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Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Jefferson HIDTA; and Midland and Ector OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES
Conference Room, Washington, DC Counties in Texas as additions to the TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
20408. Southwest Border HIDTA West Texas
Purpose: To solicit public reaction to Region. Generalized System of Preferences
the issues and recommendations (GSP): Import Statistics Relating to
covered in the PIDB’s recent report, The new counties are designated Competitive Need Limitations (CNLs);
‘‘Improving Declassification.’’ (See: pursuant to Office of National Drug Invitation for Public Comment on CNL
http://www.archives.gov/ Control Policy Reauthorization Act of Waivers Subject to Potential
declassification/pidb/improving- 2006 codified at 21 USCS 1706 et seq, Revocation Based on New Statutory
declassification.pdf.) to promote more effective coordination Thresholds, Possible De Minimis
This meeting will be open to the of drug control efforts. In considering Waivers, and Product Redesignations
public. However, due to space whether to designate an area under this
limitations and access procedures, the section as a High Intensity Drug AGENCY: Office of the United States
name and telephone number of Trafficking Area, the Director Trade Representative (USTR).
individuals planning to attend must be considered, in addition to such other ACTION: Notice.
submitted to the PIDB staff at the criteria the Director, ONDCP considers SUMMARY: This notice is to inform the
Information Security Oversight Office to be appropriate, the extent to which: public of the availability of full 2007
(ISOO) no later than Wednesday, March (1) The area is a significant center of calendar year import statistics relating
12, 2008. The PIDB staff will provide illegal drug production, manufacturing, to competitive need limitations (CNLs)
additional instructions for gaining importation, or distribution; (2) state under the Generalized System of
access to the location of the meeting. and local law enforcement agencies Preferences (GSP) program. Public
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lee have committed resources to respond to comments are invited and must be
H. Johnson, PIDB Staff, Information the drug trafficking problem in the area, submitted by 5 p.m., Friday, March 21,
Security Oversight Office, National thereby indicating a determination to 2008, to FR0441@USTR.EOP.GOV
Archives Building, 700 Pennsylvania respond aggressively to the problem; (3) regarding the potential revocation of
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20408, CNL waivers that meet the new
drug-related activities in the area are
telephone number (202) 357–5039. statutory thresholds set forth by section
having a significant harmful impact in
Dated: February 21, 2008. the area, and in other areas of the 503(d)(4)(B)(ii) of the Trade Act of 1974
William J. Bosanko, country; and (4) a significant increase in (19 U.S.C. 2463(d)(4)(B)(ii)), as amended
Acting Director, Information Security allocation of Federal resources is by Public Law 109–432. Additionally,
Oversight Office. necessary to respond adequately to public comments are invited and must
[FR Doc. E8–3865 Filed 2–27–08; 8:45 am] drug-related activities in the area. This be submitted by 5 p.m., Friday, March
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action will support local, state and
regarding possible de minimis CNL
Federal law enforcement officers in
waivers with respect to particular
assessing regional drug threats, articles and possible redesignations
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE designing strategies to combat the
PRESIDENT under the GSP program of articles
threats, developing initiatives to currently not eligible for GSP benefits
Office of National Drug Control Policy implement the strategies, and evaluating because they previously exceeded the
the effectiveness of their coordinated CNLs.
Designation of Twenty-six Counties as efforts.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact the GSP Subcommittee of the
ACTION: Notice. Comments and questions regarding this Trade Policy Staff Committee, Office of
notice should be directed to Ms. Cheryl the United States Trade Representative,
SUMMARY: This notice lists twenty-six 1724 F Street, NW., Room F–220,
C. Nolan, Acting Deputy Director for
counties designated as additions to the Washington, DC 20508. The telephone
State, Local and Tribal Affairs, Office of
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas number is (202) 395–6971.
National Drug Control Policy, Executive
(HIDTA) Program by the Director of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Office of National Drug Control Policy Office of the President, Washington, DC
(ONDCP). These new counties are: 20503; (202) 395–6912. I. Competitive Need Limitations
Letcher County in Kentucky and Signed at Washington, DC, this 20th day of The GSP program provides for the
Hamilton and Washington Counties in February, 2008. duty-free importation of designated
Tennessee as additions to the John P. Walters, articles when imported from designated
Appalachia HIDTA; Barrow, Bartow, Director. beneficiary developing countries
Cherokee, Clayton, Douglas, Fayette, [FR Doc. E8–3779 Filed 2–27–08; 8:45 am] (BDCs). The GSP program is authorized
Forsyth and Henry Counties in Georgia by title V of the Trade Act of 1974 (19
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and Durham, Johnston, Wake, Wayne U.S.C. 2461, et seq.), as amended (the
and Wilson Counties in North Carolina ‘‘1974 Act’’), and is implemented in
as additions to the Atlanta HIDTA; accordance with Executive Order 11888
Shasta County, California as an addition of November 24, 1975, as modified by
to the Central Valley California HIDTA; subsequent Executive Orders and
Benton, Jefferson, Pulaski and Presidential Proclamations.
