A lawyer, a lobbyist and a think tank scholar all agreed -- the Section 301 tariff review is unlikely to result in significant changes to the punitive tariffs on most Chinese goods.
The Federal Maritime Commission should dismiss a complaint alleging U.S.-based Omni Logistics violated shipping regulations when it failed to include required information on demurrage invoices for more than 200 containers (see 2212020027), the company told the FMC this week. The complaint by Thompson Pipe Group Pressure, a U.S. supplier of construction equipment and services, “utterly fails to provide any factual detail” about how Omni violated the regulations violations, Omni said. The company also said FMC lacks jurisdiction over the dispute and the complaint alleges violations of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act despite the alleged violations occurring before OSRA was enacted.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is extending a ban on imports of dogs from countries with a high risk for rabies, it said in a notice released Jan. 25. The temporary suspension, which applies to dogs that have been in any high-risk countries in the past six months, had been set to expire Feb. 1, but will now run until July 31, the CDC said. The terms of the temporary suspension are unchanged from those in effect since June (see 2205270042).
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.