The International Trade Commission recently released an updated version of the 2018 Harmonized Tariff Schedule, making several changes required to implement safeguard duties on large residential washers and solar cells (see 1801230052), it said. According to the ITC’s change record, “Revision 1.1” changes unit of quantity requirements for washing machines from “X” to “No.” and adds “W” for watts to the units of quantity for solar cells under subheading 8541.40.6030. New statistical note 9 to Chapter 85 clarifies that, “for statistical reporting purposes under subheading 8541.40.6030, importers should report the total watts at maximum power based on standard test conditions according to the latest revision of International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 60904, ‘Photovoltaic Devices.’” Provisions for the safeguards are also added to Chapter 99, as detailed in the annex to the presidential proclamation setting the new tariffs (see 1802020012). The changes took effect Feb. 7.
A recent change to Peruvian logging permit rules will make it “nearly impossible” for Peruvian timber to be legally imported into the U.S. and European Union, the non-governmental Environmental Investigation Agency said in a Feb. 7 news release. Following concerns that cropped up in 2015 over illegal timber harvesting in Peru (see 1608170039), the Peruvian government’s response has been to “fire and intimidate key officials, reduce data collection at export points, and most recently to change transport permit requirements so that wood cannot be traced back to its source -- in contravention of Peru’s own laws and international commitments,” the EIA said. “Peru’s new rule interpretation will make it impossible to trace any wood product for sale or export back to its forest source and therefore, given the way U.S. and European Union regulations are being enforced, will make it essentially impossible for Peruvian timber to legally enter those markets,” said Lisa Handy, EIA director-forest campaigns. “If you can’t even figure out where your timber came from, how can you possibly claim to know it’s legal?”
The Fish and Wildlife Service issued a final rule listing the Texas hornshell (Popenaias popeii), a freshwater mussel species from New Mexico, Texas and Mexico, as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. New import and export restrictions set by the agency’s final rule take effect March 12.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is temporarily adding all "fentanyl-related substances" to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said. The agency's temporary scheduling order covers "any substance not otherwise controlled in any schedule," including substances not yet developed as of publication of DEA's notice, "that is structurally related to fentanyl" in certain ways listed in the notice. DEA plans on publishing notices detailing the actual substances covered by the order as they are developed, though "even in the absence of a future publication by DEA specifically identifying such a substance, the substance will be controlled by virtue of the temporary scheduling order." DEA proposed the temporary scheduling order in December (see 1712290012). The listing takes effect Feb. 6, and will be in effect for up to three years.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is temporarily adding seven fentanyl-related synthetic opioids to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said. The substances are valeryl fentanyl, parafluorobutyryl fentanyl, para-methoxybutyryl fentanyl, para-chloroisobutyryl fentanyl, isobutyryl fentanyl, cyclopentyl fentanyl and ocfentanil. The listing takes effect Feb. 1, and will be in effect for up to three years.
The National Marine Fisheries Service is issuing a final rule to list the oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharinus lonigmanus) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. New import and export restrictions established by the final rule take effect March 1.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is proposing to permanently list the synthetic cannabinoids MAB-CHMINACA and ADB-CHMINACA in schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. The synthetic cannabinoids have been temporarily listed in schedule I since February 2016. In a separate notice, DEA is also extending the temporary listing of these substances for another year, until February 2019. Substances may be temporarily listed in the Controlled Substances Act for a maximum of three years.
U.S. and Mexican labor unions recently filed a complaint with the Labor Department alleging that Mexico is violating NAFTA labor rules. The complaint, which alleges that recent laws passed in Mexico undermine Mexican workers’ ability to organize and right to collective bargaining, requests amendments or repeal of the legislation and consultations between the U.S. and Mexico. The AFL-CIO and the Mexican National Union of Workers (UNT) filed the complaint. The sixth round of NAFTA negotiations among the U.S., Mexico and Canada began on Jan. 23 in Montreal, and is expected to conclude Jan. 29.
The Fish and Wildlife Service is removing the eastern puma (Puma concolor couguar) from the Endangered Species List, it said in a final rule. The subspecies has not been seen in the wild since 1938, and is likely extinct, FWS said. The delisting takes effect Feb. 22.
The Federal Trade Commission is amending its textile labeling rules to remove a requirement that an owner of a registered word trademark, used as a house mark, provide the FTC a copy of the mark's registration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office before using the mark on labels. The provision is now outdated because “registered house marks now can be found by searching online or at the USPTO's website,” the FTC said. The final rule takes effect Feb. 22.