Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 99 / Friday, May 22, 1998 / Notices 28449

for the Government for noncompliance

with Customs laws and regulations and

the laws and regulations of other

agencies which are enforced by

Customs.

Current Actions: There are no changes

to the information collection. This

submission is being submitted to extend

the expiration date.

Type of Review: Extension (without

change).

Affected Public: Business,

Individuals, Institutions.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

590,250.

Estimated Time Per Respondent: 15

minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden

Hours: 147,563.

Estimated Total Annualized Cost on

the Public: N/A.

Dated: May 18, 1998.

J. Edgar Nichols,

Team Leader, Information Services Group.

[FR Doc. 98–13717 Filed 5–21–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4820–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service

Proposed Collection; Comment

Request; Declaration by the Person

Who Performed the Processing of

Goods Abroad

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort

to reduce paperwork and respondent

burden, Customs invites the general

public and other Federal agencies to

comment on an information collection

requirement concerning Declaration by

the Person Who Performed the

Processing of Goods Abroad. This

request for comment is being made

pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1995 (Public Law 104–13; 44

U.S.C. 3505(c)(2)).

DATES: Written comments should be

received on or before July 21, 1998, to

be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments

to U.S. Customs Service, Information

Services Group, Room 3.2C, Attn.: J.

Edgar Nichols, 1300 Pennsylvania

Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20229.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information

should be directed to U.S. Customs

Service, Attn.: J. Edgar Nichols, Room

3.2C, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,

Washington, D.C. 20229, Tel. (202) 927–

1426.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Customs

invites the general public and other

Federal agencies to comment on

proposed and/or continuing information

collections pursuant to the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 (Public Law 104–

13; 44 U.S.C. 3505(c)(2)). The comments

should address: (1) whether the

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of the

functions of the agency, including

whether the information shall have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency’s estimates of the burden of the

collection of information; (c) ways to

enhance the quality, utility, and clarity

of the information to be collected; (d)

ways to minimize the burden including

the use of automated collection

techniques or the use of other forms of

information technology; and (e)

estimates of capital or start-up costs and

costs of operations, maintenance, and

purchase of services to provide

information. The comments that are

submitted will be summarized and

included in the Customs request for

Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) approval. All comments will

become a matter of public record. In this

document Customs is soliciting

comments concerning the following

information collection:

Title: Declaration by the Person Who

Performed the Processing of Goods

Abroad.

OMB Number: 1515–0110.

Form Number: N/A.

Abstract: This declaration, prepared

by the foreign processor, submitted by

the filer with each entry, provides

details on the processing performed

abroad and is necessary to assist

Customs in determining whether the

declared value of the processing is

accurate.

Current Actions: There are no changes

to the information collection. This

submission is being submitted to extend

the expiration date.

Type of Review: Extension (without

change).

Affected Public: Businesses,

Individuals, Institutions.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

7,500.

Estimated Time Per Respondent: 15

minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden

Hours: 1,880.

Estimated Total Annualized Cost on

the Public: N/A.

Dated: May 18, 1998.

J. Edgar Nichols,

Team Leader, Information Services Group.

[FR Doc. 98–13718 Filed 5–21–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4820–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service

Proposed Collection; Comment

Request; U.S./Israel Free Trade

Agreement

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort

to reduce paperwork and respondent

burden, Customs invites the general

public and other Federal agencies to

comment on an information collection

requirement concerning the U.S./Israel

Free Trade Agreement Importation Bond

Structure. This request for comment is

being made pursuant to the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 (Public Law 104–

13; 44 U.S.C. 3505(c)(2)).

DATES: Written comments should be

received on or before July 21, 1998 to be

assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments

to U.S. Customs Service, Information

Services Group, Room 3.2C, Attn.: J.

Edgar Nichols, 1300 Pennsylvania

Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20229.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information

should be directed to U.S. Customs

Service, Attn.: J. Edgar Nichols, Room

3.2C, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,

Washington, D.C. 20229, Tel. (202) 927–

1426.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Customs

invites the general public and other

Federal agencies to comment on

proposed and/or continuing information

collections pursuant to the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 (Public Law 104–

13; 44 U.S.C. 3505(c)(2)). The comments

should address: (1) whether the

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of the

functions of the agency, including

whether the information shall have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency’s estimates of the burden of the

collection of information; (c) ways to

enhance the quality, utility, and clarity

of the information to be collected; (d)

ways to minimize the burden including

the use of automated collection

techniques or the use of other forms of

information technology; and (e)

estimates of capital or start-up costs and

costs of operations, maintenance, and

purchase of services to provide

information. The comments that are

submitted will be summarized and

included in the Customs request for

Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) approval. All comments will

become a matter of public record. In this

document Customs is soliciting
28450 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 99 / Friday, May 22, 1998 / Notices

comments concerning the following

information collection:

Title: U.S./Israel Free Trade

Agreement.

OMB Number: 1515–0192.

Form Number: N/A.

Abstract: This collection is used to

ensure conformance with the provisions

of the U.S./Israel Free Trade Agreement

for duty free entry status.

Current Actions: There are no changes

to the information collection. This

submission is being submitted to extend

the expiration date.

Type of Review: Extension (without

change).

