Miscellaneous International Trade Notices

1. LA Harbor Commission Approves Clean Truck Program

2. LA/LB Clean Truck Debate Troubling as Ports Handle Over Half of Trade from Asia

According to a Journal of Commerce commentary, the fact that the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach handled over half of all U.S. container imports from Asia in 2007 is why the political clash over their Clean Trucks Program is so troubling. The commentary adds that is a political reality in Southern California that if the ports can't grow green, they won't be able to grow at all. (JoC, dated 03/10/08, www.joc.com)

3. FWS Reminds Trade that Caviar Labeling, Etc. Became Effective 09/24/07

The Fish and Wildlife Service has issued a notice reminding the wildlife import/export community that the updated Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) regulations at 50 CFR Part 23, including the caviar labeling requirements, became effective September 24, 2007. (See ITT's Online Archives or 10/10/07 news, 07101030, for the final part of BP's summary of the updated CITES requirements.) (FWS notice, dated 03/13/08, available at http://www.fws.gov/le/PubBulletins/03142008PBCitesLabelingSturgeonCaviar.htm)

4. Port of Chicago Pipeline Notice on General Order Notification Process

U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Port of Chicago has issued a Pipeline providing notice of the new General Order Notification Process and a reminder of the port's policy regarding the referral of bonded merchandise for General Order when entry has not been made within the required 15-day period. (CBP Chicago Pipeline 08-13, dated 03/07/08, available by emailing BP at documents@brokerpower.com)

5. FMCSA Updates List of Carriers Eligible to Participate in Cross-Border Pilot

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has posted a notice to its Web site providing an updated list of Mexican-domiciled and U.S.-domiciled motor carriers that have been granted authority to participate in the U.S.-Mexico cross-border pilot program. (FMCSA notice, available at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/cross-border/cross-border-carriers.htm)

6. ITA Fact Sheet on January Exports, Includes Info on NAFTA

The International Trade Administration has issued its fact sheet on January 2008 export statistics. The fact sheet includes a section on NAFTA. (ITA fact sheet, dated 03/11/08, available at http://www.commerce.gov/s/groups/public/@doc/@os/@opa/documents/content/prod01_005364.pdf)

7. ITC Staff Working Paper on U.S.-China Trade from 1995 - 2004

The International Trade Commission has posted a staff working paper entitled, "Chinese Foreign Trade Performance and the China-U.S. Trade: 1995-2004 - A Graphical Analysis Based on China Customs Statistics." The working paper prepared a series of graphs to illustrate the changing patterns of Chinese foreign trade during 1995-2004 combined with discussions on related literature and policy development during the same period. (ITC working paper, dated March 2008, available at http://www.usitc.gov/ind_econ_ana/research_ana/research_work_papers/documents/EC200803A.pdf)

8. TWIC Enrollment Center Closures in Observance of Easter Holiday

The Transportation Security Administration has posted a list of Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) enrollment centers that will be closed on March 21 and/or 24, 2008 in observance of the Easter Holiday. (TSA posting available at http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/twic/index.shtm)

9. TWIC Enrollment for Bangor, Maine

The Transportation Security Administration has issued a notice announcing the enrollment for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential for the Port of Bangor, Maine will begin on March 26, 2008. (TSA notice, D/Ns TSA-2006-24191; Coast Guard-2006-24196, FR Pub 03/12/08, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-4897.pdf)

10. TSA Adds E-2 Visa as Permissible Visa Category for TWIC Applicants

The Transportation Security Administration has issued correcting amendments, effective March 12, 2008, to the January 2007 Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) final rule to add the E-2 Visa (Treaty Investor) as one of the permissible visa categories for TWIC applicants. Holders of E-2 Visas were explicitly listed as eligible to hold a TWIC in the preamble of the January 2007 TWIC final rule, and therefore, this revision carries out the intent of the rule. (TSA correcting amendments, D/Ns TSA-2006-24191; TSA Amendment No. 1572-8, FR Pub 03/12/08, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-4901.pdf)

11. State Dept Certifies that Bolivian Military is Respecting Human Rights

The State Department has issued a notice announcing that pursuant to the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 2006, as carried forward under the Revised Continuing Appropriations Resolution of 2007, it is certifying that the Bolivian military is respecting human rights, and civilian judicial authorities are investigating and prosecuting, with the military's cooperation, military personnel who have been implicated in gross violations of human rights. (Public Notice 6130, FR Pub 03/12/08, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-4965.pdf)

12. ITA Announces April 8 Meeting of the President's Export Council

The International Trade Administration has issued a notice announcing that the President's Export Council will hold an open meeting on April 8, 2008 in Washington, DC to discuss topics related to export expansion. The meeting will

include discussion of trade priorities and initiatives, subcommittee activity, and proposed letters of recommendation to the President. (ITA notice, FR Pub 03/12/08, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-4893.pdf)

13. FDA Makes Technical Amendment to CGMPs for Dietary Supplements

The Food and Drug Administration has issued a notice that it is making a technical amendment to its June 2007 final rule that established current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) requirements in manufacturing, packaging, labeling, or holding operations for dietary supplements. The final rule was published with an inadvertent error in the codified section. This rule, effective March 12, 2008, corrects that error. (FDA final rule; technical amendment, D/N FDA-2008-N-0152 (formerly D/N 1996N-0417), FR Pub 03/12/08, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-4870.pdf)

14. President Continues National Emergency with Respect to Iran

On March 11, 2008, the President issued a notice continuing for one year the national emergency with respect to Iran that was originally declared in Executive Order 12957. (Presidential documents, FR Pub 03/13/08, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/08-1032.pdf)

15. Various Agencies Seek Comments on Information Collections

Various U.S. government agencies are seeking comments on the following information collections for which they have requested or intend to request Office of Management and Budget approval or extension of approval (see notices for specific details):

Census Information Collection (FR Pub 03/18/08) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-5325.pdf

DEA Information Collection (FR Pub 03/13/08) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-4992.pdf

FAS 1, 2, & 3 Information Collections (FR Pub 03/18/08) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-5393.pdf

FMCSA Information Collection (FR Pub 03/19/08) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-5477.pdf