2015-03029. Buy America Waiver Notification

AGENCY:

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

This notice provides information regarding the FHWA's finding that a Buy America waiver is appropriate for the use of non-domestic 4 in. and 12 in. trunnion mounted steel ball valves with maximum allowable operating pressure of 60 psi as part of natural gas distribution facility involved in replacement of Kosciuszko Bridge over Newton Creek in New York City, NY.

DATES:

The effective date of the waiver is February 17, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For questions about this notice, please contact Mr. Gerald Yakowenko, FHWA Office of Program Administration, [phone], or via email at [e-mail]. For legal questions, please contact Mr. Jomar Maldonado, FHWA Office of the Chief Counsel, [phone], or via email at [e-mail]. Office hours for the FHWA are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded from the Federal Register's home page at: http://www.archives.gov and the Government Publishing Office's database at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/​nara.

Background

The FHWA's Buy America policy in 23 CFR 635.410 requires a domestic manufacturing process for any steel or iron products (including protective coatings) that are permanently incorporated in a Federal-aid construction project. The regulation also provides for a waiver of the Buy America requirements when the application would be inconsistent with the public interest or when satisfactory quality domestic steel and iron products are not sufficiently available. This notice provides information regarding the FHWA's finding that a Buy America waiver is appropriate in the procurement of non-domestic 4 in. and 12 in. trunnion mounted steel ball valves as part of natural gas distribution facility involved with the replacement of the Kosciuszko Bridge over Newton Creek in New York City.

In accordance with Division A, section 122 of the “Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012” (Pub. L. 112-55), the FHWA published a notice of intent to issue a waiver on its Web site for non-domestic 4 in. and 12 in. trunnion mounted steel ball valves (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/​construction/​contracts/​waivers.cfm?​id=​102) on December 1, 2014. The FHWA received no comments in response to the publication. During the 15-day comment period, the FHWA conducted additional nationwide review to locate potential domestic manufacturers of 4 in. and 12 in. trunnion mounted steel ball valves for the project. Based on all the information available to the agency, the FHWA concludes that there are no domestic manufacturers of the 4 in. and 12 in. trunnion mounted steel ball valves that meet the project specifications.

In accordance with the provisions of section 117 of the SAFETEA-LU Technical Corrections Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-244, 122 Stat. 1572), the FHWA is providing this notice as its finding that a waiver of Buy America requirements is appropriate. The FHWA invites public comment on this finding for an additional 15 days following the effective date of the finding. Comments may be submitted to the FHWA's Web site via the link provided to the New York waiver page noted above.

Authority: 23 U.S.C. 313; Pub. L. 110-161, 23 CFR 635.410.

Dated: February 6, 2015.

Gregory G. Nadeau,

Acting Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.