31262 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 96 / Wednesday, May 17, 2000 / Rules and Regulations

changes reflect the terms of section 505

of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended by

the Customs Modernization provisions

of the North American Free Trade

Agreement Implementation Act. The

conforming amendments also reflect

changes to 19 U.S.C. 1505 and to section

321 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C.

1321) regarding interest that were made

by the Miscellaneous Trade and

Technical Corrections Act of 1996.

DATES: Final rule effective May 17,

2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert Reiley, Financial Management

Division (202–927–1504).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On October 20, 1999, Customs

published T.D. 99–75 in the Federal

Register (64 FR 56433) setting forth

interim amendments to provisions

within Parts 24, 159 and 174 of the

Customs Regulations (19 CFR Parts 24,

159 and 174) to conform those

regulations to existing statutory

provisions and judicial precedent

regarding the assessment of interest due

to underpayments or overpayments to

Customs of duties, taxes and fees

pertaining to imported merchandise,

including interest on those duties, taxes

and fees.

The majority of the conforming

changes reflected the terms of section

505 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C.

1505), as amended by section 642(a)

within the Customs Modernization

provisions of the North American Free

Trade Agreement Implementation Act

(Public Law 103–182, 107 Stat. 2057).

Under that statute, interest accrues

initially from the date the duties, taxes,

fees and interest are deposited with

Customs in the case of overpayments, or

are required to be deposited with

Customs in the case of underpayments,

but in either case not beyond the date

of liquidation or reliquidation of the

applicable entry or reconciliation. Also

under the statute and applicable judicial

precedent, all bills issued by Customs

for underpayments of duties, taxes, fees

and interest are due within 15 or 30

days of issuance.

The conforming interim amendments

also reflected other changes to 19 U.S.C.

1505 and to section 321 of the Tariff Act

of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1321) regarding

interest that were made by sections 2(a)

and 3(a)(12) of the Miscellaneous Trade

and Technical Corrections Act of 1996

(Public Law 104–295, 110 Stat. 3514).

The interim regulatory amendments

contained in T.D. 99–75 went into effect

on October 20, 1999, and the notice

prescribed a public comment period

which closed on December 20, 1999. No

comments were received during the

prescribed public comment period.

After further consideration, Customs has

determined that the interim regulatory

amendments should be adopted as a

final rule without change.

Executive Order 12866

This document does not meet the

criteria for a ‘‘significant regulatory

action ’’as specified in E.O. 12866.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

Pursuant to the provisions of the

Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601

et seq.), it is certified that the

amendments will not have a significant

economic impact on a substantial

number of small entities. The

amendments conform the Customs

Regulations to the terms of statutory

provisions, and to the principles

reflected in judicial decisions, that are

currently in effect. In addition, in some

cases, the amendments conform the

regulatory provisions to longstanding

Customs administrative procedures and

practices that confer benefits on, or

otherwise militate in favor of, the

general public. Accordingly, the

amendments are not subject to the

regulatory analysis or other

requirements of 5 U.S.C. 603 and 604.

List of Subjects

19 CFR Part 24

Accounting, Claims, Customs duties

and inspection, Interest, Taxes, User

fees, Wages.

19 CFR Part 159

Computer technology, Customs duties

and inspection, Entry, Imports,

Liquidation.

19 CFR Part 174

Administrative practice and

procedure, Customs duties and

inspection, Protests.

Amendments to the Regulations

For the reasons stated in the

preamble, under the authority of 19

U.S.C. 66 and 1624 the interim rule

amending 19 CFR Parts 24, 159 and 174

which was published at 64 FR 56433 on

October 20, 1999, is adopted as a final

rule without change.

Raymond W. Kelly,

Commissioner of Customs.

Approved: April 26, 2000.

John P. Simpson,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.

[FR Doc. 00–12364 Filed 5–16–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4820–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service

19 CFR Part 101

[T.D. 00–35]

Extension of Port Limits of Puget

Sound, WA

AGENCY: Customs Service, Treasury.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This document amends the

Customs Regulations pertaining to the

field organization of Customs by

extending the geographical limits of the

consolidated port of Puget Sound,

Washington. This change is being made

as part of Customs continuing program

to obtain more efficient use of its

personnel, facilities and resources and

to provide better service to carriers,

importers and the general public.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 16, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Betsy Passuth, Office of Field

Operations, Mission Support Service,

202–927–0795.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was

published in the Federal Register (64

FR 61232) of November 10, 1999, which

proposed to extend the geographical

limits of the consolidated port of Puget

Sound by extending and redefining the

boundaries of Tacoma.

The description of Tacoma within the

description of the Puget Sound port was

proposed to be extended to include two

industrial parks which have new

facilities for clearing, storing and

forwarding imported merchandise and

require the services of Customs

personnel.

Analysis of Comment

One comment was received in

response to the proposal. This comment

strongly supported the proposal to

extend and redefine the boundaries of

the port of Puget Sound, Washington.

Conclusion

In light of the favorable comment

received and after further consideration

of the matter, Customs has decided to

proceed with the extension of the

geographical limits of the port of Puget

Sound, Washington.

New Port Limits

As amended, the geographical area

within the boundaries of the

consolidated port of Puget Sound is as

follows:

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 96 / Wednesday, May 17, 2000 / Rules and Regulations 31263

The ports of Seattle (Section 35,

Township 27 North, Range 3 East, West

Meridian, County of Snohomish, and

the geographical area beginning at the

intersection of N.W. 205th Street and

the waters of Puget Sound, proceeding

in an easterly direction along the King

County line to its intersection with

100th Avenue N.E., thence southerly

along 100th Avenue N.E. and its

continuation to the intersection of 100th

Avenue S.E. and S.E. 240th Street,

thence westerly along S.E. 240th Street,

to its intersection with North Central

Avenue, thence southerly along North

Central Avenue, its continuation as

South Central Avenue and 83rd Avenue

South and its connection to Auburn

Way North, thence southerly along

Auburn Way North and its continuation

as Auburn Way South to its intersection

with State Highway 18, thence westerly

along Highway 18 to its intersection

with A Street S.E., then southerly along

A Street S.E. to its intersection with the

King County Line, then westerly along

the King County Line to its intersection

with the waters of Puget Sound and

then northerly along the shores of Puget

Sound to its intersection with N.W.

