Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 174 / Monday, September 8, 2008 / Notices 52061 

are to be released to the importer or 

consignee. 

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 or other forprofit institutions. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

4,950. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 20. 

Estimated Number of Total Annual 

Responses: 99,000. 

Estimated Time per Response: 5 

minutes. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 8,247. 

If additional information is required 

contact: Tracey Denning, U.S. Customs 

and Border Protection, 1300 

Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Room 

3.2.C, Washington, DC 20229, at 202–

344–1429. 

Dated: August 26, 2008. 

Tracey Denning, 

Agency Clearance Officer, Customs and 

Border Protection. 

[FR Doc. E8–20769 Filed 9–5–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9111–14–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Foreign Trade Zone Annual 

Reconciliation Certification and 

Record Keeping Requirement 

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border 

Protection, Department of Homeland 

Security. 

ACTION: 30-Day notice and request for 

comments; extension of an existing 

information collection: 1651–0051 

ACTION: Proposed collection; comments 

requested. 

SUMMARY: U.S. Customs and Border 

Protection (CBP) of the Department of 

Homeland Security has submitted the 

following information collection request 

to the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) for review and approval in 

accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act: Foreign Trade Zone 

Annual Reconciliation Certification and 

Record Keeping Requirement. This is a 

proposed extension of an information 

collection that was previously 

approved. CBP is proposing that this 

information collection be extended with 

no change to the burden hours. This 

document is published to obtain 

comments from the public and affected 

agencies. This proposed information 

collection was previously published in 

the Federal Register (73 FR 36542) on 

June 27, 2008, allowing for a 60-day 

comment period. This notice allows for 

an additional 30 days for public 

comments. This process is conducted in 

accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10. 

DATES: Written comments should be 

received on or before October 8, 2008. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit written comments on 

the proposed information collection to 

the Office of Information and Regulatory 

Affairs, Office of Management and 

Budget. Comments should be addressed 

to the OMB Desk Officer for Customs 

and Border Protection, Department of 

Homeland Security, and sent via 

electronic mail to 

oira_submission@omb.eop.gov or faxed 

to (202) 395–6974. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

(CBP) encourages the general public and 

affected Federal agencies to submit 

written comments and suggestions on 

proposed and/or continuing information 

collection requests pursuant to the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (Pub. L. 104–

13). Your comments should address one 

of the following four points: 

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed 

collection of information is necessary 

for the proper performance of the 

functions of the agency/component, 

including whether the information will 

have practical utility; 

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the 

agencies/components estimate of the 

burden of the proposed collection of 

information, including the validity of 

the methodology and assumptions used; 

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and 

(4) Minimize the burden of the 

collections of information on those who 

are to respond, including the use of 

appropriate automated, electronic, 

mechanical, or other technological 

collection techniques or other forms of 

information technology, e.g., permitting 

electronic submission of responses. 

Title: Foreign Trade Zone Annual 

Reconciliation Certification and Record 

Keeping Requirement. 

OMB Number: 1651–0051. 

Form Number: N/A. 

Abstract: Each Foreign Trade Zone 

Operator will be responsible for 

maintaining its inventory control in 

compliance with statute and 

regulations. The operator will furnish 

CBP an annual certification of their 

compliance. 

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 or other forprofit institutions. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

260. 

Estimated Time per Respondent: 45 

minutes. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 195. 

If additional information is required 

contact: Tracey Denning, U.S. Customs 

and Border Protection, 1300 

Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Room 

3.2.C, Washington, DC 20229, at 202–

344–1429. 

Dated: August 26, 2008. 

Tracey Denning, 

Agency Clearance Officer, Customs and 

Border Protection. 

[FR Doc. E8–20770 Filed 9–5–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9111–14–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Customs and Border Protection 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Petition for Remission or 

Mitigation of Forfeitures and Penalties 

Incurred 

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border 

Protection, Department of Homeland 

Security. 

ACTION: 30-Day notice and request for 

comments; extension of an existing 

information collection: 1651–0100. 

ACTION: Proposed collection; comments 

requested. 

SUMMARY: U.S. Customs and Border 

Protection (CBP) of the Department of 

Homeland Security has submitted the 

following information collection request 

to the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) for review and approval in 

accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act: Petition for Remission or 

Mitigation of Forfeitures and Penalties 

Incurred. This is a proposed extension 

of an information collection that was 

previously approved. CBP is proposing 

that this information collection be 

extended with no change to the burden 

hours. This document is published to 

obtain comments from the public and 

affected agencies. This proposed 

information collection was previously 

published in the Federal Register (73 

FR 36546) on June 27, 2008, allowing 

for a 60-day comment period. This 

notice allows for an additional 30 days 

for public comments. This process is 

mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES

52062 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 174 / Monday, September 8, 2008 / Notices 

conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 

1320.10. 

