82_FR_61609 82 FR 61362 - New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Corporation-Acquisition and Operation Exemption-Public Belt Railroad Commission of the City of New Orleans

82 FR 61362 - New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Corporation-Acquisition and Operation Exemption-Public Belt Railroad Commission of the City of New Orleans

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 247 (December 27, 2017)

Page Range61362-61363
FR Document2017-27931

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 247 (Wednesday, December 27, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61362-61363]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27931]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

[Docket No. FD 36149]


New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Corporation--Acquisition and 
Operation Exemption--Public Belt Railroad Commission of the City of New 
Orleans

    On November 22, 2017, New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Corporation 
(NOPB Corp.),\1\ a noncarrier, filed a verified notice of exemption 
under 49 CFR 1150.31 to acquire from the Public Belt Railroad 
Commission of the City of New Orleans (Public Belt), and operate 
approximately 26.7 miles of rail line and approximately 10.25 miles of 
assigned trackage rights pursuant to a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement 
(Agreement) to be entered into by NOPB Corp., Public Belt, the City of 
New Orleans (the City), and the Port. On December 11, 2017, the Board 
issued a decision holding this proceeding in abeyance and requesting 
supplemental information from NOPB Corp. NOPB Corp. provided that 
information on December 18, 2017.
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    \1\ NOPB Corp. is a newly-formed public non-profit corporation 
and subsidiary of the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New 
Orleans (the Port).
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    NOPB Corp. describes the lines and trackage rights it seeks to 
acquire as follows:
    1. The Public Belt main line from the connection with BNSF Railway 
Company (BNSF) and Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) at milepost J8.3 
at West Bridge Junction in Avondale, La. to milepost J1.1 at Southport 
Junction in Jefferson, La. and from milepost J0.3 at Lampert Junction 
in Jefferson to milepost J0.0 at the Jefferson/Orleans Parish, La. 
border, a total distance of approximately 7.5 miles in two sections 
connected by the overhead trackage rights described in Segment #6 
below. The West Belt Junction-Southport Junction section of this 
Segment #1 includes the Huey P. Long Bridge.
    2. The Public Belt main line from a milepost equation at the 
Jefferson/Orleans Parish border where milepost J0.0 = milepost 0.26 to 
the connection with CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT) at milepost 14.2 at 
Almonaster in New Orleans, a distance of approximately 13.94 miles.
    3. The Burma West Lead in New Orleans from milepost 14.2 at 
Almonaster to the end of track at milepost 15.3, a distance of 
approximately 1.1 miles.
    4. The Burma East Lead in New Orleans from the connection with CSXT 
at milepost 14.4 east of the Industrial Canal to the end of track at 
milepost 16.3, a distance of approximately 1.9 miles.
    5. The Bulk Terminal Lead in New Orleans from the connection with 
CSXT at milepost G0.0 east of the Industrial Canal to milepost G1.5, a 
distance of approximately 1.5 miles.
    6. Overhead trackage rights on Illinois Central Railroad Company 
(IC) from IC milepost 449.9 at East Bridge Junction in Shrewsbury, La. 
through Southport Junction (Public Belt milepost J1.1) to IC milepost 
921.14 at Lampert Junction (Public Belt milepost J0.3), a distance of 
approximately 2.6 miles.\2\ There is a milepost equation a Southport 
Junction, where IC milepost 451.7=IC milepost 921.9.
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    \2\ See New Orleans Pub. Belt R.R.--Trackage Rights Exemption--
Ill. Cent. R.R., FD 33182 (STB served Oct. 30, 1996). The eastern 
