Buy America Waiver Notification

Gregory G. Nadeau
Federal Highway Administration
13 December 2016

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 13, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 90045-90046]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-29820]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Buy America Waiver Notification

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice provides information regarding FHWA's finding that 
a Buy America waiver is appropriate for the use of non-domestic iron 
and steel components of trunnion bearings for emergency repair of 
Willow Avenue Lift Bridge in Cleveland, Ohio.

DATES: The effective date of the waiver is December 14, 2016.

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

[[Page 90046]]

questions, please contact Mr. William Winne, FHWA Office of the Chief 
Counsel, (202) 366-1397, or via email at William.Winne@dot.gov. Office 
hours for 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: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/.

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 iron and steel components of 
trunnion bearings for emergency repair of Willow Avenue Lift Bridge in 
Cleveland, Ohio.
    In accordance with the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Pub. 
L. 114-113) and the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2017 (Pub. L. 114-
223), FHWA published a notice of intent to issue a waiver on its Web 
site: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/construction/contracts/waivers.cfm?id=138 
on October 13th. The FHWA received no comments in response to the 
publication. Based on all the information available to the agency, FHWA 
concludes that there are no domestic manufacturers of trunnion bearings 
for emergency repair of Willow Avenue Lift Bridge in the State of Ohio.
    The Ohio State DOT, contractors, and subcontractors involved in the 
procurement of bearing units, are reminded of the need to comply with 
the Cargo Preference Act in 46 CFR part 38, if applicable.
    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

    Dated: December 5, 2016.
Gregory G. Nadeau,
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016-29820 Filed 12-12-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-22-P