DATES: Written comments should be 

received on or before October 8, 2008. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit written comments on 

the proposed information collection to 

the Office of Information and Regulatory 

Affairs, Office of Management and 

Budget. Comments should be addressed 

to the OMB Desk Officer for Customs 

and Border Protection, Department of 

Homeland Security, and sent via 

electronic mail 

tooira_submission@omb.eop.gov or 

faxed to (202) 395–6974. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

(CBP) encourages the general public and 

affected Federal agencies to submit 

written comments and suggestions on 

proposed and/or continuing information 

collection requests pursuant to the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (Pub. L. 104–

13). Your comments should address one 

of the following four points: 

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed 

collection of information is necessary 

for the proper performance of the 

functions of the agency/component, 

including whether the information will 

have practical utility; 

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the 

agencies/components estimate of the 

burden of The proposed collection of 

information, including the validity of 

the methodology and assumptions used; 

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and 

(4) Minimize the burden of the 

collections of information on those who 

are to respond, including the use of 

appropriate automated, electronic, 

mechanical, or other technological 

collection techniques or other forms of 

information technology, e.g., permitting 

electronic submission of responses. 

Title: Petition for Remission or 

Mitigation of Forfeitures and Penalties. 

OMB Number: 1651–0100. 

Form Number: CBP Form 4609. 

Abstract: Persons whose property is 

seized or who incur monetary penalties 

due to violations of the Tariff Act are 

entitled to seek remission or mitigation 

by means of an informal appeal. This 

form gives the violator the opportunity 

to claim mitigation and provides a 

record of such. 

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 or other forprofit institutions. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

28,000. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 1. 

Estimated Time per response: 14 

minutes. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 6,500. 

If additional information is required 

contact: Tracey Denning, U.S. Customs 

and Border Protection, 1300 

Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Room 

3.2.C, Washington, DC 20229, at 202–

344–1429. 

Dated: August 26, 2008. 

Tracey Denning, 

Agency Clearance Officer, Customs and 

Border Protection. 

[FR Doc. E8–20763 Filed 9–5–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9111–14–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

Announcement of Termination of 

National Customs Automation 

Program (NCAP) Test: Semi-Monthly 

Statement Processing Prototype 

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border 

Protection, Department of Homeland 

Security. 

ACTION: General notice. 

SUMMARY: This document announces 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s 

decision to formally terminate the test of 

the semi-monthly filing and statement 

processing prototype program that was 

initiated in April 1998, as part of the 

National Customs Automation Program. 

The test of the semi-monthly filing 

program was conceived as a transitional 

procedure from the Automated 

Commercial System to the full 

electronic processing of commercial 

importations in the Automated 

Commercial Environment, which allows 

account holders to pay duties, taxes, 

fees, and other payments owed using a 

periodic statement cycle. The 

Automated Commercial Environment 

portal system for Periodic Monthly 

Payment statement processing has been 

deployed nationwide thereby ending the 

need for the semi-monthly filing 

program. 

DATES: Effective Date: September 8, 

2008. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Sharon Taylor, Program Officer, 

Revenue Policy and Programs Branch, 

ADCVD/Revenue Division, Office of 

International Trade, U.S. Customs and 

Border Protection at (202) 863–6527 or 

via e-mail at Sharon.Taylor@dhs.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Title VI of the North American Free 

Trade Agreement Implementation Act, 

Public Law 103–182, 107 Stat. 2057 

(December 8, 1993), contains provisions 

pertaining to Customs Modernization 

(107 Stat. 2170). Subtitle B of Title VI 

establishes the National Customs 

Automation Program (NCAP)—an 

automated and electronic system for the 

processing of commercial importations. 

Pursuant to the provisions of Subtitle B, 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

(‘‘CBP’’) developed a new commercial 

processing system, the Automated 

Commercial Environment (‘‘ACE’’), 

which is phasing out the Automated 

Commercial System (‘‘ACS’’). 

As an interim measure, while the ACS 

was still in use for the filing of duties, 

taxes, fees and other payments, the 

former Customs Service (now CBP) 

published a General Notice entitled 

‘‘Announcement of National Customs 

Automation Program Test: SemiMonthly Statement Processing 

Prototype’’ in the Federal Register (63 

FR 15259) on March 30, 1998, pursuant 

to section 101.9(b) of CBP regulations 

(19 CFR 101.9(b)), which implemented 

the NCAP testing procedures. The 

prototype permitted importers to file 

entry summaries and to pay their duties, 

taxes, and fees within seven days of the 

end of a fifteen or sixteen day semimonthly period for cargo released 

during that period. Pursuant to section 

1505 of the United States Code (19 

U.S.C. 1505), the interest rate was 

calculated using the rate in effect seven 

days after the fifteen or sixteen day 

semi-monthly period. It provided for 

suspension of a participant for 

misconduct and an appeal process. Only 

six importers elected to participate in 

the program. The notice originally 

instituted the program at only 14 ports 

of entry. The notice stated that the semimonthly filing and statement processing 

prototype would be implemented over 

an 18-month period and would end 

when the periodic payment/statement 

feature of ACE was available. 

However, ACE was not fully 

implemented in 2002 and the testing of 

the semi-monthly processing prototype 

was incomplete. The reasons for these 

developments were many, namely, 

budgeting difficulties, the occurrence of 

other national events, which occasioned 

a shifting of CBP priorities, the 

continuing reorganization of Customs, 

etc. Furthermore, evaluations of the 

prototype conducted with participants 

showed a concern that the prototype 

testing should be expanded to 

additional ports so that the national 

mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES