E9-28952. 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 purchase of foreign roof tiles made of 40/45 KSI #2, 24 gauge (0.0276) galvanized steel with Kynar PPG 5LR82411 on a Federal-aid/American Recovery and Reinvestment Act project no. X-STP-5900 (180) in Portland, Oregon.

DATES:

The effective date of the waiver is December 7, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For questions about this notice, please contact Mr. Gerald Yakowenko, FHWA Office of Program Administration, [phone], or via e-mail at [e-mail]. For legal questions, please contact Mr. Michael Harkins, FHWA Office of the Chief Counsel, [phone], or via e-mail at [e-mail]. Office hours for the FHWA are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 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 Printing 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 for the purchase and use of roof tiles made of 40/45 KSI #2, 24 gauge (0.0276) galvanized steel with Kynar PPG 5LR82411 in Oregon State.

In accordance with Division K, section 130 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 (Pub. L. 110-161), the FHWA published a notice of intent to issue a waiver on its web site for the roof tiles made of 40/45 KSI #2, 24 gauge (0.0276) galvanized steel with Kynar PPG 5LR82411 (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/​construction/​contracts/​waivers.cfm?​id=​39) on October 22. The FHWA received no comments in response to the roof tiles made of 40/45 KSI #2, 24 gauge (0.0276) galvanized steel with Kynar PPG 5LR82411, which suggests that the roof tiles made of 40/45 KSI #2, 24 gauge (0.0276) galvanized steel with Kynar PPG 5LR82411 may not be available domestically. During the 15-day comment period, the FHWA conducted an additional nationwide review to locate potential domestic manufacturers for the roof tiles made of 40/45 KSI #2, 24 gauge (0.0276) galvanized steel with Kynar PPG 5LR82411. Based on all of the information available to the agency, the FHWA concludes that there are no domestic manufacturers for the roof tiles made of 40/45 KSI #2, 24 gauge (0.0276) galvanized steel with Kynar PPG 5LR82411. Thus, the FHWA concludes that a Buy America waiver is appropriate pursuant to 23 CFR 635.410(c)(1).

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 the Buy America requirements is appropriate. The FHWA invites public comment on this finding for an additional 15 days following the effective date of this notice. Comments may be submitted to the FHWA's web site via the link provided to the Oregon waiver page noted above.

Authority: 23 U.S.C. 313; Public Law 110-161, 23 CFR 635.410)

Issued on: November 27, 2009.

Dwight A. Horne,

Director, Office of Program Administration.