
restroom facilities, vending machines,
and an office for security staff. The
recommended site will provide needed
truck parking facilities to address
existing truck parking deficiencies and
accommodate future truck parking
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:35 Oct 11, 2024
Jkt 265001
demand within or near the I–4 corridor.
These actions grant licenses, permits, or
approvals for the project.
DATES: By this notice, the FHWA, on
behalf of FDOT, is advising the public
of final agency actions subject to 23
U.S.C. 139(l)(1). A claim seeking
judicial review of the Federal Agency
actions on the listed highway project
will be barred unless the claim is filed
on or before March 14, 2025. If the
Federal law that authorizes judicial
review of a claim provides a time period
of less than 150 days for filing such
claim, then that shorter time period still
applies.
ADDRESSES: The Type 2 Categorical
Exclusion and additional project
documents can be viewed and
downloaded from the project website at:
https://www.cflroads.com/project/
446445-5, or by contacting FDOT Office
of Environmental Management, 605
Suwannee Street, MS 37, Tallahassee,
Florida 32399, during normal business
hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern
Standard Time), Monday through
Friday, except State holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jennifer Marshall, P.E., Director, FDOT
Office of Environmental Management,
FDOT; telephone (850) 414–4316; email:
Jennifer.Marshall@dot.state.fl.us.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Effective
December 14, 2016, and as subsequently
renewed on May 26, 2022, the FHWA
assigned, and the FDOT assumed,
environmental responsibilities for this
project pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327.
Notice is hereby given that FDOT and
other Federal Agencies have taken final
agency actions subject to 23 U.S.C.
139(l)(1) by issuing licenses, permits, or
approvals for the proposed
improvement highway project. The
actions by FDOT and other Federal
Agencies on the project, and the laws
under which such actions were taken
are described in the Type 2 Categorical
Exclusion approved on August 5, 2024,
and in other project records for the
listed project. The Type 2 Categorical
Exclusion and other documents for the
listed project are available by contacting
FDOT at the address provided above.
The project subject to this notice is:
Project Location: Osceola County Site
is a new truck parking facility located
approximately 3.87 miles east of the I–
4 interchange with County Road (CR)
532 (Osceola Polk Line Road) within
Osceola County along the south side of
CR 532.
Project Actions: This notice applies to
the Type 2 Categorical Exclusion and all
other Federal Agency licenses, permits,
or approvals for the listed project as of
the issuance date of this notice and all
PO 00000
Frm 00107
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
83075
laws under which such actions were
taken, including but not limited to:
1. General: National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) [42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq.]; Federal-Aid Highway Act (FAHA)
[23 U.S.C. 109 and 23 U.S.C. 128]; 23
CFR part 771.
2. Air: Clean Air Act (CAA) [42 U.S.C.
7401–7671(q)], with the exception of
project level conformity determinations
[42 U.S.C. 7506].
3. Noise: Noise Control Act of 1972
[42 U.S.C. 4901–4918]; 23 CFR part 772.
4. Land: Section 4(f) of the
Department of Transportation Act of
1966 [23 U.S.C. 138 and 49 U.S.C. 303];
23 CFR part 774; Land and Water
Conservation Fund (LWCF) [54 U.S.C.
200302–200310].
5. Wildlife: Endangered Species Act
(ESA) [16 U.S.C. 1531–1544 and 1536];
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MPPA)
[16 U.S.C. 1361–1423h], Anadromous
Fish Conservation Act [16 U.S.C.
757(a)–757(f)]; Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act [16 U.S.C. 661–
667(d)]; Migratory Bird Treaty Act
(MBTA) [16 U.S.C. 703–712];
Magnuson-Stevenson Fishery
Conservation and Management Act of
1976 (MSA), as amended [16 U.S.C.
1801–1891d], with Essential Fish
Habitat (EFH) requirements [16 U.S.C.
1855(b)(2)].
6. Historic and Cultural Resources:
Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA), as
amended [54 U.S.C. 3006101 et seq.];
Archaeological Resources Protection Act
of 1979 (ARPA) [16 U.S.C. 470(aa)–
470(II)]; Preservation of Historical and
Archaeological Data [54 U.S.C. 312501–
312508]; Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act
(NAGPRA) [25 U.S.C. 3001–3013; 18
U.S.C. 1170].
7. Social and Economic: Civil Rights
Act of 1964 [42 U.S.C. 2000 d–2000d–
1]; American Indian Religious Freedom
Act (AIRFA) [42 U.S.C. 1996]; Farmland
Protection Policy Act (FPPA) [7 U.S.C.
4201–4209].
