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 

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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 174 / Monday, September 8, 2008 / Notices 52063 

effect of this program could be fully 

gauged. The test was not opened to any 

new participants, but the original six 

participants continued in the program. 

As the test program continued, a series 

of notices announced changes or 

modifications to the test program in the 

following notices published in the 

Federal Register: 67 FR 39098 (June 6, 

2002); 69 FR 5362 (February 4, 2004); 69 

FR 54302 (September 8, 2004); 70 FR 

5199 (February 1, 2005); 70 FR 45736 

(August 8, 2005); 70 FR 55623 

(September 22, 2005) and 71 FR 3315 

(January 20, 2006). The development of 

this NCAP test is set forth in these prior 

notices. 

Termination of National Customs 

Automation Program Test on the SemiMonthly Statement Processing 

Prototype 

The periodic monthly payment 

statement ACE-based process, 

referenced above, has now exceeded 

over two billion dollars in revenues on 

the periodic deposit of estimated duties 

and fees. All of the six original 

participants in the ‘‘Semi-Monthly 

Statement Processing Prototype’’ have 

terminated their involvement in the 

program in favor of participation in the 

ACE-based process. 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. 

Therefore, this notice formally 

announces the termination of the 

‘‘Semi-Monthly Statement Processing 

Prototype’’ under the NCAP. 

Dated: September 3, 2008. 

Jason P. Ahern, 

Acting Commissioner, U. S. Customs and 

Border Protection. 

[FR Doc. E8–20765 Filed 9–5–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9111–14–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R8–R–2008–N0173, 80230–1265–

0000–S3] 

San Luis and Merced National Wildlife 

Refuges and Grasslands Wildlife 

Management Area, Merced County, CA 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a 

comprehensive conservation plan and 

environmental assessment; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife 

Service (Service), intend to prepare a 

Comprehensive Conservation Plan 

(CCP) and Environmental Assessment 

(EA) for San Luis and Merced National 

Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) and the 

Grasslands Wildlife Management Area 

(WMA) located in Merced County, 

California. We provide this notice in 

compliance with our CCP policy to 

advise other Federal and State agencies, 

Tribes, and the public of our intentions, 

and to obtain suggestions and 

information on the scope of issues to 

consider in the planning process. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, we 

must receive your written comments by 

October 23, 2008. 

ADDRESSES: Send your comments or 

requests for more information by any of 

the following methods. 

E-mail: Sandy_Osborn@fws.gov. 

Include ‘‘San Luis CCP’’ in the subject 

line of the message. 

Fax: Attn: Ms. Sandy Osborn, (916) 

414–6497. 

U.S. Mail: California and Nevada 

Region, Refuge Planning, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way, W–

1832, Sacramento, California 95825. 

In-Person Drop off: You may drop off 

comments during regular business hours 

8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, at San Luis NWR Complex 

Headquarters, 947 West Pacheco Blvd., 

Suite C, Los Banos, California. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Sandy Osborn, Planning Team Leader, 

at (916) 414–6503. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction 

With this notice, we initiate our 

process for developing a CCP for San 

Luis and Merced NWRs and the 

Grasslands WMA in Merced County, 

CA. This notice complies with our CCP 

policy to: (1) Advise other Federal and 

State agencies, Tribes, and the public of 

our intention to conduct detailed 

planning on this refuge and (2) obtain 

suggestions and information on the 

scope of issues to consider in the 

environmental document and during 

development of the CCP. 

Background 

The CCP Process 

The National Wildlife Refuge System 

Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 

668dd–668ee) (Improvement Act), 

which amended the National Wildlife 

Refuge System Administration Act of 

1966, requires us to develop a CCP for 

each national wildlife refuge. The 

purpose for developing a CCP is to 

provide refuge managers with a 15-year 

plan for achieving refuge purposes and 

contributing toward the mission of the 

National Wildlife Refuge System, 

consistent with sound principles of fish 

and wildlife management, conservation, 

legal mandates, and our policies. In 

addition to outlining broad management 

direction on conserving wildlife and 

their habitats, CCPs identify wildlifedependent recreational opportunities 

available to the public, including 

opportunities for hunting, fishing, 

wildlife observation and photography, 

and environmental education and 

interpretation. We will review and 

update the CCP at least every 15 years 

in accordance with the Improvement 

Act. 

Each unit of the National Wildlife 

Refuge System is established for specific 

purposes. We use these purposes as the 

foundation for developing and 

prioritizing the management goals and 

objectives for each refuge within the 

National Wildlife Refuge System 

mission, and to determine how the 

public can use each refuge. The 

planning process is a way for us and the 

public to evaluate management goals 

and objectives that will ensure the best 

possible approach to wildlife, plant, and 

habitat conservation, while providing 

for wildlife-dependent recreation 

opportunities that are compatible with 

each refuge’s establishing purposes and 

the mission of the National Wildlife 

Refuge System. 

Our CCP process provides 

participation opportunities for Tribal, 

State, and local governments; agencies; 

organizations; and the public. At this 

time we encourage input in the form of 

issues, concerns, ideas, and suggestions 

for the future management of San Luis 

and Merced NWRs and the Grasslands 

WMA. 

We will conduct the environmental 

review of this project in accordance 

with the requirements of the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as 

amended (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 

seq.); NEPA regulations (40 CFR parts 

1500–1508); other appropriate Federal 

laws and regulations; and our policies 

and procedures for compliance with 

those laws and regulations. 

San Luis and Merced NWRs and 

Grasslands WMA 

The San Luis and Merced NWRs and 

Grasslands WMA are in Merced County, 

California, adjacent to the communities 

of Los Banos and Merced. They are 

situated within the San Joaquin River 

watershed in the San Joaquin Valley. 

Collectively, these three units of the 

National Wildlife Refuge System 

contain one of the largest contiguous 

freshwater wetlands remaining in 

California, which provides important 

winter habitat for millions of migratory 

birds, as well as assemblages of other 

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