The Department of Transportation's (DOT's) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has issued a proposed rule which would revise transportation requirements for infectious substances, including regulated medical waste (RMW), to adopt new classification criteria and packaging requirements consistent with revised international standards and to clarify existing requirements to promote compliance.
On June 8, 2005, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2744, the fiscal year (FY) 2006 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (Act). H.R. 2744 would provide FY 2006 funding for, among things, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), including the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), as well as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
According to Business Wire, PierPASS Inc. has announced that OffPeak, its new program to reduce congestion at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, will begin on Saturday, July 23, 2005. The article states that although PierPASS had initially planned for a ramp-up period, with off-peak shifts added gradually, the ramp-up period has now been eliminated and all 12 international container terminals at the two ports will launch five full OffPeak shifts starting July 23, 2005. (See ITT's Online Archives or 06/08/05 news, 05060810, for BP summary on OffPeak.)(Business Wire article, dated 06/07/05, available at http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/050607/75460.html?.v=1.)
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has posted to its Web site an updated table which lists information on trade bans imposed by foreign countries on U.S. exports due to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). In addition, APHIS makes available a similar table for trade bans imposed by foreign countries due to avian influenza (avian flu).
The Trans Atlantic Conference Agreement (TACA) has issued a press release advising that the suspension of the Congestion Surcharge at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will continue through June 30, 2005. Prior to June 30, 2005, and depending upon prevailing circumstances, an announcement will be made confirming either a further period of suspension, or the re-application of the Congestion Surcharge ($200 per 20 ft. container and $400 per 40/45 ft. container, against an effective date of July 1, 2005). (Press release, issued 05/27/05, available at www.tacaconf.com under "Recent Press Releases.")
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued a proposed rule that would amend 7 CFR Part 319 regarding the importation of wheat and related articles by removing the prohibitions related to foreign strains of flag smut (flag smut) for a specific country or locality (country), if a risk evaluation indicates that such wheat and related articles from that country do not introduce other plant pests.
According to sources, the House Ways and Means Committee is in the process of developing legislation to correct certain problems caused by the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2004 that have been identified by the International Trade Commission (ITC). Sources state that this technical correction bill, which has not yet been introduced, is separate from the new Miscellaneous Trade Bill that the House Ways and Means Committee is developing.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of Portland, OR has issued a CBP Trade Bulletin announcing the nationwide implementation of "Operation Clean Tile," effective April 20 - June 30, 2005, for shipments of ceramic and marble tile from Italy.
The Wall Street Journal reports that China is poised to adopt new measures to check surging textile exports. According to the article, Chinese Premier Wen Jianbao stated that China would take further measures to "prevent excessive growth of China's textile and garment exports." The article also indicates that Du Yuzhou, chair of the China National Textile & Apparel Council, stated the new measures, which would curtail certain types of exports, would be implemented in 1-2 months. (WSJ, 05/13/05, www.wsj.com )
The Washington File reports that the State Department's publication Country Reports on Terrorism 2004 identifies 40 Foreign Terrorist Organizations and also identifies another 40 terrorist groups or organizations that were active in the past year. According to the Washington File, designation of a group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization results in the U.S. government blocking assets held at U.S. financial institutions, denying its members visas, and making it a crime for U.S. citizens or others within U.S. jurisdiction to provide it with support or resources. The State Department's publication is available at http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/c14813.htm(Washington File Pub 04/27/05, available at http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2005&m=April&x=20050427155413dmslahrellek0.2537195&t=is/is-latest.html)