Affected Public: Businesses,

Individuals, Institutions.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

34,500.

Estimated Time Per Respondent: 10

minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden

Hours: 7,505.

Estimated Total Annualized Cost on

the Public: N/A.

Dated: May 18, 1998.

J. Edgar Nichols,

Team Leader, Information Services Group.

[FR Doc. 98–13719 Filed 5–21–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4820–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service

Public Meetings in New Orleans and

Houston on Vessel Entrance and

Clearance Procedures

AGENCY: U.S. Customs Service,

Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

SUMMARY: The United States Customs

Service will be holding two public

meetings regarding a recent policy

determination regarding the entrance

and clearance requirements for vessels

and aircraft servicing offshore

operations beyond the territorial waters

of the United States. One meeting will

be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, and

the other will be held in Houston,

Texas. This document announces the

dates, times and other particulars of the

meetings. Questions which one wishes

to have addressed at the meetings may

be communicated in writing to Customs

Headquarters prior to the meetings.

DATES: The meetings will be held at the

following dates and times: For the

Houston meeting: June 15, 1998, from

1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. For New

Orleans meeting: June 17, 1998, from

1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. For submitted

written comments to be addressed at

meetings: Comments must be received

no later than the close of business June

1, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at

the following locations: For the Houston

meeting: Port of Houston Authority

Main Office Bldg., 111 East Loop North,

First Floor Training Room, Houston,

Texas. For the New Orleans meeting:

New Orleans Customshouse, 423 Canal

Street, Room 223, New Orleans,

Louisiana. Written comments should be

submitted to: Office of Field Operations,

Trade Compliance, Attn: William Scopa,

U.S. Customs Service, 1300

Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C.

20229, or faxed to the attention of

William Scopa at (202) 927–1356.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Regarding questions about attending the

Houston meeting: please call (281) 985–

6700. Regarding questions about

attending the New Orleans meeting:

please call (504) 670–2391. For

information regarding the entrance and

clearance requirements: for operational

or policy concerns: contact William

Scopa at (202) 927–3112; for regulatory

issues: contact Larry Burton at (202)

927–1287.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Recently, there has been concern

regarding uniform Customs enforcement

of the report of arrival requirements set

forth in 19 U.S.C. 1433 for any vessel

which has received merchandise while

outside of the territorial seas; the formal

entry requirements set forth in 19 U.S.C.

1434 for any vessel which has delivered

or received merchandise while outside

the territorial seas; and the

corresponding clearance statute, 46

U.S.C. App. 91. The concern is also

applicable, through 19 U.S.C. 1644, to

enforcement of the report of arrival

requirements, formal entry requirements

and clearance requirements for aircraft

receiving and delivering merchandise

while outside the territorial seas. A

policy determination by the Customs

Service regarding its interpretation of

these statutory requirements has had a

substantial impact on both Customs and

the trade.

Much of the concern resulted from an

interpretation by the Customs Service

which exempted vessels and aircraft

transporting vessel supplies, bunkers,

parts, equipment and crew, out beyond

the territorial sea from entrance and

clearance requirements. This

interpretation applied not only to such

transactions involving the delivery or

receipt of the mentioned items to fixedsite oil rigs, but to non-fixed vessels as

well.

Customs reexamined the pertinent

statutes and determined that the

exemptions for the delivery or receipt of

vessel supplies, bunkers, parts,

equipment and crew to non-fixed

vessels located beyond the territorial sea

cannot be sustained. It became

necessary to immediately implement the

suspension of this exemption. The

pertinent statutes are clear and

unambiguous and it would not be

proper for Customs to delay their

uniform enforcement.

Customs still, however, holds that

vessels or aircraft delivering or receiving

goods or passengers to or from fixed-site

rigs are not subject to entrance and

clearance requirements unless

unentered foreign goods are involved in

the transportation. Such an

interpretation is consistent with the

Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.

Customs recognizes the fact that there

has been an increase in commerce

involving vessels and aircraft supplying

necessary goods and services to

numerous domestic and foreign

commercial operations just beyond our

territorial waters, especially in the Gulf

of Mexico. Customs is contemplating

providing for less burdensome entry and

clearance procedures for vessels and

aircraft engaged in these types of

activities within the boundaries of the

law.

Before beginning such procedures,

Customs believes it would be beneficial

both to the government and to private

entities to hold public meetings on this

issue to allow all interested parties an

opportunity to be heard. The public

forums will provide Customs with the

opportunity to fully explain the extent

of the recent policy determination.

Since the impact of the Customs

policy is most heavily felt by ports in

the Gulf of Mexico, public meetings will

be held at the ports of New Orleans,

Louisiana, and Houston, Texas.

At the meetings, personnel from

Customs Headquarters will be available

to answer questions regarding the

applicability of the laws and to discuss

the possibility of modifying vessel and

aircraft entrance and clearance

procedures. Questions relating to the

entrance and clearance requirements

under the new policy may be sent to

Customs prior to the meetings. Such

questions should be sent to Customs at

the address or fax number set forth at

the beginning of this document, and

must be received no later than the close

of business on June 1, 1998, in order to

be addressed at the meetings.

Space at the meetings will be limited.

Attendance will be accommodated on a

first-come basis.