282 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 2 / Monday, January 5, 1998 / Notices

proposed rule change between the

Commission and any person, other than

those that may be withheld from the

public in accordance with the

provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be

available for inspection and copying in

the Commission’s Public Reference

Room. Copies of the filing will also be

available for inspection and copying at

the Board’s principal offices. All

submissions should refer to File No.

SR–MSRB–97–11 and should be

submitted by January 26, 1998.

For the Commission by the Division of

Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated

authority, 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).

Jonathan G. Katz,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98–46 Filed 1–2–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8010–01–M

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES

TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

Implementation of Tariff-Rate Quota for

Imports of Beef

AGENCY: Office of the United States

Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Office of the United

States Trade Representative, (USTR) is

providing notice that USTR has

determined that New Zealand, pursuant

ot its request, is a participating country

for purposes of the export certification

program for imports of beef under the

tariff-rate quota.

DATES: The action is effective January 1,

1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Suzanne Early, Senior Policy Advisory

for Agricultural Affairs, Office of the

United States Trade Representative, 600

17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20508;

telephone: (202) 395–9615.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

United States maintains a tariff-rate

quota on imports of beef as part of its

implementation of the Marrakesh

Agreement Establishing the World

Trade Organization. The in-quota

quantity of that tariff-rate quota is

allocated in part among a number of

countries. As part of the administration

of that tariff-rate quota, USTR provided,

in 15 CFR part 2012, for the use of

export certificates with respect to

imports of beef from countries that have

an allocation of the in-quota quantity.

The export certificates apply only to

those countries that USTR determines

are participating countries for purposes

of 15 CFR part 2012.

On December 19, 1997, USTR

received a request and the necessary

supporting information from the

government of New Zealand to be

considered as a participating country for

purposes of the export certification

program. Accordingly, USTR has

determined that, effective January 1,

1998, New Zealand is a participating

country for purposes of 15 CFR part

2012. As a result, effective on or after

January 1, 1998, imports of beef from

New Zealand will need to be

accompanied by an export certificate in

order to qualify for the in-quota tariff

rate. Imports exported prior to January

1, 1998, including exports currently

warehoused, will not require a

certificate. In order for the export

certificate to be valid, it has to be used

in the calendar year for which it is in

effect.

Charlene Barshefsky,

United States Trade Representative.

[FR Doc. 97–34235 Filed 12–31–97; 9:11 am]

BILLING CODE 3190–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

Notice of Funds Availability for High

Speed Non-Electric Passenger

Locomotive Demonstration Program

AGENCY: Federal Railroad

Administration (FRA), Department of

Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of funds availability.

SUMMARY: FRA announces the

availability of $3,000,000 in fiscal year

1998 to initiate the development and

demonstration of a prototype, highspeed, non-electric passenger

locomotive. Thereafter, depending upon

appropriations in future years, up to an

additional $17,000,000 may be available

for this program.

Authority

The authority for this program is

contained in the Department of

Transportation and Related Agencies

Appropriations Act for fiscal year 1998

(Pub.L. 105–66), dated October 27, 1997.

Eligible Participants

Only existing locomotive

manufacturers with experience

producing locomotives in revenue

service in North America shall be

considered as eligible applicants for this

Federal assistance program. It is

expected that this project will be

awarded as a cooperative agreement.

Other entities wishing to participate

may subcontract with a qualified

locomotive manufacturer/applicant.

Submission of Applications

Five (5) copies of each application

should be submitted by February 27,

1998 to the following address: Robert L.

Carpenter, Office of Acquisition &

Grants Services, Federal Railroad

Administration, Mail Stop 50, 400 7th

St. S.W., Washington, DC 20590.

Points of Contact

Technical questions regarding this

solicitation may be directed to: Robert J.

McCown, Director, Technology

Development, Federal Railroad

Administration, Mail Stop 20, 400 7th

St. S.W., Washington, DC 20590, TEL

202–632–3250, FAX 202–632–3854.

Requests for forms and administrative

questions regarding this solicitation may

be directed to: Robert L. Carpenter,

Office of Acquisition & Grants Services,

Federal Railroad Administration, Mail

Stop 50, 400 7th St. S.W., Washington,

DC 20590, TEL 202–632–3236, FAX

202–632–3846.

Purpose

FRA is seeking a qualified locomotive

manufacturer to demonstrate an

advanced technology high-speed nonelectric locomotive capable of 125 mph

sustained operations with the goal of

ultimately being capable of 150 mph

operations with acceleration

characteristics approaching or equal to

current high-speed electric locomotives.

The locomotive shall also be capable of

demonstrating enhanced performance

using the energy storage element of the

flywheel developed by the Advanced

Locomotive Propulsion System (ALPS)

project. As part of the Next Generation

High Speed Rail Program, FRA has

identified three critical technology areas

where improved performance or

reduced cost could enhance the viability

of high-speed passenger rail service

based on incremental improvements to

existing rail infrastructure. These are

non-electric locomotives, grade crossing

risk mitigation, and advanced train

control systems.

The development of lightweight, high

power, non-electric motive power is

critical to the introduction of passenger

service at speeds above 90 mph in the

United States. The cost of electrification

is relatively expensive in all but the

most densely utilized corridors. Further,

locomotives based primarily on designs

appropriate for freight applications are

not practical for speeds above 100 mph,

due to poor acceleration capability and

weight, particularly unsprung mass,

which is incompatible with sustained

use on typical track structures because

of the large forces generated at high

speeds. For operations in territories