Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 185 /Wednesday, September 24, 1997 /Rules and Regulations 49915

redemption date, any changed payment

routing instructions, the case number(s)

to be redeemed, including original issue

date(s), and the amount to be redeemed.

(d) Registered. To obtain redemption,

a bond with the assignment for

redemption properly completed and

executed must be presented to the

Division of Special Investments.

Payment routing instructions must also

be included with the bond at

redemption. Upon partial redemption of

a registered bond, the remaining balance

will be reissued in book-entry form with

the original issue and maturity date.

[Approved by the Office of Management and

Budget under control number 1535–0127.]

§ 343.4 Reissue.

(a) General. Reissue of a tax and loss

bond may be made only under the

conditions specified in this paragraph.

A request for reissue must be made by

an officer of the beneficial owner who

is authorized to assign the bond for

redemption. The request must be

submitted to the Division of Special

Investments. A bond will only be

reissued in book-entry form and will

bear the same issue date and maturity as

the original bond.

(b) Correction of error. The reissue of

a bond may be made to correct an error

in the original issue upon an

appropriate request, supported by

satisfactory proof of the error.

(c) Change of name. An owner whose

name is changed in any legal manner

after the issue of the bond should

submit the bond with a request for

reissue, substituting the new name for

the name inscribed on the bond. The

signature on the request for reissue

should show the new name, the legal

reason which caused the change to be

made and the former name. It must be

supported by satisfactory proof of the

change of name.

(d) Legal succession. A bond

registered in the name of a company

which has been succeeded by another

company as the result of a merger,

consolidation, incorporation,

reincorporation, conversion,

reorganization, or which has been

lawfully succeeded in any manner

whereby the business or activities of the

original organization are continued

without substantial change, will be paid

to or reissued in the name of the

successor upon an appropriate request

on its behalf, supported by satisfactory

evidence of successorship.

(e) Conversion to book-entry.

Although not required, any owner of tax

and loss bonds held in registered form

after the effective date of this regulation,

may submit those bonds to the Division

of Special Investments, for conversion

to book-entry form.

[Approved by the Office of Management and

Budget under control number 1535–0127.]

§ 343.5 Taxation

Tax and loss bonds will be exempt

from all taxation now or hereafter

imposed on the principal by any state or

any possession of the United States or

of any local taxing authority.

[FR Doc. 97–25450 Filed 9–22–97; 12:17 pm]

BILLING CODE 4810–39–P

POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 20

Implementation of Global Package Link

Service

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Interim rule with request for

comments.

SUMMARY: Global Package Link Service

(GPL) is an international mail service

designed for mailers sending

merchandise to other countries. To

implement an agreement previously

entered into with the postal

administration of Hong Kong Special

Administrative Region (Hong Kong),

Hong Kong is now being added as a

destination country. This action is

consistent with the Postal Service’s

original plan to add destination

countries as mailer needs dictate (59 FR

65961; December 22, 1994). GPL Service

previously has been made available to

Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, France,

Germany, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, and

the United Kingdom (U.K.). To use GPL

Service, a mailer must mail at least

10,000 GPL packages a year and agree to

link its information systems with the

Postal Service’s so that the Postal

Service can extract certain information

about the contents of the mailer’s

packages for customs clearance and

other purposes. Initially, one level of

service to Hong Kong will be offered to

mailers. Interim regulations have been

developed and are set forth below for

comment and suggested revision prior

to adoption in final form.

DATES: The interim regulations take

effect September 24, 1997. Comments

must be received on or before October

24, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should

be mailed or delivered to Global

Package Link Service, U.S. Postal

Service, 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room

370 IBU, Washington, DC 20260–6500.

Copies of all written comments will be

available for public inspection and

photocopying at the above address

between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday

through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert Michelson at the above address.

Telephone: (202) 268–5731. Marc

Solnick at the above address.

Telephone: (202) 268–3916.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

One of the most important goals of the

Postal Service’s international mission is

developing services that enhance the

ability of U.S. mailers to do business in

other countries. This responsibility was

delineated in 39 U.S.C. 403(b)(2) which

makes it the obligation of the Postal

Service ‘‘to provide types of mail service

to meet the needs of different categories

of mail and mail users.’’ GPL is

designed to more closely meet the needs

of mailers who send merchandise

packages from the United States to

multiple international addressees by

simplifying the process mailers use to

prepare their packages for mailing and

by reducing the costs those mailers

incur in mailing merchandise to other

countries.

