The Lacey Act Declaration requirement is currently being enforced for nine Harmonized Tariff Schedule Chapter 44 headings (wood and articles of wood), except where such goods are cleared using Automated Line Release (ALR)/Border Release Advance Screening and Selectivity Program (BRASS)1.
The Telecommunications Industry Association, APCO and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department filed comments at the FCC supporting rule changes for the 470-512 MHz band requested in a February petition by the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council. They said the changes would make the band more useful to public safety and should not cause interference to TV broadcasts given changes in technology. The NAB and Association for Maximum Service Television said any changes must apply only to public safety use of the spectrum.
Half-thickness EcoDiscs soon will be made in the U.S., as their Swiss-based owner, EcoDisc Technology (ET), announced it has landed its first American-based replicator. But our poll of the major studios found Hollywood generally is keeping its distance. Of those studio executives we polled, few had even the faintest knowledge of the EcoDisc, and none of those who did wanted to comment on the record, citing the EcoDisc’s questionable status under DVD Forum rules for “non-standard” discs.
The FCC Wireline Bureau wants comment on a petition by Smith Bagley to increase universal service subsidies for low- income consumers living on tribal lands. If adopted, the proposal would increase Lifeline tier-four funds to $30 per month, from $25 monthly. Comments are due June 3, replies June 18.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a CSMS message regarding the computer changes necessary for the implementation of the Food and Drug Administration's May 6, 2009 final rule on prior notice (PN) of food (including animal feed), which is imported or offered for import into the U.S.
The following are the trade-related hearings scheduled for May 4-9, 2009, which are posted in the Congressional Record once a week:
A study of amateur radio uses for emergency and disaster relief communications would be required under a bill introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, D-Texas. “Amateur radio, at no cost to taxpayers, provides a fertile ground for technical self-training in modern telecommunications, electronic technology, and emergency communications techniques and protocols,” the bill said. It would require the Department of Homeland Security to do a study on possible uses during emergencies that would identify any “unreasonable or unnecessary impediments” to its use. For instance, the bill would study the impact of private land use regulations on residential antenna installations.
According to an email from Trucking.org, on April 29, 2009, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California issued its final ruling preliminarily enjoining certain Long Beach and Los Angeles Port Concession Plan requirements of the Clean Truck Program. Trucking.org states that the final ruling is essentially the same as the April 27, 2009 draft ruling (but with additional language set forth in footnotes 4, 16 & 21, addressing the ports' discretionary decision-making power, concession filing fees and the LA incentive payment program, respectively). For email copy of ruling, send requests to documents@brokerpower.com .
The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions suggested including TDMA-SC in a draft ITU-R report describing radio interface standards, said a letter sent to a working party on the land mobile service. The standards could be used for broadband public protection and disaster relief operations in the 746-806 MHz band in the Americas and some Asian countries.
Best Buy is restructuring its store staff not to cut expenses but to free supervisors to train sales people better, Chief Financial Officer James Muehlbauer said Wednesday at the Barclays Capital Retail and Restaurants Conference in New York.