E9-11965. Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act: Impact on U.S. Industries and Consumers and on Beneficiary Countries

AGENCY:

United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION:

Notice of public hearing and opportunity to submit comments in connection with the nineteenth report on the economic impact of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA).

SUMMARY:

Section 215 of the CBERA (19 U.S.C. 2704) requires the Commission to report biennially to the Congress and the President by September 30 of each reporting year on the economic impact of the Act on U.S. industries and U.S. consumers and on the economy of the beneficiary countries. This series of biennial reports was instituted as investigation No. 332-227, Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act: Impact on U.S. Industries and Consumers and on Beneficiary Countries. The Commission has scheduled a public hearing for its 2009 CBERA report, covering trade during calendar years 2007 and 2008, for June 30, 2009.

DATES:

June 17, 2009: Deadline for filing requests to appear at the public hearing.

June 23, 2009: Deadline for filing pre-hearing briefs and statements.

June 30, 2009: Public hearing.

July 7, 2009: Deadline for filing post-hearing briefs and statements and all other written submissions.

September 30, 2009: Transmittal of Commission report to Congress and the President.

ADDRESSES:

All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing rooms, are located in the United States International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC. All written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20436. The public record for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at http://www.usitc.gov/​secretary/​edis.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Walker Pollard (202-205-3228 or [e-mail]), or James Stamps (202-205-3227 or [e-mail]) Country and Regional Analysis Division, Office of Economics, U.S. International Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20436. For information on the legal aspects of this investigation, contact William Gearhart of the Commission's Office of the General Counsel (202-205-3091 or [e-mail]). The media should contact Peg O'Laughlin, Public Affairs Officer (202-205-1819 or [e-mail]). Hearing-impaired individuals may obtain information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal at 202-205-1810. General information concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing its Internet server (http://www.usitc.gov). Persons with mobility impairments who will need special assistance in gaining access to the Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000.

Background: Section 215(a)(1) of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) (19 U.S.C. 2704(a)(1)), as amended, requires that the Commission submit biennial reports to the Congress and the President regarding the economic impact of the Act on U.S. industries and consumers, and on the economy of the beneficiary countries. Section 215(b)(1) requires that the reports include, but not be limited to, an assessment regarding:

(A) The actual effect, during the period covered by the report, of [CBERA] on the United States economy generally, as well as on those specific domestic industries which produce articles that are like, or directly competitive with, articles being imported into the United States from beneficiary countries; and

(B) The probable future effect which this Act will have on the United States economy generally, as well as on such domestic industries before the provisions of this Act terminate.

Notice of institution of the investigation was published in the Federal Register of May 14, 1986 (51 FR 17678). The nineteenth report, covering calendar years 2007 and 2008, is to be submitted by September 30, 2009.

Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with this investigation will be held at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC, beginning at 9:30 a.m. on June 30, 2009. Requests to appear at the public hearing should be filed with the Secretary, no later than 5:15 p.m., June 17, 2009. All pre-hearing briefs and statements should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., June 23, 2009; and all post-hearing briefs and statements should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., July 7, 2009. All requests to appear and pre- and post-hearing briefs and statements should be filed in accordance with the requirements in the “Written Submissions” section below. In the event that, as of the close of business on June 17, 2009, no witnesses are scheduled to appear at the hearing, the hearing will be canceled. Any person interested in attending the hearing as an observer or nonparticipant may call the Office of the Secretary (202-205-2000) after June 17, 2009, for information concerning whether the hearing will be held.

Written Submissions: In lieu of or in addition to participating in the hearing, interested parties are invited to file written submissions concerning this investigation. All written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, and should be received not later than 5:15 p.m., July 7, 2009. All written submissions must conform with the provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.8). Section 201.8 requires that a signed original (or a copy so designated) and fourteen (14) copies of each document be filed. In the event that confidential treatment of a document is requested, at least four (4) additional copies must be filed, in which the confidential information must be deleted (see the following paragraph for further information regarding confidential business information). The Commission's rules authorize filing submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or electronic means only to the extent permitted by section 201.8 of the rules (see Handbook for Electronic Filing Procedures, http://www.usitc.gov/​secretary/​fed_​reg_​notices/​rules/​documents/​handbook_​on_​electronic_​filing.pdf). Persons with questions regarding electronic filing should contact the Office of the Secretary (202-205-2000).

Any submissions that contain confidential business information (CBI) must also conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.6 of the rules requires that the cover of the document and the individual pages be clearly marked as to whether they are the “confidential” or “non-confidential” version, and that the confidential business information be clearly identified by means of brackets. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be made available for inspection by interested parties.

The Commission intends to publish only a public report in this investigation. Accordingly, any CBI received by the Commission in this investigation will not be published in a manner that would reveal the operations of the firm supplying the information. The report will be made available to the public on the Commission's Web site.

Issued: May 18, 2009.

By order of the Commission.

Marilyn R. Abbott,

Secretary to the Commission.