The Fish and Wildlife Service in two final rules listed a plant and a tree as endangered and threatened, respectively. A final rule published Dec. 15 lists the whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis), a high-elevation tree species found across western North America, as threatened, with a 4(d) rule that prohibits importation and exportation without a permit. Another released Dec. 15 lists the Tiehm’s buckwheat (Eriogonum tiehmii), a plant species native to Nevada, as endangered. New import and export restrictions set by the agency’s final rules take effect Jan. 17.

Exporters seeing an increase in “speeding ticket” fines (see 1909240034) in their Electronic Export Information filings can reach out to the Census Bureau to try to “remedy” the situation, said Jessica Mangubat, a Census Bureau official. But she stressed that exporters should first direct questions to CBP, which handles EEI enforcement issues.

The Fish and Wildlife Service on Dec. 12 released a final rule listing the Dolphin and Union caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus × peary), a distinct population segment of the barren-ground caribou native to Canada, as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. New import and export restrictions set by the agency’s final rule take effect Jan. 12.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is listing methiopropamine, a central nervous stimulant that is structurally related to the schedule II stimulants methamphetamine and amphetamine, under schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a notice released Dec. 8. “This action imposes the regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions applicable to schedule I controlled substances on persons who handle (manufacture, distribute, reverse distribute, import, export, engage in research, conduct instructional activities or chemical analysis with, or possess) or propose to handle methiopropamine," DEA said. The listing takes effect Jan. 9.

The Environmental Protection Agency published a final rule Dec. 2 setting new significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for 32 chemical substances subject to Premanufacture Notices (PMNs). As a result of the SNURs, persons planning to manufacture, import or process any of the chemical substances for an activity designated as a significant new use by this rule are required to notify EPA at least 90 days in advance. Importers of chemicals subject to these SNURs will need to certify their compliance with the SNUR requirements, and exporters of these chemical substances will now become subject to export notification requirements. The final rule takes effect Jan. 31. The SNURs cover the following:

CBP posted the following documents ahead of the Dec. 7 Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) meeting:

The Fish and Wildlife Service is issuing a final rule listing the Puerto Rican harlequin butterfly (Atlantea tulita) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The listing includes a 4(d) rule for this species that prohibits importation and exportation without a permit. New import and export restrictions set by the agency’s final rule take effect Jan. 3.

The Census Bureau emailed tips Nov. 22 on how to address the most frequent messages generated this month in the Automated Export System. Response code 600 is a fatal error for when the vehicle identification qualifier wasn't reported. Census said the qualifier "identifies the type of used vehicle number reported on the shipment" and must be either "V for Vehicle Identification Number" or "P for Product Identification Number." The filer should verify the Vehicle ID Qualifier, correct the shipment and resubmit.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is listing mesocarb, a substance with stimulating properties marketed in Russia for treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder that has no approved medical use and no known therapeutic application in the U.S., under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a notice published Nov. 22. “This action imposes the regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions applicable to schedule I controlled substances on persons who handle (manufacture, distribute, reverse distribute, import, export, engage in research, conduct instructional activities or chemical analysis with, or possess), or propose to handle mesocarb," DEA said. The listing takes effect Dec. 22.

CBP is beginning a pilot to test use by vessel agents of a new electronic Vessel Entrance and Clearance System for vessel entry and clearance data and requests, it said in a notice released Nov. 18. The test will allow participants to submit data required on CBP forms 26, 226, 1300, 1302, 1304 and 3171 “electronically through VECS prior to arrival or departure from designated ports,” CBP said. The pilot will initially begin at the port of Gulfport, Mississippi, in December, though CBP will designate additional test ports as the pilot progresses over the following 24 months, the agency said.