segment of these trackage rights, from Southport Junction to Lampert 
Junction, connects the two sections of Public Belt's main line 
described in Segment #1 above. The western segment of the trackage 
rights, from East Bridge Junction to Southport Junction, is adjacent 
to and north of Public Belt's main line between those points.
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    7. Overhead trackage rights on IC from IC Station 120+0.00 (Public 
Belt milepost 3.4) at Nashville Avenue to IC Station 175+68.09 (Public 
Belt milepost 4.4) at Valence Street in New Orleans, including the 
connection to the NOPB locomotive maintenance facility lead track at IC 
Station 163+80.0 (Public Belt milepost 4.2) near Upperline Street, a 
distance of approximately 1.05 miles.\3\
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    \3\ See Ill. Cent. R.R.--Joint Relocation Project Exemption--in 
New Orleans, La., FD 33533 (STB served January 16, 1998); Ill. Cent. 
R.R.--Joint Relocation Project Exemption--in New Orleans, La., FD 
32598 (ICC served Nov. 16, 1994). These trackage rights are parallel 
to Public Belt's main line described in Segment #2 above and serve 
as a bypass around Cotton Warehouse Yard.
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    8. Overhead trackage rights on CSXT from the connection with 
Segment #2 at CSXT milepost 801.5 at Almonaster in New Orleans across 
the Port-owned Industrial Canal bridge to the connections with Segments 
#4 and #5 at CSXT milepost 801.2 in New Orleans, a distance of 
approximately 0.3 miles.
    9. Temporary overhead trackage rights on IC from IC milepost 906.4 
at East Bridge Junction in Shrewsbury to IC Milepost 900.8 at Orleans 
Junction in New Orleans and from IC milepost 444.2 at Orleans Junction 
to IC milepost 443.5 at Frellsen Junction in New Orleans, a distance of 
approximately 6.3 miles.\4\
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    \4\ See New Orleans Pub. Belt R.R.--Temp. Trackage Rights 
Exemption--Ill. Cent. R.R., FD 36067 (STB served Oct. 14, 2016 and 
Jan. 30, 2017). NOPB Corp. acknowledges that it will be subject to 
employee protective conditions imposed in New Orleans Public Belt 
Railroad--Temporary Trackage Rights Exemption--Illinois Central 
Railroad, FD 36067 (STB served Oct. 14, 2016).
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    NOPB Corp. will also acquire Public Belt's ownership or operating 
interests in all yard, industry, wharf, and lead tracks associated with 
the above line segments, including the Southern Recycling Lead, East 
Bridge Yard, Pacific Fruit Express Yard, Cotton Warehouse Yard, Race 
Yard, French Market Station, Pauline Yard, Claiborne Yard, France Yard, 
North Bulk Terminal Yard, and South Bulk Terminal Yard. Upon completion 
of the transaction, NOPB Corp. will be a Class III switching and 
terminal railroad and will continue to provide local and intermediate 
switching service in place of Public Belt.
    NOPB Corp. certifies that its projected annual revenues as a result 
of this transaction will not exceed those that would qualify it as a 
Class III rail carrier.\5\ Because NOBP Corp.'s annual revenues will 
exceed $5 million, on October 13, 2017, NOBP Corp. certified to the 
Board that it had complied with the requirements of 49 CFR 1150.32(e) 
by posting notice on October 13, 2017, at workplaces of Public Belt 
employees and by serving notice on the national offices of the labor 
unions representing Public Belt employees on the same date. NOPB Corp. 
further certifies that the Agreement does not include any provision 
limiting NOPB Corp.'s future interchange of traffic with any connecting 
carrier.
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    \5\ NOPB Corp. notes that, because it will operate as a 
switching and terminal railroad, it presumably would be classified 
as a Class III carrier in any event. 49 CFR 1201(1-1)(d).
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    The transaction may be consummated on or after January 17, 2018, 
the effective date of the exemption (30 days after the verified notice 
of exemption was filed).\6\ If the verified notice

