PETITIONS AND DETERMINATIONS.

SEC. 271. PETITIONS AND DETERMINATIONS. (a) A petition for certification of eligibility for adjustment assistance under this chapter may be filed with the Secretary of Commerce (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as the “Secretary”) by a political subdivision of a State (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as a “community”), by a group of such communities, or by the Governor of a State on behalf of such communities. Upon receipt of the petition, the 88 Stat. 2036Secretary shall promptly publish notice in the Federal Register that he has received the petition and initiated an investigation. (b) If the petitioner, or any other person found by the Secretary to have a substantial interest in the proceedings, submits not later than 10 days after the Secretary’s publication of notice under subsection (a) a request for a hearing the Secretary shall provide for a public hearing and afford such interested persons an opportunity to be present, to produce evidence, and to be heard. (c) The Secretary shall certify a community as eligible for adjustment assistance under this chapter if he determines— (1) that a significant number or proportion of the workers in the trade impacted area in which such community is located have become totally or partially separated, or are threatened to become totally or partially separated, (2) that sales or production, or both, of firms, or subdivisions of firms, located in the trade impacted area specified in paragraph (1) have decreased absolutely, and (3) that increases of imports of articles like or directly competitive with articles produced by firms, or subdivisions of firms, located in the trade impacted area specified in paragraph (1) or that the transfer of firms or subdivisions of firms located in such area to foreign countries have contributed importantly to the total or partial separations, or threats thereof, described in paragraph (1) and to the decline in sales or production described in paragraph (2). For purposes of paragraph (3), the term “contributed importantly” means a cause which is important but not necessarily more important than any other cause. (d) As soon as possible after the date on which a petition is filed under this section, but in any event not later than 60 days after that date, the Secretary shall determine whether the petitioning community, or group of communities, meets the requirements of subsection (c) and shall issue a certification of eligibility for assistance under this chapter covering any community located in the same trade impacted area in which the petitioner is located which meets such requirements. (e) The Secretary, after consulting the Secretary of Labor, shall establish the size and boundaries of each trade impacted area, considering the criteria in subsection (c) and, to the extent they are relevant, the factors specified as criteria for redevelopment areas under section 401 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965. (f) If the Secretary determines that a community requires no additional assistance under this chapter, he shall terminate the certification of eligibility of such community and promptly have notice of such termination published in the Federal Register. Such termination shall take effect on the termination date specified by the Secretary.