Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 208 / Tuesday, October 28, 1997 / Notices 55847

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Section 236 of the Trade and Tariff

Act of 1984 (Public Law 98–573, 98 Stat.

2992), as amended (codified at 19 U.S.C.

58b), authorizes the Secretary of the

Treasury to make Customs services

available and charge a fee for the use of

such services at certain specified

airports and at any other airport,

seaport, or other facility designated by

the Secretary pursuant to criteria set

forth in the statute. The statute further

provides that the fee charged thereunder

shall be in an amount equal to the

expenses incurred by the Secretary in

providing the Customs services at the

airport, seaport, or other facility,

including the salary and expenses of

individuals employed by the Secretary

to provide the Customs services.

The Commissioner of Customs has

designated a number of airports within

the United States as ‘‘user fee airports’’

pursuant to the authority set forth in 19

U.S.C. 58b which has been delegated by

the Secretary of the Treasury to the

Commissioner. Section 122.15 of the

Customs Regulations (19 CFR 122.15)

concerns user fee airports and includes

a list of designated user fee airports.

Although there are no other provisions

within the Customs Regulations that

deal specifically with user fee airports,

each Memorandum of Agreement

between the concerned airport authority

and Customs, under which each user fee

airport is established, sets forth the

responsibilities of both Customs and the

airport which include an agreement by

airport to pay a flat annual fee

(established at $74,905 for Fiscal Year

1997 which ended on September 30,

1997) to cover the salary and benefits

costs of one full-time inspector, plus

any related costs for travel,

transportation, per diem and cost-ofliving allowances, and an agreement by

Customs to provide 8 hours of service

per day, Monday through Friday, for a

total of 40 hours. Each Memorandum of

Agreement further provides for an

increase in the annual fee as may be

necessary to reflect any increase in the

costs to Customs for providing the

services, as required by the statute.

Adjustment of Annual User Fee Airport

Fee

Based on a review of the annual fee

charged in Fiscal Year 1997 with

reference to the actual salaries and

expenses for Customs personnel

assigned to user fee airports as of April

30, 1997, Customs has determined that

the annual fee should be increased to

$78,500 in order to reflect the true costs

to Customs in providing Customs

services at user fee airports. The new

annual fee is effective October 1, 1997,

and will be reflected in quarterly user

fee airport billings issued on or after

that date.

Dated: October 22, 1997.

Vincette L. Goerl,

Assistant Commissioner, Office of Finance.

[FR Doc. 97–28489 Filed 10–27–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4820–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service

Live Entry Requirement for NonAutomated Entry; Comment Request

AGENCY: U.S. Customs, Department of

the Treasury.

ACTION: Notice of meeting and request

for comment.

SUMMARY: In its efforts to redesign the

trade compliance process, Customs

would like to develop a more efficient

way to process non-automated entry and

entry summary documents. This notice

announces that a public meeting will be

in Hearing Room B of the Interstate

Commerce Commission Building in

Washington, D.C., commencing at 9:30

a.m. on Friday, November 14, 1997. The

purpose of this meeting is to (1) discuss

a possible change in regulations to

require all non-automated entry

documents to be filed as entry/entry

summaries before the release of

merchandise; (2) discuss differing

public interpretations of this issue and

(3) explore options for clarifying the

differing interpretations. Due to

limitations on available seating, those

planning to attend are requested to

notify Customs in advance. Written

comments will also be accepted at the

hearing and by mail.

DATES: Meeting will take place on

November 14, 1997, from 9:30 a.m. to

11:30 p.m. Written comments should be

received on or before November 30,

1997, to be assured of consideration in

the development of any proposed

amendment to the current regulations.

ADDRESSES: Meeting will be held in

Hearing Room B of the Interstate

Commerce Commission Building at 12th

Street and Constitution Avenue, NW,

Washington, D.C. Written comments

regarding this notice should be

addressed to Ms. Brenda Brockman,

U.S. Customs Service, Room B–102,

1301 Constitution Avenue, Washington,

DC 20229.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To attend the hearing, please notify

Ms. Tonda Moton at (202) 927–1676.

For operational or policy issues: Ms.

Kathryn Dapkins at (202) 927–0333.

For regulatory issues: Ms. Gina Grier

at (202) 927–2397.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In

accordance with the Customs

Modernization provisions (the Mod Act)

of the North American Free Trade

Agreement Implementation Act, which

gives Customs the flexibility to tailor its

commercial operations to meet its needs

and capabilities, Customs has

undertaken an effort to redesign the

entry process. While the majority of all

entry summaries are sent to Customs

electronically via the Automated Broker

Interface (ABI), the remaining

summaries are still submitted as nonautomated documents. Customs is

currently reconsidering the processing

of non-ABI, fully paper entry

documents.

