Despite urging from industry, the Federal Maritime Commission won’t issue an emergency order requiring carriers and terminal operators to share new cargo information with shippers. The FMC conducted a “careful review of market conditions” and public comments but “found circumstances currently do not warrant invoking temporary emergency authority, and the commission will not be issuing an emergency order at this time,” Tara Nielsen, counsel for the FMC’s office of managing director, said during a Jan. 25 FMC meeting.
The Fish and Wildlife Service is removing five species that occur on San Clemente Island, California -- the San Clemente Bell’s sparrow (Artemisiospiza belli clementeae) (formerly known as the San Clemente sage sparrow, Amphispiza belli clementeae), San Clemente Island bush-mallow (Malacothamnus clementinus), San Clemente Island paintbrush (Castilleja grisea), San Clemente Island lotus (Acmispon dendroideus var. traskiae), and San Clemente Island larkspur (Delphinium variegatum ssp. kinkiense) -- from the Endangered Species List, it said in a final rule released Jan. 24. An FWS review indicated that the “threats to the species have been eliminated or reduced to the point that the species have recovered," the agency said. The delisting takes effect Feb. 24.
Current and former government officials from the U.S., Mexico and Canada agreed that the recent Three Amigos summit was successful, but that implementing the ambition of relocating a semiconductor supply chain to North America will need dedicated attention. The officials spoke on a webinar hosted by the Council of the Americas and Wilson Center on Jan. 20.
Instant Brands agreed to a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over its false claims that all its Pyrex-branded glass measuring cups were made in the U.S. during a time when at least some were imported from China, the FTC said in a Jan. 18 news release. The proposed order would stop the company "from making deceptive claims" and require the company to pay a monetary judgment.
Hapag-Lloyd America said the Federal Maritime Commission should dismiss a complaint that alleged the company violated U.S. shipping regulations (see 2212280026), saying the FMC “lacks personal jurisdiction” in the matter. Hapag said Jan. 17 that Wisconsin-based logistics company M.E. Dey “incorrectly” asserted that Hapag is an ocean common carrier -- the company said it doesn’t meet the definition of a carrier.
The Fish and Wildlife Service is issuing a final rule reclassifying the Fender’s blue butterfly (Icaricia icarioides fenderi), an insect found only in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The listing includes a 4(d) rule for this species that prohibits importation and exportation without a permit. The rule becomes effective Feb. 13.
Major ocean carrier MSC denied allegations that its demurrage practices violated U.S. shipping regulations, saying a December complaint from U.S. metal trader CCMA lacks “meritorious factual basis.” MSC asked the Federal Maritime Commission to dismiss the complaint.
The January 2023 update to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule included several fixes not listed in the change record to resolve technical issues with the final update of 2022 (see 2301030052), according to an International Trade Commission staffer. Revision 12, released in November, had various technical problems due to the deployment of added security features in the data management system, which were not fully compatible with the underlying software. These comparability issues led to omissions, including the elimination of a table of additional duty rates on sugar-containing articles under 9904.17 and an expiration date column in subchapter II of Chapter 99. The HTS system has experienced issues when the custom-built system receives significant updates, the staff member said, but enhancements currently are in the works.
The Drug Enforcement Administration plans to temporarily adding five synthetic benzodiazepines -- etizolam, flualprazolam, clonazolam, flubromazolam and diclazepam -- to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a notice of intent in the Dec. 23 Federal Register. Once the temporary scheduling order is published, it will be in effect for up to three years, the DEA said.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is removing fenfluramine from schedule IV of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a notice of the final rule in the Dec. 23 Federal Register. The DEA said the drug has no abuse potential. The removal eliminates “the regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions applicable to controlled substances, including those specific to schedule IV controlled substances, on persons who handle (manufacture, distribute, reverse distribute, dispense, engage in research, import, export, conduct instructional activities or chemical analysis with, or possess) or propose to handle fenfluramine,” the DEA said. The delisting is effective Dec. 23.