205th Street, the point of beginning, all

within the County of King, State of

Washington), Anacortes, Bellingham,

Everett, Friday Harbor, Neah Bay,

Olympia, Port Angeles, Port Townsend,

and the territory in Tacoma, beginning

at the intersection of the westernmost

city limits of Steilacoom and The

Narrows and proceeding easterly along

Main Street to the intersection of

Stevens Street, then southerly along

Stevens Street to the intersection of

Washington Boulevard, then easterly

along Washington Boulevard to the

intersection of Gravely Lake Drive S.W.,

then southeasterly to the intersection of

Nyanza Road, SW, then southerly to its

intersection with Pacific Highway (U.S.

Route 99), then proceeding in a

northeasterly direction along Pacific

Highway to its intersection with 112

Street East and continuing in an easterly

direction along 112 Street East to its

intersection with the northwest corner

of McChord Air Force Base, then

proceeding along the northern, then

western, then southern boundary of

McChord Air Force Base to its

intersection, just west of Lake

Mondress, with the northern boundary

of the Fort Lewis Military Reservation,

then proceeding in an easterly direction

along the northern boundary of the Fort

Lewis Military Reservation to its

intersection with Pacific Avenue (SR–7),

then proceeding in a southerly direction

along Pacific Avenue (SR–7) to its

intersection with SR–507, then

proceeding in a southeasterly direction

along SR–7 to its intersection with

224th Street East, then proceeding in an

easterly direction along 224th Street

East to its intersection with Meridian

Street South (SR–161), then proceeding

in a northerly direction along Meridian

Street South (SR–161) to the

intersection with 176 Street East, then

easterly along 176 Street East extended

to the intersection with Sunrise

Parkway East, then northwesterly along

Sunrise Parkway East to the intersection

with 122nd Avenue East, then northerly

to the intersection with Old Military

Road East, then northeasterly to the

intersection with SR–162, then

northerly along SR–162 to the

intersection with SR–410, then easterly

along SR–410 to the intersection with

166th Avenue East, then northerly to the

intersection with Sumner-Tapps

Highway, continuing northeasterly

along Sumner-Tapps Highway to 16th

Street East, then easterly to 182 Avenue

East, then northerly to the northern

boundary of Pierce County, then

proceeding in a westerly direction along

the northern boundary of Pierce County

to its intersection with Puget Sound,

then proceeding in a generally

southwesterly direction along the banks

of the East Passage of Puget Sound,

Commencement Bay, and The Narrows

to the point of intersection with the

westernmost city limits of Steilacoom,

Washington, including all points and

places on the southern boundary of the

Juan de Fuca Strait from the eastern port

limits of Neah Bay to the western port

limits of Port Townsend, all points and

places on the western boundary of Puget

Sound, including Hood Canal, from the

port limits of Port Townsend to the

northern port limits of Olympia, all

points and places on the southern

boundary of Puget Sound from the port

limits of Olympia to the western port

limits of Tacoma, and all points and

places on the eastern boundary of Puget

Sound and contiguous waters from the

port limits of Tacoma north to the

southern port limits of Bellingham, all

in the State of Washington.

Authority

This change is being made under the

authority of 5 U.S.C. 301 and 19 U.S.C.

2, 66 and 1624.

Regulatory Flexibility Act and

Executive Order 12866

Customs establishes, expands and

consolidates Customs ports of entry

throughout the United States to

accommodate the volume of Customsrelated activity in various parts of the

country. Although a notice was issued

for public comment on this subject

matter, because this document relates to

agency management and organization, it

is not subject to the notice and

procedure requirements of 5 U.S.C. 553.

Accordingly, this document is not

subject to the provisions of the

Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601

et seq.). Agency organization matters

such as this port extension are not

subject to Executive Order 12866.

Drafting Information

The principal author of this document

was Janet L. Johnson, Regulations

Branch. However, personnel from other

offices participated in its development.

List of Subjects in 19 CFR Part 101

Customs duties and inspection,

Exports, Imports, Organization and

functions (Government agencies).

Amendment to the Regulations

For the reasons set forth above, part

101 of the Customs Regulations is

amended as set forth below.

PART 101—GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. The general authority citation for

part 101 and the specific authority

citation for § 101.3 continue to read as

follows:

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301, 19 U.S.C. 2, 66,

1202 (General Note 20, Harmonized Tariff

Schedule of the United States), 1623, 1624,

1646a. Sections 101.3 and 101.4 also issued

under 19 U.S.C. 1 and 58b.

* * * * *

§ 101.3 [Amended]

2. In the list of ports in § 101.3(b)(1),

under the state of Washington, the

‘‘Limits of port’’ column adjacent to

‘‘Puget Sound’’ in the ‘‘Ports of entry’’

column is amended by removing the

reference ‘‘T.D. 96–63’’ and adding in its

place ‘‘T.D. 00–35’’.

Raymond W. Kelly,

Commissioner of Customs.

Approved: March 30, 2000.

John P. Simpson,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.

[FR Doc. 00–12365 Filed 5–16–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4820–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service

19 CFR Part 122

[T.D. 00–34]

Revised List of User Fee Airports

AGENCY: Customs Service, Treasury.

ACTION: Final rule.