In late 1994, with implementation of

International Package Consignment

Service, later renamed Global Package

Link, to Japan (59 FR 65961; December

22, 1994), the Postal Service announced

that, when feasible, it would expand

this service to other destination

countries based on mailer requests.

Consistent with this policy, the Postal

Service later expanded GPL by adding

Canada and the United Kingdom as

destination countries for qualifying

mailers (61 FR 13765; March 28, 1996),

subsequently expanded GPL further by

announcing Brazil, Chile, and Germany

as GPL destinations (62 FR 17072; April

9, 1997), added the People’s Republic of

China as a GPL destination (62 FR

25515; May 9, 1997), added Mexico and

Singapore as GPL destinations (62 FR

45160; August 26, 1997), and added

France as a GPL destination (62 FR

47558; September 10, 1997). The USPS

is hereby further expanding GPL by

adding Hong Kong as a GPL destination

for qualifying mailers. This action

implements an agreement with the

postal administration of Hong Kong

dated August 29, 1997.

II. GPL to Hong Kong Special

Administrative Region

A. Qualifying Criteria

A mailer who wants to use GPL to

Hong Kong must enter into a service

agreement with the Postal Service

providing for the following. First, the

mailer must commit to mail at least
49916 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 185 /Wednesday, September 24, 1997 /Rules and Regulations

10,000 GPL packages per year (volumes

to any GPL country may be counted

toward this minimum). Second, the

mailer must designate the Postal Service

as its carrier of choice to Hong Kong.

Third, the mailer must agree to link its

information systems with the Postal

Service’s so that the Postal Service and

the mailer can exchange data on the

mailer’s packages, and the Postal

Service can extract, on an as-needed

basis, certain information about the

package by scanning the mailerprovided barcode on each package.

In general, the information that must

be made available to the Postal Service

includes: the order number; the package

identification number; the buyer’s name

and address; the recipient’s name and

address; the total weight of the package;

the total value of the package contents;

the number of items in the package; and,

for each item in the package, its SKU

number, its value, and its country of

origin. In practice, this requirement

means that the mailer will have to begin

the necessary systems work by the time

it begins using GPL, and then will have

to assist the Postal Service in

completing and maintaining the

information systems linkages. The

Postal Service will use the extracted

information to prepare the necessary

customs forms and package labels and

to provide user-friendly tracking and

tracing.

In addition to these required

commitments, which must appear in all

GPL service agreements, arrangements

between the Postal Service and the

mailer that are technical in nature also

may appear in the GPL service

agreement. For instance, the service

agreement may describe the electronic

data interface (EDI) or proprietary file

format that will be used to transmit data

between the mailer and the Postal

Service, as well as the frequency and

schedule of transmissions. Similarly,

the service agreement may describe the

formats and frequencies for any

exception and performance reports that

the Postal Service will provide to the

mailer.

B. Processing and Acceptance

If the plant at which the mailer’s

GPPL packages originate is located

within 500 miles of a GPL processing

facility, the Postal Service will verify

and accept the packages at the mailer’s

plant and transport them to the GPL

processing facility according to a

schedule agreed to by the Postal Service

and the mailer.

If the mailer’s plant from which the

GPL packages will originate is located

more than 500 miles from a GPL

processing facility, the mailer may

choose one of two processing options:

Option One

The mailer will be required to present

the packages to the Postal Service for

verification at the mailer’s plant and

transport them as a drop shipment to a

GPL processing facility according to a

schedule agreed to by the Postal Service

and the mailer.

Option Two

The mailer will process the packages

using Postal Service-provided computer

system workstations and sort and

prepare the packages as required by the

Postal Service. Then, the Postal Service

will verify and accept the packages at

the mailer’s plant according to a

schedule agreed to by the Postal Service

and the mailer and will transport the

packages to a GPL processing facility for

dispatch.

C. Customs Forms

Normally, all customs forms will be

automatically generated by the Postal

Service computer workstations.

Packages mailed to Hong Kong through

a GPL facility are not required to bear

customs forms when they are tendered

to the Postal Service. After scanning the

mailer-printed barcode on each package

and correlating it with the packagespecific information transmitted by the

mailer, the Postal Service will print the

necessary customs forms and then affix

them to the mailer’s packages as part of

the processing operation at the GPL

processing facility. If the mailer is more

than 500 miles from a designated GPL

facility and chooses option two, then

the customs/GPL label will be affixed by

the mailer using Postal Service-provided

workstations.

