The Drug Enforcement Administration said it intends to temporarily add the synthetic opioids ortho-Fluorofentanyl, Tetrahydrofuranyl Fentanyl and Methoxyacetyl Fentanyl to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. DEA can issue a final order temporarily adding the substance after a period of 30 days passes. If issued, the final order will take effect immediately and will stay in effect for a maximum of three years, pending completion of a permanent scheduling order.

Representatives from the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America are scheduled to meet with the Federal Communications Commission this week to outline some concerns related to the agency's elimination of the FCC's Form 740 filing requirements for imported radio frequency devices (see 1707130045). While the NCBFAA is pleased to see the Form 740 requirements go away, there's some worry over what's seen as new liabilities for customs brokers included in the FCC's order, said Alan Klestadt, a lawyer with Grunfeld Desiderio, who represents the NCBFAA. “The new regulations talk about customs brokers being responsible to validate FCC compliance,” Klestadt said during the NCBFAA Government Affairs Conference on Sept. 11. “There isn't a person in this room who's qualified to do that, and I say that without any disrespect. There's just no way.” Naming customs brokers as “one of the parties with responsibility to validate” marks a “huge additional burden,” he said. Klestadt said the NCBFAA is working to push back against "creep" by various agencies looking to use customs brokers to provide information about imports.

The Drug Enforcement Administration said it intends to temporarily add the synthetic cannabinoid FUB-AMB to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. DEA can issue a final order temporarily adding the substance after a period of 30 days passes. If issued, the final order will take effect immediately and will stay in effect for a maximum of three years, pending completion of a permanent scheduling order.

The Fish and Wildlife Service issued a final rule listing the Guadalupe fescue (Festuca ligulata), a plant species from Texas and Mexico, as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. New import and export restrictions set by the agency’s final rule take effect Oct. 10.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is drastically trailing its goal to have Afghanistan collect 75 percent of its customs duties through e-payment by the end of November 2017, as a report by the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) found that the nation was collecting only 0.59 percent of duties electronically at the end of December 2016. Dated Aug. 17, the report states that USAID has told SIGAR that it will complete a “root cause analysis” of the shortcoming by Aug. 31. USAID, in consultation with Chemonics, its implementing partner in USAID’s Afghanistan Trade and Revenue program, established the goal to reach the 75 percent level by the end of a planned $77.8 million project lasting from November 2013 through November 2017, the report says. USAID officials have suggested that “eliminating or significantly stemming” corruption in Afghanistan’s customs process could double the country’s customs revenue.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is setting 2018 quotas for the manufacture and importation of controlled substances in Schedule I and II of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a notice. Substances not listed in the table included in DEA's notice will have a quota of zero. DEA is also setting quotas for the Schedule I chemicals ephedrine, phenylpropanolamine and pseudoephedrine.

The Energy Department is setting new energy efficiency testing requirements for dedicated-purpose pool pumps, it said in a final rule. Compliance with the new procedures set by the final rule will be mandatory for certain representations made on or after Feb. 5, 2018.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives plans to update its information collection related to "Implements of War" in form ATF F 6A (5330.3C), the agency said in a notice. Among the revisions is to change "all references from 'Implements of War' to 'Defense Articles' including the title of the collection, which will be changed to Release and Receipt of Imported Firearms, Ammunition, and Defense Articles," it said.

United Steelworkers (USW) in a statement urged the Trump administration to hurry up in taking Section 232 action against steel imports, after “news reports” indicated that the executive branch is delaying the conclusion of its ongoing investigation. "Delay is devastating,” USW International President Leo Gerard said in a statement. “Since the President announced an investigation in April, attacks on the U.S. steel sector have skyrocketed, with imports up 18%. Trading partners have targeted the U.S. market for fear that the United States will finally stand up for its producers and workers and protect our national security.” Gerard said enough “time, attention, and investigation” have passed for the administration to “know what needs to be done.” Started in April, the Commerce Department-led investigation could result in tariffs and/or quotas if it finds steel imports threaten national security.

The International Trade Commission on July 25 released its 2016 “Year in Trade” Report, an annual overview of developments in the administration of U.S. trade laws and trade agreements (here).