The Drug Enforcement Administration permanently placed six synthetic cathinones -- N-Ethylhexedrone, alpha-Pyrrolidinohexanophenone, 4-Methyl-alpha-ethylaminopentiophenone, 4'-Methyl-alpha-pyrrolidinohexiophenone, alpha-Pyrrolidinoheptaphenone and 4'-Chloro-alpha-pyrrolidinovalerophenone -- into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, in a final rule released May 31. The substance had been temporarily listed in Schedule I since 2019 (see 2107150020). The final rule takes effect June 1.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is placing the newly approved drug ganaxolone in Schedule V of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in an interim final rule. Effective June 1, ganaxolone, which was granted approval by the FDA in March, is subject to new registration, labeling, record-keeping, and import and export requirements. DEA is accepting comments on the rule until July 1.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is modifying it restrictions on imported dogs from countries at a high-risk of rabies "to allow for more dog imports from a wider range of importers," the agency said in a notice released May 27. The CDC suspended imports of such dogs last year (see 2106140047). "Based on improvements in CDC’s ability to track and monitor dog imports from high-risk countries, and the significant decrease in the dog importation issues that existed prior to the suspension," the agency will allow for more dog imports, it said. CDC will allow for dogs returning to the U.S. "from high-risk countries with a valid U.S.-issued rabies vaccination certificate" to enter "without a CDC Dog Import Permit," it said. Also, "all importers are now eligible to import dogs; therefore, there are no longer eligibility criteria as to who may import dogs," it said. The agency also created a new entry process for commercial shipments of dogs. "All commercial dog importers from high-risk countries may now import dogs provided that the dogs, upon entering the United States, are examined, revaccinated, and have proof of an adequate [rabies serologic titer test] from a CDC-approved laboratory upon arrival or are held in quarantine at a CDC-approved animal facility until they meet CDC entry requirements," it said.

The Federal Trade Commission is proposing changes to comparability range information on EnergyGuide labels, it said. The “routine updates” affect labeling for televisions, refrigerators and freezers, dishwashers, water heaters, room air conditioners (ranges only), clothes washers, furnaces, and pool heaters, the FTC said. “The proposed amendments also contain a minor, clarifying change to requirements for determining room air conditioner capacity.” Comments are due July 11.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is proposing changes to authorized fill standards for wine and distilled spirits containers, it said May 25. The agency is considering two alternatives, one being the addition of 10 additional fill standards for wine. The other would be the elimination of “all but a minimum standard of fill for wine containers and all but a minimum and maximum for distilled spirits containers, thus potentially eliminating unnecessary regulatory requirements, reducing barriers to competition, and providing consumers broader purchasing options,” TTB said. Comments are due July 25.

Data analysis nonprofit C4ADS highlighted nine products that are "produced in disproportionately high volumes in Xinjiang that are part of global supply chains," in a new report released May 19. The report examines China's Xinjiang region's role in manufacturing those products: cotton, tomato products, pepper products, walnuts, rayon, calcium carbide, polysilicon, wind turbines, and beryllium. "These goods should be a focal point of international stakeholders’ response to the crisis in the region: if these goods are found to be produced by forced labor, or otherwise support oppression in Xinjiang, removing them from global supply chains can help end international support for these crimes," the report said.

The International Trade Commission will produce a report by March 15 next year on the economic impact of Section 301 and Section 232 tariffs on U.S. prices, trade and production in the industries most affected by the tariffs. The commission announced that it will hold a public hearing on July 21, and that requests to appear at that hearing should be filed by July 6. It also will accept written submissions on the topic through Aug. 24.

TUCSON, Arizona -- The Fish and Wildlife Service hopes to finalize a proposed rule on its ACE filing requirements at the end of 2022, said Rhyan Tompkins, the agency’s ACE coordinator, at the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America annual conference May 2. The rulemaking would mark one of the final steps in what has been a stop-and-go process to develop the agency’s partner government agency (PGA) message set, with a voluntary ACE filing pilot open to all filers since 2020. Once ACE filing is mandatory, the agency will continue to allow filing as either a limited dataset, with most data filed in the agency’s eDecs (electronic declarations) system and only a confirmation number provided in ACE, or the extended dataset comprising all the required data elements in ACE, Tompkins said.

The National Marine Fisheries Service updated its certification of admissibility that is required for imports of fish from Mexico, CBP said in a CSMS message. The revised form expires May 31. "Mexican authorities have been notified that this form should be used for fish landed in Mexican ports beginning May 1, 2022," CBP said. "Entries from Mexico under the designated HTS codes that are not accompanied by the COA are inadmissible." The certification requirements are meant to help protect the endangered vaquita, a species of porpoise endemic to the northern Gulf of California (see 2003050043).

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is amending definitions in its regulations for “firearm frame or receiver” and “frame or receiver” subject to licensing, serialization, and recordkeeping requirements so they cover modern multipiece frames and receivers, as well as privately made “ghost guns,” it said in a final rule April 26. The final rule also includes provisions for weapons parts kits to “ensure proper licensing, marking, recordkeeping, and background checks,” the ATF said. The final rule takes effect Aug. 24.