The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has issued a final rule, effective October 1, 2010, which corrects several errors and responds to one petition for reconsideration and four appeals submitted in response to its February 2 final rule which revised several packaging related definitions, added provisions to allow more flexibility when preparing and transmitting closure instructions, incorporated new language for stenciling the United Nations (UN) symbol on packagings, etc. PHMSA notes that these amendments do not impose new requirements. Voluntary compliance is authorized as of September 30, 2010.
On October 1, 2010, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced they will begin the process of developing tougher greenhouse gas and fuel economy standards for passenger cars and trucks built in model years 2017 through 2025. This will build on the success of the first phase of the national program covering cars from model years 2012-2016.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation has issued its report on the selection of countries eligible for Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) compact assistance for fiscal year 2011, which is given to countries that enter into a Millennium Challenge Compact with the U.S. to support policies and programs that advance the prospects of such countries achieving lasting economic growth and poverty reduction.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation is publishing a summary and the complete text of the Millennium Challenge Compact between the U.S. and the Republic of the Philippines. Representatives of the U.S. Government and the Republic of the Philippines executed the Compact documents on September 23, 2010.
On October 2, 2010, the U.S. and Indonesia concluded a two-day meeting in Indonesia under the bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, reviewing in detail the comprehensive agenda between the two countries. They also exchanged views on potential new initiatives to expand the bilateral economic relationship and to cooperate closely in APEC, which the U.S. hosts next year, and in ASEAN, which Indonesia chairs next year.
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has announced that TTB Expo 2011 has been canceled. TTB notes that it remains committed to assisting industry members to understand and comply with Federal tax, product, and marketing requirements associated with the commodities it regulates, and that it will continue to explore innovative and resourceful means to bring this information to the industry.
The State Department, World Health Organization, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recently issued the following travel warnings, travel alerts, country specific information sheets, and disease outbreak-related information:
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is publishing additional identifying information associated with the one individual and three entities listed in the Annex to Executive Order 13551 of August 30, 2010, “Blocking Property of Certain Persons With Respect to North Korea,” whose property and interests in property are therefore blocked.
The Foreign Agriculture Service issued the following GAIN report:
Transportation Secretary LaHood has announced that the Department of Transportation finalized an agreement with Caltrans and the San Diego Association of Governments to fund construction of a six-lane interchange near California’s largest freight border-crossing with Mexico - Otay Mesa. Construction work on the final segment of the I-805/SR-905 interchange near the Otay Mesa Port-of-Entry can officially begin with the $20.2 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.