Importers currently have the option of

filing formal, non-ABI entries by one of

the following two methods: (1) The

entry (CF 3461) is submitted to Customs

to obtain release of the merchandise,

and the entry summary (CF 7501) along

with payment of duties, fees, and taxes,

is submitted within ten business days of

the date of the entry (date of release of

the merchandise); or (2) the entry/entry

summary (generally referred to as a

‘‘live’’ entry), along with payment of

duties, fees, and taxes, is submitted to

Customs to obtain the combined effect

of processing the documents and paying

the duties and then obtaining release of

the merchandise.

When a non-ABI entry is filed,

Customs manually enters data from the

entry documents into its automated

system. When the entry summary is

submitted, Customs again enters data

manually, this time from the summary,

into its automated system. This process

of handling the entry documents twice

is inefficient and burdensome. It also

hinders Customs ability to perform the

enforcement activities which are a part

of its mission.

Customs would like to streamline this

process by requiring importers who file

non-automated entry documents to file

them as entry/entry summaries, along

with all documentation and estimated

duties, fees, and taxes, prior to the

release of the merchandise. This type of

‘‘live entry’’ would require only onetime processing by Customs, thereby

decreasing the amount of time spent on

these non-automated documents and

freeing up resources for other work.

This one-time processing would allow

Customs to more efficiently handle the

increase in importations within current

resource levels. For importers who file

non-automated entry documents, the
55848 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 208 / Tuesday, October 28, 1997 / Notices

two-step process of submitting the CF

3461 to obtain release of goods, and

then, within ten business days,

submitting the CF 7501 entry summary

with payment of duties, fees, and taxes,

would be eliminated.

Customs ability to enforce trade laws

would also be enhanced if the entry/

entry summary were submitted prior to

the release of the merchandise. The

information on entry summaries tends

to be more complete and accurate than

that on entries. Having better data up

front would make it easier for Customs

to pinpoint compliance problems,

ensure admissibility, and verify bond

sufficiency, as these types of checks are

performed manually with nonautomated entries.

Customs will hold a public meeting to

discuss a possible change in regulations

to require all non-automated entry

documents to be filed as entry/entry

summaries before the release of

merchandise. This meeting will begin

with a brief description of possible

proposals, followed by time for the trade

community to ask questions and

provide comments. Those wishing to

provide verbal comments should so

indicate when making seating

reservations, and should also submit

their comments in writing. Because

seating is limited, reservations will be

required. Individuals planning to attend

are requested to notify Ms. Tonda

Moton by fax at (202) 927–1363 or by

phone at (202) 927–1676. Written

comments will be considered in the

development of any proposed

amendment to the current regulations,

but will not be responded to

individually.

Dated: October 21, 1997.

Charles W. Winwood,

Assistant Commissioner, Office of Strategic

Trade.

[FR Doc. 97–28491 Filed 10–27–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4820–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Fiscal Service

Treasury Current Value of Funds Rate

AGENCY: Financial Management Service,

Fiscal Service, Treasury.

ACTION: Notice of rate for use in Federal

debt collection and discount evaluation.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 11 of the

Debt Collection Act of 1982 (31 U.S.C.

3717), the Secretary of the Treasury is

responsible for computing and

publishing the percentage rate to be

used in assessing interest charges for

outstanding debts on claims owed the

Government. Treasury’s Cash

Management Regulations (I TFM 6–

8000) also prescribe use of this rate by

agencies as a comparison point in

evaluating the cost-effectiveness of a

cash discount. Notice is hereby given

that the applicable rate is 5 percent for

calendar year 1998.

DATES: The rate will be in effect for the

period beginning on January 1, 1998 and

ending on December 31, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Inquiries should be directed to the

Program Compliance & Evaluation

Division, Financial Management

Service, Department of the Treasury,

401 14th Street, SW., Washington, DC

20227 (Telephone: (202) 874–6630).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The rate

reflects the current value of funds to the

Treasury for use in connection with

Federal Cash Management Systems and

is based on investment rates set for

purposes of Pub. L. 95–147, 91 Stat.

1227. Computed each year by averaging

investment rates for the 12-month

period ending every September 30 for

applicability effective January 1, the rate

is subject to quarterly revisions if the

annual average, on the moving basis,

changes by 2 per centum. The rate in

effect for calendar year 1998 reflects the

average investment rates for the 12-

month period ended September 30,

1997.

Dated: October 23, 1997.

Larry D. Stout,

Assistant Commissioner Federal Finance.

[FR Doc. 97–28533 Filed 10–27–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4810–35–M