Miscellaneous International Trade Notices
The L.A. Harbor Commission approved on November 1, 2007 a measure that will help reduce port-related truck emissions by 80 percent by progressively banning older trucks from operation at the port, beginning October 1, 2008. The measure requires mayoral and city council approval by adoption of a city ordinance. The Port of Long Beach will deliberate a similar ban. (Home page http://www.portoflosangeles.org/; approved tariff at http://www.portoflosangeles.org/ )
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1. LA Port Commissioners Approve Progressive Ban on Dirty Trucks
2. CBP Creates New Office of Intelligence and Operations Coordination
American Shipper reports that on October 1, 2007, U.S. Customs and Border Protection created the Office of Intelligence and Operations Coordination, which includes the legacy Office of Anti-Terrorism, the Office of Intelligence, and contingents from the Office of Field Operations and the Border Control. (AS, 11/01/07, www.americanshipper.com)
3. Strike Looms at U.S.-Canada Blue Water Bridge Crossing
According to The Journal of Commerce, a strike by Canadian employees at the Blue Water Bridge, the second-busiest border crossing with the U.S., could take place as early as November 11, 2007 as Canadian federal mediators failed to reach a contract agreement. This bridge connects Point Edwards/Sarnia, Ontario, with Port Huron, Michigan. (JoC, dated 11/01/07, www.joc.com)
4. Non-Basmati Indian Rice Exports Banned w. Shipping Bill Dates After Oct 9
Yahoo! News reports that the Indian government has advised customs authorities that shipments of non-basmati rice, which had been banned for export in October 2007, should not be stopped if the shipping bills were issued prior to the date of the ban (October 9, 2007). (Yahoo! News, dated 10/23/07, available at http://au.news.yahoo.com/071023/3/14qw6.html)
5. CBP Chicago Reminder - Broker Annual Permit User Fees Due Jan 25th
U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Port of Chicago has issued a Pipeline reminding brokers that the annual user fee is due on January 25, 2008 and the amount is $138. The fee is payable for each calendar year in each port where a broker has a permit to do Customs business. (Pipeline 07-41, dated 11/01/07, available via email by sending a request to documents@brokerpower.com)
6. USDA Ethanol Transportation Backgrounder
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued the Ethanol Transportation Backgrounder which provides an overview of transportation issues facing the U.S. ethanol industry. (dated September 2007, available at http://www.ams.usda.gov/tmd/TSB/EthanolTransportationBackgrounder09-17-07.pdf )
7. GAO Reports That DHS Needs to Address Information Security
The Government Accountability Office states that the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and State face challenges in implementing key information security control activities, and that increased risks exist because of it. (GAO-07-528, dated August 2007, available at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07528.pdf )
8. GAO Reports on Ex-Im Bank's Financing of Dual-Use Exports
According to the Government Accountability Office, Export-Import Bank officials report that dual-use items were last financed in 2002, and attributed the program's decline to a shift in Ex-Im's portfolio from transactions with governments to private sector transactions. (GAO-07-1234R, dated 09/27/07, available at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d071234r.pdf )
9. USDA Seeks to Increase PACA Fees for Complaint Filing
The Agricultural Marketing Service has issued a press release announcing that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is proposing to amend the Rules of Practice regulations under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) to increase compliant filings. The proposed rule would increase from $60 to $100 the fee for filing an informal complaint and would increase from $300 to $500 the handling fee for filing a formal complaint. (AMS No. 220-07, dated 10/31/07, available at www.ams.usda.gov/news/220-07.htm)
10. USDA Secretary Names Members to Fruit and Vegetable Committee
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a press release announcing that on October 31, 2007, Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner announced the names of members of the new Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee. The 25 Committee members represent fresh fruit and vegetable growers/ shippers, retailers, industry trade associations, importers, foodservice suppliers, brokers, etc. (Release No. 0318.07, dated 10/31/07, available at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/.d/1/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2007%2F10%2F0318.xml&PC_7_2_5JM_parentnav=LATEST_RELEASES&PC_7_2_5JM_navid=NEWS_REL)
11. BIS' Transportation and Related Equipment TAC to Meet on November 15th
The Bureau of Industry and Security has issued a notice announcing that its Transportation and Related Equipment Technical Advisory Committee will hold a partially open meeting on November 15, 2007 in Washington, DC. (FR Pub 10/31/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-5407.pdf)
12. EPA Allows Gasoline Importers, Etc. to Change Calculation of Emissions
The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a final rule, effective November 26, 2007, which allows refiners and importers who produce or import conventional gasoline for use in Alaska, Hawaii, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands the option to change the way in which they calculate emissions from such gasoline for purposes of establishing their conventional gasoline anti-dumping and toxics performance baselines and determining compliance with their baselines. (EPA final rule, D/N EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0010 FRL-8487-2, FR Pub 10/25/07, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-21061.pdf)