[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 103 (Friday, May 28, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29993-29994]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-12982]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
Department of Commerce: Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Export Strategy To Support the
National Export Initiative
AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice and request for comment.
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SUMMARY: In order to support President Obama's National Export
Initiative (NEI), the interagency Trade Promotion Coordinating
Committee's (TPCC) Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Working Group
is developing a U.S. Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Export
Strategy (the Strategy) to guide U.S. government programs supporting
U.S. renewable energy and energy efficiency companies wishing to
compete for sales abroad. The Strategy focuses on increasing exports of
goods and services related to renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Not included in this initiative are all goods and services that relate
to the transport sector, including biofuels and biofuel feedstock.
The TPCC Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Working Group seeks
input from private businesses, trade associations, academia, labor
organizations, non-governmental organizations, and other interested
parties regarding foreign or domestic policies or conditions of
competition that impede exports faced by exporters of the relevant
goods and services; effectiveness or ineffectiveness of Federal
government programs supporting U.S. exports of renewable energy and
energy efficiency technology, including specific experiences with such
Federal government programs; specific ways in which the Federal
government can improve its programs to support exports of U.S. goods
and services related to renewable energy and energy efficiency; Federal
activities and programs that would benefit from increased interagency
cooperation; and generally how the Federal government can better help
U.S. businesses export more renewable energy and energy efficiency
technologies.
This input will be used to help guide the TPCC in its formulation
of the strategy that will support the NEI, with the goal of doubling
U.S. exports by 2015.
DATES: Comments must be received by 11:59 p.m. on July 10, 2010, to be
considered.
ADDRESSES: To provide input to the TPCC Renewable Energy and Energy
Efficiency Working Group, please send comments by post, e-mail or fax
to the attention of Julius Svoboda, Office of Energy & Environmental
Industries, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Ave., NW., Room 4053, Washington, DC 20230;
202-482-4152; e-mail [email protected]; fax 202-482-5665. Electronic
responses should be submitted in Microsoft Word format. Information
identified as confidential will be protected to the extent permitted by
law.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 11, 2010, President Obama issued
Executive Order 13534, which created the NEI in order to enhance and
coordinate Federal efforts to facilitate the creation of jobs in the
United States through the promotion of exports and to ensure the
effective use of Federal resources in support of these goals, The
Executive Order created the Export Promotion Cabinet, which coordinates
with the TPCC, to provide the President a comprehensive plan within 180
days to carry out the goals of the NEI. In response to Executive Order
13534, and with a view to increasing the amount of U.S. exports related
to Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, the TPCC Working Group on
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency has agreed to prepare, in
conjunction with other relevant TPCC Working Groups, a National
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Export Strategy for
consideration by the Export Promotion Cabinet for inclusion in the NEI
implementation plan. The Strategy will entail: (1) An evaluation of the
current global renewable energy and energy efficiency energy market;
(2) an analysis of overlaps and gaps in Federal government programs
designed to boost exports related to renewable energy and
[[Page 29994]]
energy efficiency; and (3) goals of the TPCC Working Group on Renewable
Energy and Energy Efficiency supporting the sector. The Strategy will
be completed in September 2010 to coincide with the release of the
first NEI report to the President.
The Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee--The TPCC is an
interagency committee that coordinates the development of U.S.
Government trade promotion policies and programs. The TPCC is composed
of representatives from 20 Federal agencies. The Department of Commerce
and the Department of Energy co-chair the TPCC Renewable Energy and
Energy Efficiency Working Group. Other Working Group agencies include
the Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation,
the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, the Small Business
Administration, the Departments of Agriculture, State, and Labor, and
the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
The TPCC Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Working Group--The
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Working Group is a sub-group of
the TPCC focused on the coordination and development of government-wide
export assistance to goods and services related to renewable energy and
energy efficiency. The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Working
Group held its first meeting on January 22, 2010.
The National Export Initiative--NEI is an Obama Administration
initiative to improve conditions that directly affect the private
sector's ability to export. The NEI is intended to meet the
Administration's goal of doubling exports over the next 5 years by
working to remove export barriers, by helping firms--especially small
businesses--overcome the hurdles to entering new export markets,
assisting with financing, and in general by pursuing a government-wide
approach to export advocacy abroad, among other steps.
Edward A. O'Malley,
Director, Office of Energy and Environmental Industries, International
Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.
[FR Doc. 2010-12982 Filed 5-27-10; 8:45 am]
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