The American Apparel and Footwear Association has joined with other apparel and retail associations in sending a letter to the Australian Wool Exchange urging that all wool growers complete a National Wool Declaration stating if the wool they are selling is either mulesed or non-mulesed.
The National Marine Fisheries Service has renewed its annual affirmative finding for El Salvador under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). This affirmative finding will allow yellowfin tuna harvested in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean in compliance with the International Dolphin Conservation Program by El Salvadorian-flag purse seine vessels or purse seine vessels operating under El Salvadorian jurisdiction to be imported into the U.S. The affirmative finding renewal is effective from April 1, 2010, through March 31, 2011.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has published the names of five entities in Mexico whose property and interests in property have been blocked pending investigation pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is publishing the names of 12 entities and 17 individuals in Mexico and Colombia whose property and interests in property have been blocked pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act.
On October 18, 2010, APHIS updated its Miscellaneous and Processed Products PPQ Manual. The manual is used for regulating imported items that are processed and are not intended for propagation.
On October 15, 2010, APHIS updated its CITES I-II-III Timber Species Manual. This Manual provides CBP and PPQ personnel with guidelines for the import, re-export, violation, seizure, and forfeiture of CITES Appendix I, Appendix II, and Appendix III protected timber species, and is useful for those regulated by the Lacey Act Amendments. (See ITT's Online Archives or 10/12/10 news, 10100835, for more detailed summary of an earlier October update.)
The Energy Department has issued a final rule, effective November 19, 2010, amending its test procedures for residential furnaces and boilers to include provisions for measuring standby mode and off mode energy consumption, as required by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007). This final rule also adds new calculations to determine the annual energy consumption associated with standby mode and off mode, adopts a number of definitions for key terms, etc.
The Environmental Protection Agency is inviting small businesses to participate in an advocacy review panel focusing on formaldehyde in order to assist in its implementation of regulations for the new Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act, enacted in July 2010. Nominations must be received by November 2, 2010.
Officials from the U.S. and Israel met on October 18, 2010 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the signing of the U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement (IFTA).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has published the names of 12 entities and 17 individuals whose property and interests in property have been blocked pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation.