This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains documents other than rules or

proposed rules that are applicable to the

public. Notices of hearings and investigations,

committee meetings, agency decisions and

rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

petitions and applications and agency

statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

7205

Vol. 62, No. 32

Tuesday, February 18, 1997

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

Notice of Intent To Extend and Revise

a Currently Approved Information

Collection

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative

Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub.

L. 104–13) and Office of Management

and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR

part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29,

1995), this notice announces the Rural

Business-Cooperative Service’s (RBS)

intention to request an extension for and

revision to a currently approved

information collection, the annual

survey of farmer cooperatives, as

authorized in the Cooperative Marketing

Act of 1926.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received on or before April 21, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Charles A. Kraenzle, Director, Statistics

and Technical Services Staff, RBS, U.S.

Department of Agriculture, STOP 3256,

1400 Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, D.C. 20250–3256,

Telephone (202) 720–3189.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Annual Survey of Farmer

Cooperatives.

OMB Number: 0570–0007.

Expiration Date of Approval:

September 30, 1997.

Type of Request: Intent to extend and

revise a currently approved information

collection.

Abstract: The primary objective of

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

(RBS) is to promote understanding, use

and development of the cooperative

form of business as a viable option for

enhancing the income of agricultural

producers and other rural residents.

Cooperative Services’ (CS) direct role is

providing knowledge to improve the

effectiveness and performance of farmer

cooperative businesses through

technical assistance, research,

information, and education. The annual

survey of farmer cooperatives collects

basic statistics on cooperative business

volume, net income, members, financial

status, employees, and other selected

information to support CS’ objective and

role. Cooperative statistics are published

in various reports and used by the U.S.

Department of Agriculture, cooperative

leaders, educators, and others in

planning and promoting the cooperative

form of business.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average 29 minutes per

response.

Respondents: Farmer cooperatives.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

3,082.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 1.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 1,487 Hours.

Copies of this information collection

and repeated instructions can be

obtained from Sam Spencer, Regulations

and Paperwork Management Division, at

(202) 720–9588.

Comments

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether

the proposed collection of information

is necessary for the proper performance

of the functions of the agency, including

whether the information will have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency‘s estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on those who are to respond, including

through the use of appropriate

automated, electronic, mechanical, or

other technological collection

techniques or forms of information

technology. Comments may be sent to:

Sam Spencer, Regulations and

Paperwork Management Division, U.S.

Department of Agriculture, Rural

Development, STOP 0743, Washington,

DC 20250–0743. All responses to this

notice will be summarized and included

in the request for OMB approval. All

comments will also become a matter of

public record.

Dated: February 5, 1997.

Dayton J. Watkins,

Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative

Service.

[FR Doc. 97–3846 Filed 2–14–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–XY–U

Sunshine Act Meeting

AGENCY: Rural Telephone Bank, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of cancellation of Board

meeting.

SUMMARY: At the December 11, 1996,

regular meeting of the Rural Telephone

Bank (Bank) Board of Directors, the

Board established February 19 and 20,

1997, as the dates for its next staff

briefing and regular Board meeting,

respectively. The purpose of this notice

is to advise the public that the February

19 and 20 meetings have been

rescheduled. The Bank will publish

notice of the rescheduled meeting dates

in the Federal Register, and the Bank

will send the stockholders written

notification of these dates.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert Peters, Assistant Governor, Rural

Telephone Bank, telephone (202) 720–

9554.

Dated: February 10, 1997.

Wally Beyer,

Governor, Rural Telephone Bank.

[FR Doc. 97–3989 Filed 2–12–97; 4:25 pm]

BILLING CODE 3410–15–M

Rural Utilities Service

Rural Telephone Bank

Amendment to the Rural Electrification

Act’s ‘‘Buy American’’ Provision

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service and

Rural Telephone Bank, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Amendment to the

Rural Electrification Act’s ‘‘Buy

American’’ Provision.

SUMMARY: The Uruguay Round

Agreements Act, (108 Stat. 4954, Public

Law 103–465, December 8, 1994),

amends the ‘‘Buy American’’ provision,

(7 U.S.C. 903 note) of the Rural

Electrification Act of 1936, as amended

(7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.) (the ‘‘RE Act’). In

the provision, as amended by the

Uruguay Round Agreements Act, the
7206 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 32 / Tuesday, February 18, 1997 / Notices

words ‘‘Mexico, or Canada’’ are replaced

with ‘‘or in any eligible country’’. The

United States Trade Representative

(USTR) determines what countries are

‘‘eligible’’. As amended, the provision

directs the Secretary of Agriculture, for

the Rural Utilities Service (RUS),

(previously the Rural Electrification

Administration) to require that, to the

extent practicable and the cost not

unreasonable, a borrower use funds lent

under the RE Act only for such

unmanufactured articles, materials, and

supplies, as have been mined or

produced in the United States or eligible

country and only such manufactured

articles, materials, and supplies as have

been manufactured in the United States

or an eligible country substantially all

from articles, materials or supplies

mined, produced, or manufactured, as

the case may be, in the United States or

an eligible country.

This action is intended to provide

borrowers receiving loans made by the

Rural Telephone Bank (RTB) or loans

made or guaranteed by RUS, as well as

material and equipment manufacturers

and the public, with information for

compliance with the amended RE Act

‘‘Buy American’’ provision.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

electric program matters: George

Bagnall, Director, Electric Staff Division,

RUS, U.S. Department of Agriculture,

STOP 1569, 1400 Independence Ave.,

SW., Washington, DC 20250–1569.

Telephone number (202) 720–1900, fax

(202) 720–7491.

For telecommunications program

matters: Orren E. Cameron, III, Director,

Telecommunications Standards

Division, RUS, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, STOP 1598, 1400

Independence Ave., SW., Washington,

DC 20250–1598. Telephone number

(202) 720–8663, fax (202) 720–4099.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section

342(g) of the Uruguay Round

Agreements Act, amended the RE Act

‘‘Buy American’’ provision by replacing

the words ‘‘Mexico, or Canada’’ with ‘‘or

in any eligible country’’ and by

authorizing the United States Trade

Representative (USTR) to determine

what countries are eligible. The ‘‘Buy

American’’ provision now reads:

‘‘In making loans pursuant to * * *

the Rural Electrification Act of 1936

* * * the Secretary of Agriculture shall

require that, to the extent practicable

and the cost of which is not

unreasonable, the borrower agree to use

in connection with the expenditure of

such funds only such unmanufactured

articles, materials and supplies, as have

been mined or produced in the United

States or in any eligible country, and

only such manufactured articles,

materials, and supplies as have been

manufactured in the United States or in

any eligible country, substantially all

from articles, materials, or supplies

mined, produced, or manufactured, as

the case may be, in the United States or

in any eligible country. For purposes of

this section, an ‘eligible country’ is any

country that applies with respect to the

United States an agreement ensuring

reciprocal access for United States

products and services and United States

suppliers to the markets of that country,

as determined by the United States

Trade Representative.’’

The RUS ‘‘Buy American’’ provision

applies to any loan made by the RTB or

made or guaranteed by the RUS.

Whether a particular product is

domestic or non-domestic for purposes

of the RE Act ‘‘Buy American’’

provision depends upon such factors as

the country of origin of the product and

its component parts and whether the

product is purchased by an electric

borrower or a telecommunications

borrower.

The eligibility status of Canada and

Mexico has not changed. Products

produced in Canada or Mexico

substantially consisting of components

produced in Canada, Mexico, or the

United States and purchased with RTB

or RUS electric or telephone loan funds

are treated as United States domestic

products.

At this time the USTR has determined

that only Canada and Mexico are

eligible countries for purchases made by

telecommunications borrowers.

Therefore, products produced in

countries other than the United States,

Canada, or Mexico and purchased by

RUS telecommunications borrowers are

not treated as domestic products for

purposes of the RE Act ‘‘Buy American’’

provision. The amendment makes no

change in the treatment of these

purchases unless and until the USTR

determines additional ‘‘eligible

countries’’ for telecommunications

borrowers.

At this time, the USTR has

determined that the following countries

have agreements ensuring reciprocal

access regarding products used by

electric borrowers, and are therefore

‘‘eligible countries’’ for purchases made

by electric borrowers:

Austria

Belgium

Denmark

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Japan

Korea

Luxembourg

The Netherlands

Norway

Portugal

Singapore

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

United Kingdom

Products from an eligible country

consisting substantially of components

produced in the United States or any

eligible country and purchased by RUS

electric borrowers with RUS loan funds

will be considered to be domestic

products for purposes of the RE Act

‘‘Buy American’’ provision.

The USTR may at any time declare

one or more additional countries to be

‘‘eligible countries’’ for either electric or

telecommunications borrowers. The

Chair of Technical Standards Committee

‘‘A’’ (Electric) will be the point of

contact for RUS with respect to USTR

determinations of eligible countries.

Each RUS borrower is responsible for

assuring that its procurement complies

with the requirements of the RE Act

‘‘Buy American’’ provision.

RUS is making technical revisions to

its existing forms of loan contracts and

loan contract amendments to conform

them to the RE Act ‘‘Buy American’’

provision as amended. In addition, RUS

will make similar technical revisions to

its standard forms of contracts providing

for the purchase of materials and

equipment and for ‘‘furnish and install’’

type construction. Until these forms are

revised, the borrower should make the

appropriate changes in its contract

forms.

Dated: February 5, 1997.

Wally Beyer,

Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, and

Governor, Rural Telephone Bank.

[FR Doc. 97–3794 Filed 2–14–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–15–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A–427–811]

Certain Stainless Steel Wire Rods

From France: Final Results of

Antidumping Duty Administrative

Review

AGENCY: Import Administration,

International Trade Administration,

Department of Commerce.