D. Customs Clearance

The Postal Service has developed the

Customs Pre-Advisory System (CPAS)

as part of GPL processing. This

electronic system collects packagespecific data to satisfy customs

requirements as packages are processed

using the USPS computer workstations

located at a GPL facility. The system

electronically advises the USPS delivery

agent and customs of the contents of

each package mailed. Since this

advisory information arrives before the

mail, CPAS facilitates and simplifies

customs clearance. Electronic prenotification of the package contents and

automatic preparation of required

customs declarations assures the fastest

clearance through customs in Hong

Kong and reduces costs for the mailer

and the Postal Service. To use CPAS,

recipients of merchandise must

designate the Postal Service and its

customs broker as their agents for

customs clearance.

Any customs duties and taxes for

Hong Kong will be collected from the

package recipient upon delivery in

Hong Kong.

E. Delivery Options

Hong Kong

The Postal Service will offer one

delivery option in Hong Kong: Premium

Service. Premium Service shall receive

a level of service comparable to Express

Mail International Service (EMS) service

in Hong Kong. It will include track and

trace for individual packages and

delivery throughout Hong Kong within

1 to 2 business days after clearing

customs. Premium Service includes

insurance, as provided under DMM

S500, at no additional cost.

The Postal Service will transport

Premium Service packages from the

mailer’s plant or designated GPL

processing facility to Hong Kong via

airlift. Packages will be dispatched to

flights either the evening that processing

is complete or the next morning. Arrival

in Hong Kong is expected within 36

hours after dispatch.

F. Rates

Hong Kong

The base rates for GPL service to Hong

Kong are set forth below. The Postal

Service will charge the base rates, in 1-

pound increments, for the first 100,000

packages mailed in a 12-month period.

Once the mailer has mailed 100,000

packages, postage for the next packages

mailed by the mailer in the same 12-

month period will be reduced by 3%

from the base rates.

GLOBAL PACKAGE LINK TO HONG

KONG

Weight not over (pounds)

Annual volume

first 100,000

packages—no

discount premium service

(dollars)

1 ........................................ 15.55

2 ........................................ 18.75

3 ........................................ 22.00

4 ........................................ 25.20

5 ........................................ 28.45

6 ........................................ 31.65

7 ........................................ 34.90

8 ........................................ 38.10

9 ........................................ 41.35

10 ...................................... 44.55

11 ...................................... 47.80

12 ...................................... 51.00

13 ...................................... 54.25

14 ...................................... 57.45

15 ...................................... 60.70

16 ...................................... 63.90
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 185 /Wednesday, September 24, 1997 /Rules and Regulations 49917

GLOBAL PACKAGE LINK TO HONG

KONG—Continued

Weight not over (pounds)

Annual volume

first 100,000

packages—no

discount premium service

(dollars)

17 ...................................... 67.15

18 ...................................... 70.35

19 ...................................... 73.60

20 ...................................... 76.80

21 ...................................... 80.05

22 ...................................... 83.25

23 ...................................... 86.50

24 ...................................... 89.70

25 ...................................... 92.90

26 ...................................... 96.15

27 ...................................... 99.35

28 ...................................... 102.60

29 ...................................... 105.80

30 ...................................... 109.05

31 ...................................... 112.25

32 ...................................... 115.50

33 ...................................... 118.70

34 ...................................... 121.95

35 ...................................... 125.15

36 ...................................... 128.40

37 ...................................... 131.60

38 ...................................... 134.85

39 ...................................... 138.05

40 ...................................... 141.30

41 ...................................... 144.50

42 ...................................... 147.75

43 ...................................... 150.95

44 ...................................... 154.20

Number of pieces in contract year Discount

1–100,000 .......................... None.

100,001+ ............................ 3 percent of

base rate.

III. Conclusion

Accordingly, the Postal Service

hereby adopts GPL service to Hong

Kong Special Administrative Region, on

an interim basis, at the rates set forth in

the schedules above. Although 39 U.S.C.

407 does not require advance notice and

opportunity for submission of

comments, and the Postal Service is

exempted by 39 U.S.C. 410(a) from the

advance notice requirements of the

Administrative Procedure Act regarding

proposed rulemaking (5 U.S.C. 553), the

Postal Service invites interested persons

to submit written data, views, or

arguments concerning this interim rule.

The Postal Service adopts the

following amendments to the

International Mail Manual, which is

incorporated by reference in the Code of

Federal Regulations. See 39 CFR 20.1.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 20

International postal service, Foreign

relations.

PART 20—-[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for 39 CFR

part 20 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 39 U.S.C. 401,

404, 407, 408.

