Pilot Program on NAFTA Long-Haul Trucking Provisions

Topics:  Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Kelly Leone
Federal Register
July 12, 2011

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 133 (Tuesday, July 12, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 40980]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-17492]



[[Page 40980]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No FMCSA-2011-0097]


Pilot Program on NAFTA Long-Haul Trucking Provisions

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Availability; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces the availability of a Draft Environmental 
Assessment (DEA) that evaluates the potential environmental impacts 
resulting from the implementation of its United States-Mexico cross-
border long-haul trucking pilot program. This pilot program is part of 
FMCSA's implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement 
(NAFTA) cross-border long-haul trucking provisions. This pilot program 
would allow Mexico-domiciled motor carriers to operate throughout the 
United States for up to 3 years. U.S.-domiciled motor carriers would be 
granted reciprocal rights to operate in Mexico for the same period. 
Participating Mexican carriers and drivers would be required to comply 
with all applicable U.S. laws and regulations, including those 
concerned with motor carrier safety, customs, immigration, vehicle 
registration and taxation, and fuel taxation.

DATES: Comments are due by August 11, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Federal Docket 
Management System Number FMCSA-2011-0097 using any of the following 
methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department 
of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001, between 9 a.m. 
and 5 p.m., E.T., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The 
telephone number is 202-366-9329.
    Instructions: To view the DEA, go to the online docket 
(Regulations.gov) at http://www.regulations.gov/ and enter in the 
docket number (FMCSA-2011-0097) and search for the Draft Environmental 
Assessment. All submissions must include the Agency name and docket 
number (FMCSA-2011-0097) for this rulemaking. To avoid duplication, 
please use only one of these four methods. Note that all comments 
received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, 
including any personal information provided. Please refer to the 
Privacy Act heading for further information.
    Comments received after the comment closing date will be included 
in the docket and we will consider late comments only to the extent 
practicable. FMCSA may issue a Final Environmental Assessment (FEA) at 
any time after the close of the comment period.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov at any time or to 
West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., E.T., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.
    Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form for all 
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review the 
U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) complete Privacy Act 
Statement in the Federal Register published on January 17, 2008 (73 FR 
3316), or you may visit http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-785.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael M. Johnsen, Environmental 
Protection Specialist, Analysis Division, Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, (202) 366-4111.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Draft Environmental Assessment

    In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA) (section 102(2)(c)), as implemented by the Council on 
Environment Quality regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), FMCSA's Order 
5610.1, issued March 1, 2004 (69 FR 9680), and other applicable 
guidance and requirements, FMCSA prepared a DEA for the U.S.-Mexican 
cross-border long-haul trucking program. FMCSA analyzed the potential 
impacts to the environment that may result from implementing the pilot 
project. FMCSA evaluated environmental issues such as emissions from 
vehicles, fuel types, air quality impacts, and other pertinent issues 
in the DEA and is requesting comments.

Background on the Pilot Project on the U.S.-Mexico Cross-Border Long-
Haul Trucking Program

    The pilot program is part of FMCSA's implementation of the North 
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) cross-border long-haul trucking 
provisions. This pilot program would allow Mexico-domiciled motor 
carriers to operate throughout the United States for up to 3 years. 
U.S.-domiciled motor carriers would be granted reciprocal rights to 
operate in Mexico for the same period. Participating Mexican carriers 
and drivers would be required to comply with all applicable U.S. laws 
and regulations, including those concerned with motor carrier safety, 
customs, immigration, vehicle registration and taxation, and fuel 
taxation. The safety of the participating carriers would be tracked 
closely by FMCSA with input from the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory 
Committee, a Federal advisory committee. For further information 
regarding this pilot program, please see Federal Register notice of the 
Pilot Program on NAFTA Long Haul Trucking Provisions in docket FMCSA-
2011-0097. The docket contains background information for this action, 
including comments.
    On April 13, 2011, FMSCA issued a notice and request for public 
comments on the proposed U.S.-Mexico cross-border long-haul trucking 
pilot program (76 FR 20807 Docket Number FMCSA-2011-0097). There were 
several comments on the notice regarding environmental impacts, and 
these comments are addressed in this DEA.
    We are requesting your comments on environmental concerns that you 
may have related to the DEA. This includes suggesting analysis and 
methodologies for use in the FEA or possible sources of data or 
information not included in the DEA. Your comments will be considered 
in preparing a Finding of No Significant Impact, an FEA, or determining 
if preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement is warranted.

    Issued on: June 30, 2011.
 Kelly Leone,
Associate Administrator, Office of Research and Information Technology, 
FMCSA.
[FR Doc. 2011-17492 Filed 7-11-11; 8:45 am]
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