CBP Los Angeles will be conducting a trade forum on importing requirements for wood and wood products on Feb. 13 at the Port of Long Beach, it said in a public bulletin. The presentation will be conducted by the CBP National Import Specialist for wood products and by CBP agriculture specialist. The program will cover topics including:
CBP is moving toward testing Simplified Entry for Lacey Act filings, said Vincent Annunziato, director of cargo control and release at CBP, speaking at the CBP East Coast Trade Symposium Nov. 28. CBP recently wrapped up its Phase 1 of Simplified Entry testing when it expanded the pilot to numerous ports, said Annunziato. (See ITT's Online Archives 12081319 for summary of CBP's plans to expand the simplified entry pilot. Simplified Entry allows for filing of shipment information earlier in the import process and is now being tested within air cargo.)
The Agriculture Department is asking for comments on its Lacey Act Declaration for plant and plant products, in light of the 2008 expansion of Lacey Act coverage to illegal logging practices. Comments are due to USDA and the Office of Management and Budget by Nov. 26.
Okeechobee, Fla., resident David Feltenberger was sentenced to 90 days in prison and 90 days of home confinement with electronic monitoring, to be followed by three years of supervised released, a $20,000.00 fine, and 250 hours of community service on charges of exporting turtles to China, the Justice Department said. Feltenberger also agreed to forfeit the illegal catch of turtles and a commercial vehicle used to transport the turtles. He had pleaded guilty July 16. Feltenberger owned a turtle aquaculture facility known as the Big Lake Fish Farm II and possessed an FWCC Turtle Aquaculture Brood Stock Collection Permit. Feltenberger's permit allowed him to collect over 15,000 turtles of various species from the wild for use as brood stock. However, in violation of his FWCC Permit, Feltenberger purchased wild-caught turtles and repeatedly shipped the live turtles to China, in violation of the Lacey Act, the Justice Department said.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for July 30-Aug. 3 in case they were missed last week.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for July 30-Aug. 3 in case they were missed last week.
Gibson Guitar and the Department of Justice (DOJ) settled a contentious dispute over allegations of Lacey Act violations related to the purchase of wood from Madagascar and India, both sides said Aug. 6. Gibson agreed to pay penalties, withdraw claims against wood seized as part of the government's investigation and improve compliance efforts, while the government agreed to defer prosecution, according to the agreement.
Extending the Lacey Act import declaration without considering the Lacey Act amendments’ increased product coverage “will have significant and adverse effects for North American manufacturing and supply chains,” said the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) in comments submitted to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Several commenters urged changes to the Lacey Act import declaration in response to APHIS’ June 6 request to extend the import declaration information collection without change. Public comments from industry cited the heavy burden of the declarations and, noting that the declarations are becoming more burdensome as Lacey Act coverage is extended, recommended a simplified declaration process.
Antiques dealer David Hausman, 67, of New York City, pleaded guilty July 31 to obstruction of justice and creating false records in relation to illegal rhinoceros horn trafficking. The guilty plea was a result of an investigation which included U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigation. Hausman was arrested in February 2012 as part of "Operation Crash," and charged with Lacey Act violations.
The House Natural Resources Committee gave its approval June 7 to HR-3210, the Retailers and Entertainers Lacey Implementation and Enforcement Fairness (RELIEF) Act. If enacted, the bill would amend the Lacey Act to exempt its application to pre-2008 plant imports and products. An amendment introduced by Rep. John Fleming (R-La.) removed provisions that would require a new certification process, adequate funding for the processing of declarations, Federal Trade Commission review etc.