2. Effective on September 24, 1997,

subchapter 620 and the Individual

Country Listing pages for Hong Kong in

the International Mail Manual are

amended as follows:

6 Special Programs

* * * * *

621.3 Availability

Global Package Link service is

available only to Brazil, Canada, Chile,

People’s Republic of China, France,

Germany, Hong Kong Special

Administrative Region, Japan, Mexico,

Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

* * * * *

623 General

* * * * *

623.3 Size and Weight Limits

[Replace first sentence in paragraph

with:]

The weight limits for Global Package

Link service are 70 pounds for Chile,

China, and Germany; 66 pounds for

Brazil, Canada, France, Singapore, and

the United Kingdom; 64 pounds for

Mexico; and 44 pounds for Japan and

Hong Kong Special Administrative

Region.

[Replace second sentence in

paragraph with:]

The maximum length of GPL packages

is 60 inches and the maximum length

and girth combined is 108 inches, with

the following exceptions: Maximum size

for Germany is length 47 inches, height

23 inches, width 23 inches; maximum

size for the People’s Republic of China

and Hong Kong Special Administrative

Region for any one dimension is 59

inches; the sum of the length and the

greatest circumference measured in a

direction other than the length shall not

exceed 118 inches; Japan Standard

packages weighing less than 1 pound,

the maximum length is 24 inches with

a height and depth and length combined

maximum of 36 inches.

* * * * *

626 Services Available

* * * * *

626.4 Customs

* * * * *

626.43 Payment of Customs Duty

626.431 All Countries Except Japan, the

People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong

Special Administrative Region, and

Singapore

For all countries except Japan, the

People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong

Special Administrative Region, and

Singapore, the Postal Service will

arrange payment of customs duty on

behalf of the recipient at the time the

merchandise enters the country of

destination. Any banking costs or

foreign exchange fees applicable to the

customs payments will be charged back

to the mailer. The Postal Service will

notify the mailer electronically of the

amount of duty and fees paid and the

mailer will reimburse the Postal Service

in a manner and within a time frame

agreed to by the mailer and the Postal

Service. Because of the need to have

funds available for customs at the time

of clearance in Brazil, Chile, and

Mexico, mailers must make an advance

deposit prior to first mailing to cover

anticipated duties and taxes in addition

to postage. For subsequent mailings, this

account must be replenished by the

mailer after the actual amount of duties

and taxes is assessed. The mailer is

responsible for collecting duties and

taxes from the recipient (this can be

done when payment for the order is

made). For Mexico, GPL mailers will

pay customs the day after the shipments

arrive in customs, through a preauthorized Automated Clearing House

(ACH) debit program. GPL mailers must

agree to allow the USPS to debit their

designated bank account through the

ACH debit program to pay these

charges.

626.432 Japan, the People’s Republic

of China, Hong Kong Special

Administrative Region, and Singapore

In Japan, the People’s Republic of

China, Hong Kong Special

Administrative Region, and Singapore,

any customs duties and fees will be

collected from the recipient at the time

of delivery.

* * * * *

Individual Country Listing for Hong

Kong:

[Add the rate chart below.]

GLOBAL PACKAGE LINK SERVICE TO

HONG KONG

Weight not over (pounds)

Annual volume

first 100,000

packages—no

discount, premium service

(dollars)

1 ........................................ 15.55
49918 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 185 /Wednesday, September 24, 1997 /Rules and Regulations

GLOBAL PACKAGE LINK SERVICE TO

HONG KONG—Continued

Weight not over (pounds)

Annual volume

first 100,000

packages—no

discount, premium service

(dollars)

2 ........................................ 18.75

3 ........................................ 22.00

4 ........................................ 25.20

5 ........................................ 28.45

6 ........................................ 31.65

7 ........................................ 34.90

8 ........................................ 38.10

9 ........................................ 41.35

10 ...................................... 44.55

11 ...................................... 47.80

12 ...................................... 51.00

13 ...................................... 54.25

14 ...................................... 57.45

15 ...................................... 60.70

16 ...................................... 63.90

17 ...................................... 67.15

18 ...................................... 70.35

19 ...................................... 73.60

20 ...................................... 76.80

21 ...................................... 80.05

22 ...................................... 83.25

23 ...................................... 86.50

24 ...................................... 89.70

25 ...................................... 92.90

26 ...................................... 96.15

27 ...................................... 99.35

28 ...................................... 102.60

29 ...................................... 105.80

30 ...................................... 109.05

31 ...................................... 112.25

32 ...................................... 115.50

33 ...................................... 118.70

34 ...................................... 121.95

35 ...................................... 125.15

36 ...................................... 128.40

37 ...................................... 131.60

38 ...................................... 134.85

39 ...................................... 138.05

40 ...................................... 141.30

41 ...................................... 144.50

42 ...................................... 147.75

43 ...................................... 150.95

44 ...................................... 154.20

Number of pieces in contract year Discount

1–100,000 .......................... None

100,001+ ............................ 3 percent of

base rate.