8. Wetlands and Water Resources:
Clean Water Act (CWA) (section 319,
section 401, section 404) [33 U.S.C.
1251–1387]; Coastal Barriers Resources
Act (CBRA) [16 U.S.C. 3501–3510];
Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA)
[16 U.S.C. 1451–1466]; Safe Drinking
Water Act (SDWA) [42 U.S.C. 300f–
300j–26]; Rivers and Harbors Act of
1899 [33 U.S.C. 401–406]; Wild and
Scenic Rivers Act [16 U.S.C. 1271–
1287]; Emergency Wetlands Resources
Act [16 U.S.C. 3921, 3931]; Wetlands
Mitigation, [23 U.S.C. 119(g) and
133(b)(3)]; Flood Disaster Protection Act
[42 U.S.C. 4001–4130].
E:\FR\FM\15OCN1.SGM
15OCN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 199 (Tuesday, October 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 83073-83075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-23639]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
[Docket Number USTR-2024-0019]
Request for Comments on Potential Import Prohibitions on Certain
Products From the People's Republic of China Pursuant to the Pelly
Amendment
AGENCIES: Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR); U.S.
Department of State (State); U.S. Department of the Interior
(Interior).
ACTION: Request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Following from the United States' certification of the
People's Republic of China (PRC) under the Pelly Amendment, the
President is considering various import prohibition options on the
basis that PRC nationals are engaging in trade or taking of pangolins
that diminishes the effectiveness of the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). To inform
the President's decision-making, USTR, State, and Interior are seeking
public comments concerning whether to impose import prohibitions and
what the scope and product coverage of any import prohibitions should
be. Neither this notice nor any information that the requesting
agencies provide to inform the President's decision constitutes or
reflects any final decision.
DATES: Submit comments no later than November 14, 2024.
ADDRESSES: USTR, State, and Interior strongly prefer electronic
submissions made through the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. See the submission instructions below. The Docket
Number is USTR-2024-0019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding the Pelly
Amendment certification of the PRC, contact Naimah Aziz, Head, Division
of Management Authority, International Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, at 703.358.2028, [email protected]. For trade-related
information, contact Amanda Mayhew, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade
Representative, USTR Environment & Natural Resources, at 202.395.9629,
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
On November 3, 2023, the President notified Congress of the
Secretary of the Interior's certification, pursuant to section 8(b) of
the Fishermen's Protective Act of 1967, as amended (the Pelly
Amendment) (22 U.S.C. 1978), that PRC nationals are engaging in trade
or taking of all eight species of pangolins that diminishes the
effectiveness of CITES. Since 2017, all species of pangolin have been
included in Appendix I of CITES, which lists species threatened with
extinction that are or may be affected by trade. With limited
exceptions, CITES prohibits international trade for primarily
commercial purposes in Appendix I-listed species. Despite this
prohibition, the PRC remains the largest destination country for
pangolin scales. All eight species of pangolins are threatened with
extinction primarily due to the ongoing
[[Page 83074]]
demand for their body parts, including scales, for medicinal purposes
and consumption, according to the International Union for Conservation
of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
In his notification to Congress on November 3, the President
reported that, although the PRC has taken some steps to curtail
pangolin trafficking, concerns remain about the significant demand for
pangolin scales in the PRC and its domestic system, which allows for
the legal commercial trade of pangolin scales for medicinal use from
national stockpiles. The President further stated that the PRC must do
more to close domestic markets for pangolins and pangolin specimens
that provide cover for the illegal market (one of the actions that the
CITES Parties recently amended Resolution Conf. 17.10 (CoP19)
Conservation and Trade in Pangolins to include). Without further
actions by the PRC to address these conservation threats to pangolins,
the President's notification stated ``it is likely that pangolin
populations will continue to decline, bringing the species closer to
extinction.'' Given the complexity of this issue, the President
determined it appropriate to proceed with additional discussions, a
routine process for nations certified under the Pelly Amendment,
between the United States and the PRC. The PRC's actions taken to date
have been insufficient to lift the certification.
Pursuant to the Pelly Amendment (22 U.S.C. 1978(a)(5)), the
President now is considering whether to direct the Secretary of the
Treasury to prohibit the importation of certain products from the PRC
into the United States. To that end, the President seeks the advice of
USTR, State and Interior to evaluate the scope and implications of
potential import prohibitions. The President's determination may be
informed by public comments received in response to this notice, and
any progress made by the PRC in implementing CITES measures.
