Federal Register/Vol. 76, No. 104/Tuesday, May 31, 2011/Notices
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31354 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 104 / Tuesday, May 31, 2011 / Notices Estimated time per Response: 5 assembled in the United States from body, axles, and wheels. The TCE is then minutes. parts made in the United States, Turkey, assembled in the U.S. from both imported Estimated Total Annual Burden Switzerland, Hungary, Japan, Germany, and U.S.-origin components. Hours: 35,939. Canada, the United Kingdom, and A Bill of Materials was submitted with the request. Apart from the glider, parts for the Dated: May 24, 2011. various other countries is substantially TCE are also imported from Switzerland, Tracey Denning, transformed in the United States, such Hungary, Japan, Germany, Canada, the that the United States is the country of Agency Clearance Officer, U.S. Customs and United Kingdom, and various other Border Protection. origin of the finished article for countries. According to the submission, the purposes of U.S. Government TCE vehicle is composed of 31 components, [FR Doc. 2011–13302 Filed 5–27–11; 8:45 am] procurement. of which 14 are of U.S.-origin. For purposes BILLING CODE 9111–14–P Section 177.29, Customs Regulations of this decision, we assume that the (19 CFR 177.29), provides that notice of components of U.S. origin are produced in final determinations shall be published the U.S. or are substantially transformed in DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND the U.S. and considered products of the U.S. SECURITY in the Federal Register within 60 days The U.S. assembly occurs at various of the date the final determination is stations. The assembly stations at AM U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued. Section 177.30, Customs General, the manufacturing subcontractor, Regulations (19 CFR 177.30), provides are described as follows: Notice of Issuance of Final that any party-at-interest, as defined in Station 0: A visual quality inspection of the Determination Concerning the Transit 19 CFR 177.22(d), may seek judicial glider is performed and the materials Connect Electric Vehicle review of a final determination within necessary for assembly are delivered to the 30 days of publication of such proper stations. AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border determination in the Federal Register. Station 1: A Vehicle Identification Number Protection, Department of Homeland is assigned. Holes are drilled into the glider Security. Dated: May 24, 2011. and brackets are installed to support the battery pack and other electric assembly ACTION: Notice of final determination. Sandra L. Bell, Executive Director, Regulations and Rulings, components. The fuel door of the glider is SUMMARY: This document provides Office of International Trade. removed, assembled into a charge port, and the charge port is installed. The cab wiring Attachment notice that U.S. Customs and Border harnesses and instrument clusters are Protection (‘‘CBP’’) has issued a final HQ H155115 removed and replaced with U.S. origin cab determination concerning the country of wiring harnesses and Hungarian instrument origin of the Transit Connect Electric May 24, 2011 OT:RR:CTF:VS H155115 BGK clusters appropriate for electric vehicles. The Vehicle. Based upon the facts presented, CATEGORY: Marking low-voltage battery is removed. CBP has concluded in the final Station 2: A U.S.-origin battery pack, U.S. Scott T. Harrison engine bay wiring harness, German power determination that the United States is Chief Executive Officer the country of origin of the vehicle for steering pump and motor, German battery Azure Dynamics Corporation coolant pump heater, and Turkish power purposes of U.S. Government 14925 W 11 Mile Road steering lines are installed. Four Oak Park, MI 48237 procurement. subassemblies, which previously are DATES: The final determination was RE: Government Procurement; Country of assembled at four substations using certain Origin of Electric Vehicles; Substantial U.S. and foreign components, are also issued on May 24, 2011. A copy of the Transformation final determination is attached. Any assembled and installed: Cooling pack Dear Mr. Harrison: party-at-interest, as defined in 19 CFR subassembly, hoses assembly, high voltage This is in response to your letter, dated junction box assembly, and traction 177.22(d), may seek judicial review of March 16, 2011, as amended April 6, 2011, assembly. this final determination on or before and April 7, 2011, requesting a final The cooling pack subassembly involves the June 30, 2011. determination on behalf of Azure Dynamics removal of the condenser from the radiator FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: (Azure), pursuant to subpart B of 19 C.F.R. included with the glider and the replacement Barbara Kunzinger, Valuation and part 177. of the radiator included with glider with a Special Programs Branch: (202) 325– Under these regulations, which implement Canadian radiator that is compatible with Title III of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979, 0359. electric vehicles. U.S. hoses are then as amended (19 U.S.C. 2511 et seq.), U.S. installed onto the radiator. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issues The hoses subassembly involves measuring hereby given that on May 24, 2011, country of origin advisory rulings and final and cutting U.S.-origin coolant hoses and pursuant to subpart B of part 177, determinations as to whether an article is or installing U.S.-origin hoses clips to the hoses. Customs Regulations (19 CFR part 177, would be a product of a designated country The high voltage junction box subassembly or instrumentality for the purpose of granting involves integrating a Canadian active subpart B), CBP issued a final waivers of certain ‘‘Buy American’’ determination concerning the country of discharge unit with various U.S. and foreign restrictions in U.S. law or practice for origin vent plugs, mounting studs, internal origin of the Transit Connect Electric products offered for sale to the U.S. harnesses, fuses and a fuse holder, and Vehicle which may be offered to the Government. various cables. U.S. Government under an This final determination concerns the The traction subassembly involves the undesignated procurement contract. country of origin of the Transit Connect assembly of a U.S. origin motor controller This final determination, in HQ Electric Vehicle (TCE). We note that Azure, (manufactured by Azure at a different plant H155115, was issued at the request of the U.S. importer and manufacturer, is a and referred to as the Force Drive electric party-at-interest within the meaning of 19 Azure Dynamics under procedures set powertrain), a U.S. origin gearbox, a German C.F.R. 177.22(d)(1) and is entitled to request electric motor, a German origin vacuum forth at 19 CFR part 177, subpart B, this final determination under 19 C.F.R. which implements Title III of the Trade pump, a Swiss charger, a Japanese AC 177.23(a). compressor, and a Japanese DC–DC Agreements Act of 1979, as amended FACTS: converter. (19 U.S.C. 2511–18). In the final Azure purchases and imports a Transit Station 3: Multiple quality control determination, CBP concluded that, Connect glider from Turkey. A glider is a inspections are performed. Various brackets, based upon the facts presented, the non-functional base without a powertrain or gaskets, nuts and bolts, and cords and wires Transit Connect Electric Vehicle, exhaust components, and consists of a frame, are installed. The original-low voltage battery VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:27 May 27, 2011 Jkt 223001 PO 00000 Frm 00060 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\31MYN1.SGM 31MYN1 mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 104 / Tuesday, May 31, 2011 / Notices 31355 is re-installed, along with the U.S. origin integral part of the new article. Belcrest operations performed in the U.S. to produce vehicle control unit, a German driveshaft, Linens v. United States, 573 F. Supp. 1149 an electric mini-truck. The decision was and a Japanese heater assembly. (Ct. Int’l Trade 1983), aff’d, 741 F.2d 1368 based on the fact that, under the described Station 4: The coolant, power steering, and (Fed. Cir. 1984). The country of origin of the assembly process, the imported glider lost its windshield washer reservoirs are filled. A item’s components, extent of the processing individual identity and became an integral functional electric test, a diagnostic test, and that occurs within a country, and whether part of a new article possessing a new name, a complete system check are performed. such processing renders a product with a character, and use. In addition, a substantial Other various parts, including a new name, character, and use are primary number of the components added to the potentiometer to the heater blend door, a data considerations in such cases. Assembly imported glider were of U.S. origin. The link control wiring harness, and a brake operations that are minimal or simple, as sensor to the brake petal, are installed, and opposed to complex or meaningful, will glider was assembled with approximately 87 a tire inflation kit, labels, books, and manuals generally not result in a substantial different components, 68 of which were of are added to the vehicle. transformation. See C.S.D. 80–111, C.S.D. 85– U.S. origin. The batteries, charger, and gear Station 5: A tire pressure check, wheel 25, C.S.D. 89–110, C.S.D. 89–118, C.S.D. 90– box were of U.S. origin, and other major alignment, headlight aiming, brake test, 51, and C.S.D. 90–97. Whether an operation parts, including the electric motor and battery charge, road test, and underbody is complex and meaningful depends on the brakes, were of foreign origin. check are performed. nature of the operation, including the As stated in HRL H022169 (citing HRL ISSUE: number of components assembled, number of 731076, dated November 1, 1988), CBP different operations, time, skill level What is the country of origin of the subject considers the manufacture of an automobile required, attention to detail, quality control, TCE vehicles for purposes of U.S.