[[Page 61363]]

contains false or misleading information, the exemption is void ab 
initio. Petitions to revoke the exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d) may 
be filed at any time. The filing of a petition to revoke will not 
automatically stay the effectiveness of the exemption. Petitions to 
stay must be filed no later than January 4, 2018.
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    \6\ Because NOPB Corp.'s supplement was filed on December 18, 
that is considered the filing date of the verified notice for 
purposes of calculating the effective date of the exemption. In its 
supplement, NOPB Corp. requests that the effective date of the 
exemption be advanced to January 11, 2018. This request will be 
addressed in a separate decision.
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    An original and 10 copies of all pleadings, referring to Docket No. 
FD 36149, must be filed with the Surface Transportation Board, 395 E 
Street SW, Washington, DC 20423-0001. In addition, a copy of each 
pleading must be served on Thomas J. Litwiler, Fletcher & Sippel LLC, 
29 North Wacker Dr., Suite 920, Chicago, IL 60606-2832.
    According to NOPB Corp., this action is excluded from environmental 
review under 49 CFR 1105.6(c) and from historic preservation reporting 
requirements under 49 CFR 1105.8(b)(1).
    Board decisions and notices are available on our website at 
WWW.STB.GOV.

    Decided: December 21, 2017.

    By the Board, Scott M. Zimmerman, Acting Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Jeffrey Herzig,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2017-27931 Filed 12-26-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4915-01-P



                                               61362                    Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 27, 2017 / Notices