Washington Counties in Arkansas as Section 503(c)(2)(A) of the 1974 Act
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
additions to the Gulf Coast HIDTA; Rock sets out the two CNLs. When the
Island County, Illinois as an addition to President determines that a BDC
the Midwest HIDTA; Chester and exported to the United States during a
Delaware Counties in Pennsylvania as calendar year either (1) a quantity of a
additions to the Philadelphia/Camden GSP-eligible article having a value in
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 40 / Thursday, February 28, 2008 / Notices 10827
excess of the applicable amount for that III. 2007 Import Statistics Articles eligible for de minimis waivers
year ($130 million for 2007), or (2) a In order to provide notice of articles are automatically considered in the GSP
quantity of a GSP-eligible article having that have exceeded the CNLs for 2007, annual review process, without
a value equal to or greater than 50 and to afford an opportunity for petitions, and public comments are
percent of the value of total U.S. imports comment regarding potential de invited.
of the article from all countries (the ‘‘50 minimis waivers, redesignations, and List III shows GSP-eligible articles
percent CNL’’), the President must the potential revocation of waivers that from certain BDCs that are currently not
terminate GSP duty-free treatment for are subject to the new CNL waiver receiving GSP duty-free treatment, but
that article from that BDC by no later thresholds provided by section that may be considered for GSP
than July 1 of the next calendar year. 503(d)(4)(B)(ii) of the 1974 Act, as redesignation based on 2007 trade data
De minimis waivers. Under section amended by Public Law 109–432, and consideration of certain statutory
503(c)(2)(F) of the 1974 Act, the import data for 2007 are available at: factors, as set forth above.
President may waive the 50 percent http://www.ustr.gov/ Recommendations to the President on
CNL with respect to an eligible article Trade_Development/ redesignations are normally made as
imported from a BDC if the value of Preference_Programs/GSP/ part of the GSP annual review process,
total imports of that article from all GSP_2007_Annual_Review/ and public comments are invited.
countries during the calendar year did Section_Index.html), titled ‘‘2007 GSP List IV shows articles subject to the
not exceed the applicable de minimis Review, Full-Year 2007 Import Statistics new CNL waiver thresholds of section
amount for that year ($18.5 million for Relating to Competitive Need 503(d)(4)(B)(ii) of the 1974 Act, as
2007). Limitations (CNLs).’’ Full 2007 calendar amended by Public Law 109–432.
Redesignations. Under section year data for individual tariff Recommendations to the President on
503(c)(2)(C) of the 1974 Act, if imports subheadings may be viewed on the Web revocation of these waivers will be
of an eligible article from a BDC ceased site of the U.S. International Trade made as part of the 2007 GSP annual
to receive duty-free treatment due to Commission at http:// review process, and public comments
exceeding a CNL in a prior year, the dataweb.usitc.gov/. are invited.
President may, subject to the The lists available on the USTR Web IV. Public Comments
considerations in sections 501 and 502 site contain, for each article, the
of the 1974 Act, redesignate such an Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the Requirements for Submissions
article for duty-free treatment if imports United States (HTSUS) subheading and All submissions must conform to the
in the most recently completed calendar BDC country of origin, the value of GSP regulations set forth at 15 CFR part
year did not exceed the CNLs. imports of the article for the 2007 2007, except as modified below.
