The Drug Enforcement Administration is proposing to control 4-piperidone as a list I chemical under the Controlled Substances Act. The chemical is used in the manufacture of fentanyl, DEA said. DEA is not proposing a threshold for domestic and international transactions for these chemicals, so “all transactions of chemical mixtures containing 4-piperidone will be regulated at any concentration and will be subject to control under the Controlled Substances Act,” the agency said. Comments are due Oct. 24.
The Federal Maritime Commission this week issued a notice that seeks public comments on the set of factors it should consider when determining whether an ocean carrier is violating shipping regulations by refusing vessel space to shippers. The FMC also seeks comments on how it should define “unreasonable” conduct by ocean carriers, specifically their “unreasonable refusal to deal or negotiate with respect to vessel space accommodation.” Comments on the notice of proposed rulemaking, which the FMC previewed last week (see 2209130040), are due Oct. 21.
U.S. rail companies and union negotiators this week agreed to avoid a labor strike that would have caused “catastrophic impacts on industries, travelers and families across the country,” the Department of Labor said Sept. 15. The two sides agreed to forego the strike, which was scheduled to begin at midnight Sept. 16, after 20 consecutive hours of negotiations, the agency said. The “tentative” deal for rail workers “balances the needs of workers, businesses and our nation’s economy.”
The Uyghur Human Rights Project, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group, is asking shoppers at Asian and international supermarkets to watch out for red dates coming from Xinjiang, and to report the presence of those goods to CBP, as they violate the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.
The Federal Trade Commission seeks comments by Sept. 26 on a proposed settlement of Made in USA violations that would see Electrowarmth pay $815,809 to resolve charges that it labeled and advertised “bunk warmer” mattress pads for truck bunks as made in the U.S. when actually they were “in numerous instances” wholly imported from China, the FTC said in a notice. Under the settlement, Electrowarmth also would be required to identify and notify certain customers of the settlement within 30 days, the notice said. Electrowarmth also would have to file a compliance report within one year after the order becomes final, and notify the FTC within 14 days of certain changes that would affect compliance with the agreement.
The Federal Maritime Commission has made publicly available on its website its FY 2019 Service Contract Inventory Analysis, the agency said in a Federal Register notice. FMC said the analysis includes “Scope, Methodology, Findings, Actions Taken or Planned, and Accountable Officials.”
The Fish and Wildlife Service will remove two species from the endangered species list, after finding neither is a separate species eligible for listing, the FWS said in notices released Aug. 23. The agency said the plant Adiantum vivesii (no common name) is not a distinct species, but rather a sterile hybrid that does not have the capacity to establish a lineage that could be lost to extinction. The Braken Bat Cave meshweaver (Cicurina venii), an arachnid, is not a species separate from the Madla Cave meshweaver (Cicurina madla), and will remain subject to endangered species list protections under the latter’s listing, the FWS said. Both de-listings take effect Sept. 23.
The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America sent a letter to the Federal Maritime Commission last week requesting guidance on Ocean Shipping Reform Act regulations. In an Aug. 15 email to members, NCBFAA said it asked the FMC for more “clarity” on OSRA provisions that restrict common carriers from invoicing parties for detention and demurrage unless the invoice includes certain required information. The group also asked the commission about the fee dispute process; made “inquiries with respect to the treatment of ocean carrier vendors, such as railroads and chassis pools”; and asked about new, prohibited conduct for common carriers. NCBFAA asked FMC to explain “to what extent do these new prohibitions and requirements, especially for invoicing, apply to marine terminal operators, customs brokers, freight forwarders, breakbulk agents, and other entities assessing and invoicing” fees.
The Federal Maritime Commission announced a new landing page on its website dedicated to the commission’s activities related to the Ocean Shipping Reform Act. The page will provide links to OSRA-related rulemakings, industry advisories and news. “Establishing a resource where the public can easily and quickly see all relevant materials related to OSRA implementation is critical to keeping all interested constituencies informed of progress the Commission is making in meeting the mandates established by the Congress and the President,” FMC Chairman Daniel Maffei said.
The Federal Maritime Commission will officially begin requesting public comments Aug. 8 on a new carrier data collection plan mandated by the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (see 2208030016). The FMC will collect new information from carriers on the total import and export tonnage and the total loaded and empty 20-foot equivalent units (TEU) per vessel. Comments are due Oct. 7.