                                               March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs                     Segment #6 below. The West Belt                           Industrial Canal bridge to the
                                               Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998                    Junction-Southport Junction section of                    connections with Segments #4 and #5 at
                                               (112 Stat. 2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501                this Segment #1 includes the Huey P.                      CSXT milepost 801.2 in New Orleans, a
                                               note, et seq.), Delegation of Authority                 Long Bridge.                                              distance of approximately 0.3 miles.
                                               No. 234 of October 1, 1999, Delegation                     2. The Public Belt main line from a                       9. Temporary overhead trackage rights
                                               of Authority No. 236–3 of August 28,                    milepost equation at the Jefferson/                       on IC from IC milepost 906.4 at East
                                               2000 (and, as appropriate, Delegation of                Orleans Parish border where milepost                      Bridge Junction in Shrewsbury to IC
                                               Authority No. 257–1 of December 11,                     J0.0 = milepost 0.26 to the connection                    Milepost 900.8 at Orleans Junction in
                                               2015). I have ordered that Public Notice                with CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT) at                   New Orleans and from IC milepost
                                               of these determinations be published in                 milepost 14.2 at Almonaster in New                        444.2 at Orleans Junction to IC milepost
                                               the Federal Register.                                   Orleans, a distance of approximately                      443.5 at Frellsen Junction in New
                                                                                                       13.94 miles.                                              Orleans, a distance of approximately 6.3
                                               Alyson Grunder,
                                                                                                          3. The Burma West Lead in New                          miles.4
                                               Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Bureau           Orleans from milepost 14.2 at                                NOPB Corp. will also acquire Public
                                               of Educational and Cultural Affairs,                                                                              Belt’s ownership or operating interests
                                               Department of State.                                    Almonaster to the end of track at
                                                                                                       milepost 15.3, a distance of                              in all yard, industry, wharf, and lead
                                               [FR Doc. 2017–27921 Filed 12–26–17; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                       approximately 1.1 miles.                                  tracks associated with the above line
                                               BILLING CODE 4710–05–P                                                                                            segments, including the Southern
                                                                                                          4. The Burma East Lead in New
                                                                                                       Orleans from the connection with CSXT                     Recycling Lead, East Bridge Yard,
                                                                                                       at milepost 14.4 east of the Industrial                   Pacific Fruit Express Yard, Cotton
                                               SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD                            Canal to the end of track at milepost                     Warehouse Yard, Race Yard, French
                                               [Docket No. FD 36149]                                   16.3, a distance of approximately 1.9                     Market Station, Pauline Yard, Claiborne
                                                                                                       miles.                                                    Yard, France Yard, North Bulk Terminal
                                               New Orleans Public Belt Railroad                           5. The Bulk Terminal Lead in New                       Yard, and South Bulk Terminal Yard.
                                               Corporation—Acquisition and                             Orleans from the connection with CSXT                     Upon completion of the transaction,
                                               Operation Exemption—Public Belt                         at milepost G0.0 east of the Industrial                   NOPB Corp. will be a Class III switching
                                               Railroad Commission of the City of                      Canal to milepost G1.5, a distance of                     and terminal railroad and will continue
                                               New Orleans                                             approximately 1.5 miles.                                  to provide local and intermediate
                                                                                                          6. Overhead trackage rights on Illinois                switching service in place of Public
                                                  On November 22, 2017, New Orleans                                                                              Belt.
                                                                                                       Central Railroad Company (IC) from IC
                                               Public Belt Railroad Corporation (NOPB                                                                               NOPB Corp. certifies that its projected
                                                                                                       milepost 449.9 at East Bridge Junction
                                               Corp.),1 a noncarrier, filed a verified                                                                           annual revenues as a result of this
                                                                                                       in Shrewsbury, La. through Southport
                                               notice of exemption under 49 CFR                                                                                  transaction will not exceed those that
                                                                                                       Junction (Public Belt milepost J1.1) to IC
                                               1150.31 to acquire from the Public Belt                                                                           would qualify it as a Class III rail
                                                                                                       milepost 921.14 at Lampert Junction
                                               Railroad Commission of the City of New                                                                            carrier.5 Because NOBP Corp.’s annual
                                                                                                       (Public Belt milepost J0.3), a distance of
                                               Orleans (Public Belt), and operate                                                                                revenues will exceed $5 million, on
                                                                                                       approximately 2.6 miles.2 There is a
                                               approximately 26.7 miles of rail line                                                                             October 13, 2017, NOBP Corp. certified