* * * * *

Stanley F. Mires,

Chief Counsel Legislative.

[FR Doc. 97–25356 Filed 9–23–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7710–12–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

40 CFR Part 180

[OPP–300545; FRL–5741–2]

RIN 2070–AB78

Maneb; Pesticide Tolerances for

Emergency Exemptions

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This regulation establishes

time-limited tolerances for residues of

maneb (manganous

ethylenebisdithiocarbamate), calculated

as zinc ethylenebisdithiocarbamate, and

its metabolite ethylenethiourea in or on

walnuts. This action is in connection

with a crisis exemption declared by the

state of California under section 18 of

the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and

Rodenticide Act authorizing use of the

pesticides on walnuts in California. This

regulation establishes a maximum

permissible level for residues of maneb

in this food commodity pursuant to

section 408(l)(6) of the Federal Food,

Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as amended by

the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996.

The tolerance will expire and is revoked

on June 15, 1998.

DATES: This regulation is effective

September 24, 1997. Objections and

requests for hearings must be received

by EPA on or before November 24, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written objections and

hearing requests, identified by the

docket control number, [OPP–300545],

must be submitted to: Hearing Clerk

(1900), Environmental Protection

Agency, Rm. M3708, 401 M St., SW.,

Washington, DC 20460. Fees

accompanying objections and hearing

requests shall be labeled ‘‘Tolerance

Petition Fees’’ and forwarded to: EPA

Headquarters Accounting Operations

Branch, OPP (Tolerance Fees), P.O. Box

360277M, Pittsburgh, PA 15251. A copy

of any objections and hearing requests

filed with the Hearing Clerk identified

by the docket control number, [OPP–

300545], must also be submitted to:

Public Information and Records

Integrity Branch, Information Resources

and Services Division (7506C), Office of

Pesticide Programs, Environmental

Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW.,

Washington, DC 20460. In person, bring

a copy of objections and hearing

requests to Rm. 1132, CM #2, 1921

Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA.

A copy of objections and hearing

requests filed with the Hearing Clerk

may also be submitted electronically by

sending electronic mail (e-mail) to: oppdocket@epamail.epa.gov. Copies of

objections and hearing requests must be

submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the

use of special characters and any form

of encryption. Copies of objections and

hearing requests will also be accepted

on disks in WordPerfect 5.1 file format

or ASCII file format. All copies of

objections and hearing requests in

electronic form must be identified by

the docket control number [OPP–

300545]. No Confidential Business

Information (CBI) should be submitted

through e-mail. Electronic copies of

objections and hearing requests on this

rule may be filed online at many Federal

Depository Libraries.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: By

mail: Libby Pemberton, Registration

Division 7505C, Office of Pesticide

Programs, Environmental Protection

Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington,

DC 20460. Office location, telephone

number, and e-mail address: Crystal

Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy.,

Arlington, VA, (703) 308-9364, e-mail:

pemberton.libby@epamail.epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA, on

its own initiative, pursuant to section

408(e) and (l)(6) of the Federal Food,

Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), 21

U.S.C. 346a(e) and (l)(6), is establishing

tolerances for residues of the fungicide

maneb (manganous

ethylenebisdithiocarbamate), calculated

as zinc ethylenebisdithiocarbamate and

its metabolite ethylenethiourea, in or on

walnuts at 0.05 part per million (ppm).

This tolerance will expire and is

revoked on June 15, 1998. EPA will

publish a document in the Federal

Register to remove the revoked

tolerance from the Code of Federal

Regulations.

I. Background and Statutory Authority

The Food Quality Protection Act of

1996 (FQPA) (Pub. L. 104–170) was

signed into law August 3, 1996. FQPA

amends both the Federal Food, Drug,

and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), 21 U.S.C.

301 et seq., and the Federal Insecticide,

Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act

(FIFRA), 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq . The FQPA

amendments went into effect

immediately. Among other things,

FQPA amends FFDCA to bring all EPA

pesticide tolerance-setting activities

under a new section 408 with a new

safety standard and new procedures.

These activities are described below and

discussed in greater detail in the final

rule establishing the time-limited

tolerance associated with the emergency

exemption for use of propiconazole on

sorghum (61 FR 58135, November 13,

1996)(FRL–5572–9).