The Centers for Disease Control is finalizing its new requirements for imports of dogs to address the risk of rabies. Among other changes from its July 2023 proposed rule (see 2307110062), the agency no longer will require that U.S.-vaccinated dogs that have been in countries at high risk for rabies be imported through a port with a CDC quarantine station, though foreign-vaccinated dogs still will be subject to that requirement.
The Department of Energy is amending its energy efficiency standards for miscellaneous refrigeration products beginning in January 2029, it said in a direct final rule published May 7.
The Energy Department is amending its energy efficiency standards for consumer water heaters, it said in a final rule May 6. DOE “has determined that the new and amended energy conservation standards for these products would result in significant conservation of energy, and are technologically feasible and economically justified,” it said. Compliance with the amended standards is required for consumer water heaters manufactured or imported on or after May 6, 2029, the agency said. The final rule doesn't change the existing standard for instantaneous gas water heaters, as "DOE is still considering amended energy conservation standards" for the product. The final rule goes into effect July 5.
CMA CGM charged unfair detention and unfair chassis, storage, stop-off and redelivery fees, Access One Transport said in a complaint filed with the Federal Maritime Commission March 1. The California-based motor carrier said CMA CGM violated the Shipping Act by charging unfair fees when the containers couldn't be returned due to lack of appointments, dual transactions and specific actions by CMA CGM and its terminals.
A "snapshot" report just released by the Government Accountability Office reminded Congress that the GAO has studied -- and made recommendations -- on many aspects of how to manage economic competition with China, including providing more resources to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, improving information sharing with companies to keep more counterfeits out of U.S. commerce, and improving the tariff exclusions process for steel and aluminum imports.
The Department of Energy is amending its energy efficiency standards for dishwashers beginning in April 2027, it said in a direct final rule released April 23.
The Energy Department is amending its energy efficiency standards for distribution transformers, it said in a final rule April 22. DOE “has determined that the amended energy conservation standards for these products would result in significant conservation of energy, and are technologically feasible and economically justified,” it said. Compliance with the amended standards is required for distribution transformers manufactured or imported on or after April 23, 2029, the agency said. The final rule goes into effect July 8.
The Federal Maritime Commission is seeking comments by June 17 on what data elements are communicated between transportation service providers and importers and exporters about "containers moving through marine terminals." It also seeks information on how changes are conveyed and where communication is most likely to break down "or information is most likely to be conveyed inaccurately," the commission said. The effort, the commission said in a request for information released April 15, is an expansion of the commission's May 2023 Marine Transportation Data Initiative and its associated August 2023 request for information regarding data availability, accuracy, and exchange, the FMC said.
Two subsidiaries of a U.S.-based cleaning product supplier voluntarily dismissed their charge complaint against major ocean carrier Mediterranean Shipping Co., telling the Federal Maritime Commission April 10 that the companies have agreed to reach a “resolution of this matter outside of” FMC proceedings. Impact Products and Safety Zone, subsidiaries of Supply Source, accused MSC in February of issuing unfair detention and demurrage and committing other violations of U.S. shipping laws, leading to over $200,000 in financial damages (see 2402140014).
The Drug Enforcement Administration is extending for one more year the temporary listing of three synthetic benzimidazole-opioid substances -- butonitazene, flunitazene and metodesnitazene -- in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a notice released April 10. The synthetic benzimidazole-opioids, first temporarily listed in 2022 (see 2204110029), will now remain listed in Schedule I until April 12, 2025. DEA also released a proposed rule to permanently list these synthetic benzimidazole-opioids in Schedule I, with comments due May 13. Substances may be temporarily listed under the CSA for three years.