CNL waiver revocation. Under Section calendar year, and the percentage of Furthermore, each party providing
503(d)(5) of the 1974 Act, a CNL waiver total imports of that article from all comments should indicate on the first
remains in effect until the President countries. The annotations on the lists page of the submission its name, the
determines that it is no longer indicate, among other things, the status relevant 8-digit HTSUS subheading(s),
warranted due to changed of GSP eligibility. the BDC of interest, and the type of
circumstances. Section 503(d)(4)(B)(ii) The computer-generated lists action (e.g., new statutory criteria, de
of the 1974 Act, as amended by Public published on the USTR Web site are for minimis waiver or redesignation) in
Law 109–432, also provides that, ‘‘[n]ot informational purposes only. They may which the party is interested.
later than July 1 of each year, the not include all articles to which the GSP Comments must be submitted, in
President should revoke any waiver that CNLs may apply. All determinations English, to the Chairman of the GSP
has then been in effect with respect to and decisions regarding the CNLs of the Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff
an article for 5 years or more if the GSP program will be based on full 2007 Committee (TPSC) as soon as possible,
beneficiary developing country has calendar year import data with respect but no later than 5 p.m., Friday, March
exported to the United States (directly to each GSP-eligible article. Each 21, 2008, for comments on the potential
or indirectly) during the preceding interested party is advised to conduct its revocation of CNL waivers that meet the
calendar year a quantity of the article— own review of 2007 import data with new statutory thresholds and no later
(I) having an appraised value in excess respect to the possible application of the than 5 p.m., March 28, 2008, for
of 1.5 times the applicable amount set GSP CNL provisions. comments regarding de minimis waivers
forth in subsection (c)(2)(A)(ii) for that List I on the USTR Web site shows: (a) or redesignations.
calendar year [$195 million in 2007]; or Articles from BDCs that became To facilitate prompt consideration of
(II) exceeding 75 percent of the ineligible for GSP treatment on or before submissions, USTR will only accept
appraised value of the total imports of July 1, 2007; and (b) GSP-eligible electronic e-mail submissions in
that article into the United States during articles from BDCs that exceeded a CNL response to this notice. Hand-delivered
that calendar year.’’ by having been exported in excess of submissions either by mail or other
$130 million, or by an amount greater delivery options will not be accepted.
II. Implementation of Competitive Need
than 50 percent of the total U.S. import Submissions should be single-copy
Limitations, Waivers, and
value in 2007. Petitions to grant CNL transmissions in English with the total
Redesignations
waivers for those articles that received submission not to exceed 20 single-
Exclusions from GSP duty-free GSP benefits during 2007 but stand to spaced standard letter-size pages,
treatment where CNLs have been lose GSP duty-free treatment on July 1, including attachments, and three
exceeded will be effective July 1, 2008, 2008, must have been previously megabytes as a digital file attached to an
unless granted a waiver by the submitted in the 2007 GSP Annual e-mail transmission. The e-mail
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
President. Any CNL-based exclusions, Review. transmission must use either one of the
CNL waiver revocations, and decisions List II identifies GSP-eligible articles two following subject lines, based on
with respect to de minimis waivers and from BDCs that are above the 50 percent the subject of the comment being
redesignations will be based on full CNL, but that are eligible for a de submitted: ‘‘Comments on 2007 GSP
2007 calendar year import data. minimis waiver of the 50 percent CNL. Redesignation and De minimis Waiver
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10828 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 40 / Thursday, February 28, 2008 / Notices
Review,’’ or ‘‘Comments on 2007 CNL with these instructions may not be At times, changes in Commission
Waiver Threshold Review,’’ followed by considered in this review. If unable to priorities require alterations in the
the BDC country of origin and HTSUS provide submissions by e-mail, please scheduling of meeting items.
subheading number as set out in the contact the GSP Subcommittee to For further information and to
appropriate list. Documents must be arrange for an alternative method of ascertain what, if any, matters have been
submitted as either MSWord (‘‘.doc’’), transmission. added, deleted or postponed, please
Word Perfect (‘‘.wpd’’), Adobe (‘‘.pdf’’) Public versions of all documents contact:
or text (‘‘.txt’’) files. Documents relating to this review will be available The Office of the Secretary at (202)
submitted as electronic image files or for public review approximately two 551–5400.
containing imbedded images (for weeks after the due date by appointment Dated: February 25, 2008.
example, ‘‘.jpg’’, ‘‘.tif’’, ‘‘.bmp’’, or ‘‘.gif’’ in the USTR Public Reading Room, 1724 Nancy M. Morris,
files) will not be accepted. Spreadsheets F Street, NW., Washington, DC. Secretary.
submitted as supporting documentation Availability of documents may be [FR Doc. E8–3852 Filed 2–27–08; 8:45 am]
are acceptable as Excel, pre-formatted ascertained, and appointments may be
for printing on 81⁄2 × 11 inch paper. To made from 9:30 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m.
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