                                               and approximately 10.25 miles of                        milepost equation a Southport Junction,
                                                                                                       where IC milepost 451.7=IC milepost                       to the Board that it had complied with
                                               assigned trackage rights pursuant to a                                                                            the requirements of 49 CFR 1150.32(e)
                                               Cooperative Endeavor Agreement                          921.9.
                                                                                                          7. Overhead trackage rights on IC from                 by posting notice on October 13, 2017,
                                               (Agreement) to be entered into by NOPB                                                                            at workplaces of Public Belt employees
                                                                                                       IC Station 120+0.00 (Public Belt
                                               Corp., Public Belt, the City of New                                                                               and by serving notice on the national
                                                                                                       milepost 3.4) at Nashville Avenue to IC
                                               Orleans (the City), and the Port. On                                                                              offices of the labor unions representing
                                               December 11, 2017, the Board issued a                   Station 175+68.09 (Public Belt milepost
                                                                                                       4.4) at Valence Street in New Orleans,                    Public Belt employees on the same date.
                                               decision holding this proceeding in                                                                               NOPB Corp. further certifies that the
                                               abeyance and requesting supplemental                    including the connection to the NOPB
                                                                                                       locomotive maintenance facility lead                      Agreement does not include any
                                               information from NOPB Corp. NOPB                                                                                  provision limiting NOPB Corp.’s future
                                               Corp. provided that information on                      track at IC Station 163+80.0 (Public Belt
                                                                                                       milepost 4.2) near Upperline Street, a                    interchange of traffic with any
                                               December 18, 2017.                                                                                                connecting carrier.
                                                  NOPB Corp. describes the lines and                   distance of approximately 1.05 miles.3
                                                                                                          8. Overhead trackage rights on CSXT                       The transaction may be consummated
                                               trackage rights it seeks to acquire as                                                                            on or after January 17, 2018, the
                                               follows:                                                from the connection with Segment #2 at
                                                                                                       CSXT milepost 801.5 at Almonaster in                      effective date of the exemption (30 days
                                                  1. The Public Belt main line from the                                                                          after the verified notice of exemption
                                               connection with BNSF Railway                            New Orleans across the Port-owned
                                                                                                                                                                 was filed).6 If the verified notice
                                               Company (BNSF) and Union Pacific
                                                                                                          2 See New Orleans Pub. Belt R.R.—Trackage
                                               Railroad Company (UP) at milepost J8.3                  Rights Exemption—Ill. Cent. R.R., FD 33182 (STB              4 See New Orleans Pub. Belt R.R.—Temp.
                                               at West Bridge Junction in Avondale,                    served Oct. 30, 1996). The eastern segment of these       Trackage Rights Exemption—Ill. Cent. R.R., FD
                                               La. to milepost J1.1 at Southport                       trackage rights, from Southport Junction to Lampert       36067 (STB served Oct. 14, 2016 and Jan. 30, 2017).
                                               Junction in Jefferson, La. and from                     Junction, connects the two sections of Public Belt’s      NOPB Corp. acknowledges that it will be subject to
                                                                                                       main line described in Segment #1 above. The              employee protective conditions imposed in New
                                               milepost J0.3 at Lampert Junction in                    western segment of the trackage rights, from East         Orleans Public Belt Railroad—Temporary Trackage
                                               Jefferson to milepost J0.0 at the                       Bridge Junction to Southport Junction, is adjacent        Rights Exemption—Illinois Central Railroad, FD
                                               Jefferson/Orleans Parish, La. border, a                 to and north of Public Belt’s main line between           36067 (STB served Oct. 14, 2016).
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                                               total distance of approximately 7.5                     those points.                                                5 NOPB Corp. notes that, because it will operate
                                                                                                          3 See Ill. Cent. R.R.—Joint Relocation Project         as a switching and terminal railroad, it presumably
                                               miles in two sections connected by the                                                                            would be classified as a Class III carrier in any
                                                                                                       Exemption—in New Orleans, La., FD 33533 (STB
                                               overhead trackage rights described in                   served January 16, 1998); Ill. Cent. R.R.—Joint           event. 49 CFR 1201(1–1)(d).
                                                                                                       Relocation Project Exemption—in New Orleans, La.,            6 Because NOPB Corp.’s supplement was filed on
                                                 1 NOPB Corp. is a newly-formed public non-profit      FD 32598 (ICC served Nov. 16, 1994). These                December 18, that is considered the filing date of
                                               corporation and subsidiary of the Board of              trackage rights are parallel to Public Belt’s main line   the verified notice for purposes of calculating the
                                               Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans (the           described in Segment #2 above and serve as a              effective date of the exemption. In its supplement,
                                               Port).                                                  bypass around Cotton Warehouse Yard.                      NOPB Corp. requests that the effective date of the



