Buy America Waiver Notification

Gregory G. Nadeau
Federal Highway Administration
October 15, 2015

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 199 (Thursday, October 15, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62154-62155]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-26189]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Buy America Waiver Notification

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice provides information regarding FHWA's finding that 
a Buy America waiver is appropriate for the use of non-domestic Voith 
21/R5 propulsion units for ferry boat Pocahontas' propulsion unit 
replacement by Virginia DOT.

DATES: The effective date of the waiver is October 16, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about this notice, 
please contact Mr. Gerald Yakowenko, FHWA Office of Program 
Administration, (202) 366-1562, or via email at 
gerald.yakowenko@dot.gov. For legal questions, please contact Mr. Jomar 
Maldonado, FHWA Office of the Chief Counsel, (202) 366-1373, or via 
email at Jomar.Maldonado@dot.gov. 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 Printing Office's database at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara.

[[Page 62155]]

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 FHWA's finding that a Buy America waiver is 
appropriate for use of non-domestic Voith 21/R5 propulsion units to 
replace the existing propulsion units, Voith 24/65, which have reached 
the end of their useful life.
    In accordance with Division K, section 122 of the ``Consolidated 
and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015'' (Pub. L. 113-235), 
FHWA published a notice of intent to issue a waiver on its Web site 
(http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/construction/contracts/waivers.cfm?id=112) on 
August 18. The FHWA received no comments in response to the 
publication. During the 15-day comment period, FHWA conducted an 
additional review to locate potential domestic manufacturers of 
propulsion units that are equivalent to Voith 21/R5 units. Based on all 
the information available to the agency, FHWA concludes that there are 
no domestic manufacturers of propulsion units that are equivalent to 
Voith 21/R5 units.
    In accordance with the provisions of section 117 of the SAFETEA-LU 
Technical Corrections Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-244, 122 Stat. 1572), 
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 FHWA's Web site via the link 
provided to the waiver page noted above.

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

     Issued on: October 6, 2015.
Gregory G. Nadeau,
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 2015-26189 Filed 10-14-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P