The Drug Enforcement Administration is delaying until March 21 the effective date of its recent final rule on electronic filing of permit applications, import and export declarations, and other required filings and reports for the importation and exportation of controlled substances, listed chemicals, and tableting and encapsulating machines, it said (here). The effective date of the final rule, which was originally set to take effect Jan. 30 (see 1612290015), is being delayed to comply with a recent presidential memorandum (see 1701230031). DEA’s ACE pilot will end on the effective date of the final rule on electronic filing, so the delay means the end of the pilot is also postponed.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration finalized changes to its hazardous materials (hazmat) regulations intended to harmonize the regulations with international agreements, it said (here). The final rule implements recent changes to the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air, and the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods -- Model Regulations, PHMSA said. Also included are changes to align U.S. and Canadian regulations agreed to by the U.S.-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council. The changes affect proper shipping names, hazard classes, packing groups, special provisions, packaging authorizations, air transport quantity limitations and vessel stowage requirements, PHMSA said. Compliance with the amended regulations is required beginning Jan. 1, 2018.
The International Trade Commission is investigating whether to add to or remove articles from the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), as well as proposed competitive need limitation (CNL) waivers under the program, the ITC said (here). The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on Jan. 5 requested the ITC advise on the probable economic effect on total U.S. imports, on U.S. industries producing similar or directly competitive articles, and on U.S. consumers of the elimination of import duties under GSP for five products (see 1701110040). USTR also requested that the ITC investigate probable economic effects of removing glycine from GSP and granting CNL waivers for seven products using the dollar value limit of $175 million. The ITC said it will provide the requested advice and information for the 2016/2017 GSP review by May 5, after holding a public hearing Feb. 21 and a comment period to last until March 3. The ITC will accept requests to testify at the public hearing through Feb. 3, pre-hearing briefs and statements through Feb. 8, post-hearing briefs and statements through Feb. 27, and all other written submissions through March 3, it said.
The Energy Department is amending energy efficiency standards for general service lamps, in a final rule (here). The standard adopts a new definition of general service lamps, as follows: a lamp intended to serve in general lighting applications and that has the following basic characteristics: 1) an ANSI base (with the exclusion of light fixtures, LED downlight retrofit kits, and exemptions for specific base types); 2) a lumen output of greater than or equal to 310 lumens and less than or equal to 3,300 lumens; 3) an ability to operate at or between 12 V, 24 V, 100 to 130 V, 220 to 240 V, or 277 V; and 4) no designation or label for use in non-general applications. Products covered by the definition will be subject to a minimum of 45 lumens per watt under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, effective Jan. 1, 2010. Only LED light bulbs currently meet that standard, according to a press release (here) issued DOE when it published the underlying proposal in 2016.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a final rule adopting new regulations on the refusal of entry to animals or other products when the CDC deems it necessary to prevent the spread of disease. Under the final rule (here), CDC may “suspend the entry” of “animals, articles or things” into the U.S. from foreign countries or regions, whenever CDC “determines that such an action is necessary to protect public health.” CDC must specify the animal or product, country or region, and time period covered by the ban. The final rule takes effect Feb. 21.
President Barack Obama nominated Jason Kearns to be a member of the International Trade Commission, the White House said (here). Kearns previously worked as the top international trade lawyer for the Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee.
The National Marine Fisheries Service is issuing a final rule (here) to list the blackchin guitarfish (Rhinobatos cemiculus) and common guitarfish (Rhinobatos rhinobatos) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. New import and export restrictions established by the final rule take effect Jan. 19.
The Energy Department is amending energy efficiency standards for ceiling fans, in a final rule (here). Compliance with the new standards is required for ceiling fans manufactured or imported on or after Jan. 21, 2020.
The Energy Department is setting new energy efficiency standards for dedicated-purpose pool pumps, it said in a direct final rule (here). Compliance with the new standards is required beginning July 19, 2021.
President Barack Obama designated Rhonda Schmidtlein the chairman of the International Trade Commission, the ITC announced Jan. 13 (here). Schmidtlein succeeds Irving Williamson, who became chairman in June by operation of law, as Obama did not designate a chairman prior to the expiration of former chairman Meredith Broadbent's term, and Williamson was the senior-most commissioner of a party other than a party of his predecessor, an ITC spokesperson said in an email. Schmidtlein's term as chairman will expire June 16, 2018, and Williamson will continue serving as a commissioner.