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                                                                        Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 27, 2017 / Notices                                           61363

                                               contains false or misleading                            identification as a Priority Foreign                  Priority Foreign Country can be subject
                                               information, the exemption is void ab                   Country or placement on the Priority                  to the procedures set out in sections
                                               initio. Petitions to revoke the exemption               Watch List or Watch List. USTR also                   301–305 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C.
                                               under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d) may be filed                   requests notices of intent to appear at               2411–2415),
                                               at any time. The filing of a petition to                the public hearing.                                      In addition, USTR has created a
                                               revoke will not automatically stay the                  DATES: February 8, 2018 at midnight                   ‘‘Priority Watch List’’ and ‘‘Watch List’’
                                               effectiveness of the exemption. Petitions               EST: Deadline for submission of written               to assist the Administration in pursuing
                                               to stay must be filed no later than                     comments, hearing statements, and                     the goals of the Special 301 provisions
                                               January 4, 2018.                                        notices of intent to appear at the hearing            Placement of a trading partner on the
                                                  An original and 10 copies of all                     from the public.                                      Priority Watch List or Watch List
                                               pleadings, referring to Docket No. FD                      February 22, 2018 at midnight EST:                 indicates that particular problems exist
                                               36149, must be filed with the Surface                   Deadline for submission of written                    in that country with respect to IPR
                                               Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW,                  comments, hearing statements, and                     protection, enforcement or market
                                               Washington, DC 20423–0001. In                           notices of intent to appear at the hearing            access for persons that rely on
                                               addition, a copy of each pleading must                  from foreign governments.                             intellectual property protection. Trading
                                               be served on Thomas J. Litwiler,                           February 27, 2018: The Special 301                 partners placed on the Priority Watch
                                               Fletcher & Sippel LLC, 29 North Wacker                  Subcommittee will hold a public                       List are the focus of increased bilateral
                                               Dr., Suite 920, Chicago, IL 60606–2832.                 hearing at the Office of the United States            attention concerning the problem areas.
                                                  According to NOPB Corp., this action                 Trade Representative, 1724 F Street NW,                  USTR chairs the Special 301
                                               is excluded from environmental review                   Rooms 1 & 2, Washington, DC. If                       Subcommittee (Subcommittee) of the
                                               under 49 CFR 1105.6(c) and from                         necessary, the hearing may continue on                Trade Policy Staff Committee. The
                                               historic preservation reporting                         the next business day. Please consult                 Subcommittee reviews information from
                                               requirements under 49 CFR                               the USTR website for confirmation of                  many sources, and consults with and
                                               1105.8(b)(1).                                           the date and location and the schedule                makes recommendations to the Trade
                                                  Board decisions and notices are                      of witnesses.                                         Representative on issues arising under
                                               available on our website at                                March 2, 2018 at midnight EST:                     Special 301. Written submissions from
                                               WWW.STB.GOV.                                            Deadline for submission of post-hearing               the public are a key source of
                                                                                                       written comments from persons who                     information for the Special 301 review
                                                 Decided: December 21, 2017.                                                                                 process. In 2018, USTR will conduct a
                                                                                                       testified at the public hearing.
                                                 By the Board, Scott M. Zimmerman, Acting                                                                    public hearing as part of the review
                                               Director, Office of Proceedings.
                                                                                                          On or about April 30, 2018: USTR
                                                                                                       will publish the 2018 Special 301                     process and will allow hearing
                                               Jeffrey Herzig,                                                                                               participants to provide additional
                                                                                                       Report within 30 days of the publication
                                               Clearance Clerk.                                        of the National Trade Estimate (NTE)                  information relevant to the review. At
                                               [FR Doc. 2017–27931 Filed 12–26–17; 8:45 am]            Report.                                               the conclusion of the process, USTR
                                               BILLING CODE 4915–01–P                                                                                        will publish the results of the review in
                                                                                                       ADDRESSES: USTR strongly encourages
                                                                                                                                                             a Special 301 Report.
                                                                                                       electronic submissions made through                      USTR requests that interested persons
                                                                                                       the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://               identify through the process outlined in
                                               OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES                             www.regulations.gov. Follow the
                                               TRADE REPRESENTATIVE                                                                                          this notice those countries whose acts,
                                                                                                       submission instructions in section IV                 policies, or practices deny adequate and
                                               [Docket No. USTR–2017–0024]                             below. The docket number is USTR–                     effective protection for intellectual
                                                                                                       2017–0024. For alternatives to on-line                property rights or deny fair and
                                               Request for Comments and Notice of                      submissions, please contact USTR at
                                               a Public Hearing Regarding the 2018                                                                           equitable market access to U.S. persons
                                                                                                       Special301@ustr.eop.gov before                        who rely on intellectual property
                                               Special 301 Review                                      transmitting a comment and in advance                 protection.
                                               AGENCY:  Office of the United States                    of the relevant deadline.                                Section 182 also requires the Trade
                                               Trade Representative.                                   FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                      Representative to identify any act,
                                                                                                       Sung Chang, Director for Innovation and               policy or practice of Canada that affects
                                               ACTION: Request for comments and
                                                                                                       Intellectual Property, at 202–395–7548                cultural industries, was adopted or
                                               notice of public hearing.
                                                                                                       or special301@ustr.eop.gov. You can                   expanded after December 17, 1992, and
                                               SUMMARY:   Each year, the Office of the                 find information about the Special 301                is actionable under Article 2106 of the
                                               United States Trade Representative                      Review at www.ustr.gov.                               North American Free Trade Agreement
                                               conducts a Special 301 review to                        SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                            (NAFTA). USTR invites the public to
                                               identify countries that deny adequate                   I. Background                                         submit views relevant to this aspect of
                                               and effective protection of intellectual                                                                      the review.
                                               property rights (IPR) or deny fair and                     Section 182 of the Trade Act of 1974                  Section 182 requires the Trade
                                               equitable market access to U.S. persons                 (Trade Act) (19 U.S.C. 2242), commonly                Representative to identify all such acts,
                                               who rely on intellectual property                       known as the ‘‘Special 301’’ provisions,              policies, or practices within 30 days of
                                               protection. Based on this review, the                   requires the Trade Representative to                  the publication of the NTE Report. In
                                               United States Trade Representative                      identify countries that deny adequate                 accordance with this statutory
                                               (Trade Representative) determines                       and effective IPR protections or fair and             requirement, USTR will publish the
                                               which, if any, of these countries to                    equitable market access to U.S. persons               annual Special 301 Report on or about
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES




                                               identify as Priority Foreign Countries.                 who rely on intellectual property                     April 30, 2018.
                                               USTR requests written comments that                     protection. The Trade Act requires the
                                                                                                       Trade Representative to determine                     II. Public Comments
                                               identify acts, policies, or practices that
                                               may form the basis of a country’s                       which, if any, of these countries to                     To facilitate the review, written
                                                                                                       identify as Priority Foreign Countries.               comments should be as detailed as
                                               exemption be advanced to January 11, 2018. This         Acts, policies or practices that are the              possible and provide all necessary
                                               request will be addressed in a separate decision.       basis of a country’s identification as a              information to identify and assess the


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Document Created: 2017-12-27 02:23:06
Document Modified: 2017-12-27 02:23:06
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
FR Citation82 FR 61362 

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