On September 23, 2010, APHIS updated the Manual for Agricultural Clearance. The manual provides CBP personnel working at airport and maritime locations with the guidelines, directions, and policy for clearing carriers and passengers/crew and controlling garbage and cargo.
The International Trade Administration's U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service is organizing a Trade Mission to Amman, Jordan, and Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv, Israel on February 20-24, 2011, and a stop in Eilat, Israel, for companies involved in the renewable energies sector. The mission will also include companies involved in healthcare technologies, and cleantech (i.e. technologies that support increased productivity or profitability while also reducing resource consumption or pollution, otherwise referred to as clean technologies). Applications are due by December 20, 2010.
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):
The Bureau of Economic Analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau has issued July 2010 data on international trade in goods and services, which states that total July exports of $153.3 billion and imports of $196.1 billion resulted in a goods and services deficit of $42.8 billion, down from $49.8 billion in June, among other things.
On September 20, 2010, Transportation Secretary LaHood announced $7 million is being awarded to the Mississippi Department of Transportation, the Virginia Port Authority and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority to support the transportation of marine cargo between U.S. ports under the America’s Marine Highway Program.
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued a notice that lists those applying for ocean transportation intermediary licenses as a non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVOCC), ocean freight forwarder (FF) or NVOCC/FF OTI, as follows:
The California Air Resources Board has unveiled the “California’s Clean Energy Future” vision in advance of CARB's consideration of a first-in-the-nation rule requiring that a third of U.S. electricity come from clean, green sources by 2020, and is accompanied by an implementation plan and a roadmap.
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has issued a notice announcing the Order revoking the following ocean transportation intermediary (OTI) license is being rescinded:
U.S. Trade Representative Kirk and India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Sharma recently convened the seventh U.S.-India Trade Policy Forum (TPF). The two governments examined a range of trade and investment issues in the U.S.-India bilateral relationship and expressed their shared commitment to intensify work under the TPF, including in the weeks preceding President Obama’s visit in November, with a view to further broadening and deepening existing economic ties.
The Environmental Protection Agency is requesting comments on two requests by registrants to voluntarily cancel certain pesticide registrations: one by BASF Corporation for an herbicide; and the other by United Phosphorus, Inc. for an insecticide. If these requests are granted, any sale, distribution, or use of products listed in the notices will be permitted after the registration has been canceled only if such sale, distribution, or use is consistent with the terms as described in the final orders. Comments are due by October 22, 2010.