The Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a notice announcing that it will hold an informal public meeting to discuss the priorities of the existing Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products and Commercial and Industrial Equipment (Energy Conservation Program) and any possible expansion of the scope of the program to include additional consumer products and commercial and industrial equipment for either standards or voluntary programs.
The Journal of Commerce reports that the move to establish a premium fee for daytime use of marine terminals in Los Angeles/Long Beach is intensifying. According to the article, State Assemblyman Alan Lowenthal has amended his proposed bill to call for creation of a specific board (comprised of representatives from the ports, the commercial trucking industry, the union, etc.) to collect the fee; however, the bill would not take effect if a local agency or private-sector group establishes a plan to move specified levels of inbound cargo during off-peak hours. The article notes that the Waterfront Coalition is developing its own proposal that would make a daytime usage premium fee a private-sector initiative. (JoC dated 04/12-18/04, www.joc.com.)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced that the following vessel operating common carriers (VOCCs) have become Sea Automated Manifest System (AMS) operational:
The International Trade Administration (ITA) frequently issues notices on antidumping (AD) and countervailing (CV) duty orders which Broker Power considers to be "minor" in importance as they concern actions that occur after an order is issued and neither announce nor cause any changes to an order's duty rates, scope, affected firms, or effective period.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a notice announcing the opportunity to request administrative reviews of the following antidumping (AD) and countervailing (CV) duty orders:
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued the final results of its antidumping (AD) duty changed circumstances review of the AD duty order on coumarin from China. As a result, the ITA is revoking this AD duty order effective February 1, 2003.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the low-duty Tariff Preference Level (TPL) (2) for Mexico filled on April 21, 2004 at 3:21 p.m.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has issued a policy directive which provides sanction guidance for imposing civil penalties for violations of its security regulations by aircraft operators, airport operators, and indirect air carriers (IACs, including freight forwarders) when a determination is made that civil penalty enforcement action should be taken.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a notice announcing that it has issued the second edition of its Questions and Answers (Q&A) on the prior notice requirement for imported food. This revised guidance is entitled "Questions and Answers Regarding the Interim Final Rule on Prior Notice of Imported Food (Edition 2)" and is dated May 2004.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a proposed rule which would amend its nursery stock regulations at 7 CFR Part 319 to allow the importation of small lots of seed under an import permit with specific conditions, as an alternative to the current phytosanitary certificate requirement.