U.S. authorities will continue to review the facts underlying the
certification and engage with the PRC to effect meaningful results in
the effort to conserve pangolin populations and eliminate illegal trade
in pangolins. Any import prohibitions ultimately imposed by the
President would remain in effect until the President determines that
they no longer are appropriate or until the Secretary of the Interior,
in consultation with the Secretary of State, determines that the
reasons for which the Pelly Amendment certification was made no longer
prevail and terminates the certification. Neither this notice nor any
information that USTR, State and Interior provide to inform the
President's decision constitutes or reflects any final decision.
II. Public Comment
USTR, State and Interior invite interested persons to submit
comments concerning whether and what import prohibition is appropriate,
specifically regarding economic and environmental effects of any such
prohibitions, including:
Whether to prohibit the importation of any product(s) of
the PRC pursuant to the certification under the Pelly Amendment that
PRC nationals are engaging in trade or taking of pangolins that
diminishes the effectiveness of CITES.
What product(s) to prohibit.
The degree to which prohibiting the importation of any
particular product might have a positive or negative economic or
environmental effect.
Actions other than import prohibitions that would help
bring about an end to illegal trade in these imperiled species.
Comments should include sufficient information, such as scientific
journal articles or other publications, to allow verification of any
scientific or commercial information submitted. Submissions including
supporting information will be of greater assistance than submissions
merely stating support for, or opposition to, a particular recommended
action.
III. Requirements for Submissions
To be assured of consideration, submit your written comments by the
November 14, 2024 deadline. All submissions must be in English. USTR,
State and Interior strongly encourages submissions via regulations.gov,
using Docket Number USTR-2024-0019. USTR will not accept hand-delivered
submissions. To make a submission via regulations.gov, enter docket
number USTR-2024-0019 on the home page and click `search.' The site
will provide a search-results page listing all documents associated
with this docket. Find a reference to this notice by selecting `notice'
under `document type' and click in the `refine document results'
section on the left side of the screen and click on the link entitled
`comment.' Regulations.gov allows users to submit comments by filling
in a `type comment' field, or by attaching a document using an `upload
file' field. USTR prefers that you provide submissions in an in an
attached document and note `see attached' in the `comment' field on the
online submission form.
USTR, State and Interior prefer submissions in Microsoft Word
(.doc) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). If you use an application other than
those two, please indicate the name of the application in the `type
comment' field.
On the first page of the submission, identify the subject matter of
the comment as ``Request for Comments on Potential Import Prohibitions
on Certain Products from the People's Republic of China Pursuant to the
Pelly Amendment''. File names should reflect the name of the person or
entity submitting the comments. Please do not attach separate cover
letters, exhibits, annexes or other attachments to electronic
submissions. Instead, to the extent possible, please include these in
the same file as the submission itself. Submissions should not exceed
30 single-spaced, standard letter-size pages in 12-point type,
including attachments.
You will receive a tracking number upon completion of the
submission procedure at Regulations.gov. The tracking number is
confirmation that Regulations.gov received your submission. Keep the
confirmation for your records.
USTR is not able to provide technical assistance for
Regulations.gov. For further information on using Regulations.gov,
please consult the resources provided on the website by clicking on
`How to Use Regulations.gov' on the bottom of the home page. USTR may
not consider submissions that are not made in accordance with these
instructions.
If you are unable to submit comments as requested, please contact
Amanda Mayhew, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative, USTR
Environment & Natural Resources, at 202.395.9629,
[email protected], before transmitting a comment and in
advance of the deadline to arrange for an alternative method of
transmission.
General information concerning USTR is available at https://www.ustr.gov.
IV. Business Confidential Information (BCI) Submissions
If you ask information you submit to be treated as BCI, you must
certify that the information is business confidential and you would not
customarily release it to the public. For any comments submitted
electronically containing BCI, the file name of the business
confidential version should begin with the characters `BCI.' You must
clearly mark any page containing BCI with `BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL' at
the top of that page. Additionally, you must include `Business
Confidential' in the `type comment' field. Filers of submissions
containing BCI also must
[[Page 83075]]
submit a public version of their submission that will be placed in the
docket for public inspection. The file name of the public version
should begin with the character `P.' The TPSC will post the non-
confidential version in the docket and it will be open to public
inspection.
V. Public Viewing of Review Submissions
Written submissions will be posted in the docket for public
inspection, except properly designated BCI. You can view submissions at
regulations.gov by entering Docket Number USTR-2024-0019 in the search
field on the home page.
Amanda Mayhew,
Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Environment and Natural
Resources, Office of the United States Trade Representative.
Matthew Strickler,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, U.S.
Department of the Interior.
Scott B. Ticknor,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environment, Acting U.S. Department of
State.
[FR Doc. 2024-23639 Filed 10-11-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F4-P
