Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 210 / Wednesday, November 1, 2017 / Notices 50659 

1The figures provided in this notice may be 

rounded for publication purposes only. The 

calculations for the adjusted fees and limitations 

were made using unrounded figures, unless 

otherwise noted. 

Drawback and Duty Deferral Entry and 

Entry Summary Filings: 82 FR 26698 

(June 8, 2017). 

• Effective Date for Modifications of 

the National Customs Automation 

Program Tests Regarding Reconciliation, 

Post-Summary Corrections, and Periodic 

Monthly Statements: 82 FR 26699 (June 

8, 2017). 

• Delayed Effective Date for 

Modifications of the National Customs 

Automation Program Tests Regarding 

Reconciliation, Post-Summary 

Corrections, and Periodic Monthly 

Statements: 82 FR 29910 (June 30, 

2017). 

• Delay of Effective Date for the 

Automated Commercial Environment 

(ACE) Becoming the Sole CBPAuthorized Electronic Data Interchange 

(EDI) System for Processing Electronic 

Drawback and Duty Deferral Entry and 

Entry Summary Filings: 82 FR 29910 

(June 30, 2017). 

• Extension and Clarification of Test 

Program Regarding Electronic Foreign 

Trade Zone Admission Applications 

and Transition of Test from the 

Automated Commercial System to the 

Automated Commercial Environment: 

82 FR 38923 (August 16, 2017). 

• Automated Commercial 

Environment (ACE) Becoming the Sole 

CBP-Authorized Electronic Data 

Interchange (EDI) System for Processing 

Duty Deferral Entry and Entry Summary 

Filings: 82 FR 38924 (August 16, 2017). 

• Delay of Transition of Test Program 

Regarding Electronic Foreign Trade 

Zone Admission Applications from the 

Automated Commercial System to the 

Automated Commercial Environment: 

82 FR 43395 (September 15, 2017). 

Dated: October 26, 2017. 

Brenda B. Smith, 

Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of 

Trade. 

[FR Doc. 2017–23747 Filed 10–31–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9111–14–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

COBRA Fees To Be Adjusted for 

Inflation in Fiscal Year 2018 CBP Dec. 

17–17 

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border 

Protection, Department of Homeland 

Security. 

ACTION: General notice. 

SUMMARY: This document announces 

that U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

(CBP) is adjusting certain customs user 

fees and limitations established by the 

Consolidated Omnibus Budget 

Reconciliation Act (COBRA) for Fiscal 

Year 2018 in accordance with the Fixing 

America’s Surface Transportation Act 

(FAST Act) as implemented by CBP 

regulations published elsewhere in this 

issue of the Federal Register. 

DATES: The adjusted amounts of 

customs COBRA user fees and their 

corresponding limitations set forth in 

this notice for Fiscal Year 2018 are 

required as of January 1, 2018. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Bruce Ingalls, Director—Revenue 

Division, 317–298–1107, bruce.ingalls@

cbp.dhs.gov; or Tina Ghiladi, Director— 

Fee Strategy, Communications, and 

Integration, 202–344–3722, 

tina.ghiladi@cbp.dhs.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

On December 4, 2015, the Fixing 

America’s Surface Transportation Act 

(FAST Act, Pub. L. 114–94) was signed 

into law. Section 32201 of the FAST Act 

amended section 13031 of the 

Consolidated Omnibus Budget 

Reconciliation Act (COBRA) of 1985 (19 

U.S.C. 58c) by requiring certain customs 

COBRA user fees and corresponding 

limitations to be adjusted by the 

Secretary of the Treasury (Secretary) to 

reflect certain increases in inflation. 

In a final rule, CBP Dec. 17–16, 

published elsewhere in this issue of the 

Federal Register, CBP amended §§ 24.22 

and 24.23 of title 19 of the Code of 

Federal Regulations (19 CFR 24.22 and 

24.23) to implement the requirements of 

the FAST Act. Specifically, CBP created 

a new paragraph (k) in section 24.22 (19 

CFR 24.22(k)) that sets forth the 

methodology to determine the change in 

inflation as well as the factor by which 

the fees and limitations will be adjusted, 

if necessary. The fees and limitations 

subject to adjustment, which are set 

forth in Appendix A and Appendix B of 

part 24, include the commercial vessel 

arrival fees, commercial truck arrival 

fees, railroad car arrival fees, private 

vessel arrival fees, private aircraft 

arrival fees, commercial aircraft and 

vessel passenger arrival fees, dutiable 

mail fees, customs broker permit user 

fees, barges and other bulk carriers 

arrival fees, and merchandise processing 

fees as well as the corresponding 

limitations. 

Determination of Whether an 

Adjustment Is Necessary for Fiscal Year 

2018 

In accordance with the amended 

regulations in 19 CFR 24.22, CBP 

determines whether the fees and 

limitations must be adjusted to reflect 

inflation. For fiscal year 2018, this is 

done by comparing the average of the 

Consumer Price Index—All Urban 

Consumers, U.S. All items, 1982–84 

(CPI–U) for the current year (June 2016– 

May 2017) with the average of the CPI– 

U for Fiscal Year 2014 to determine the 

change in inflation, if any. If there is an 

increase in the CPI of greater than one 

(1) percent, CBP must adjust the 

customs COBRA user fees and 

corresponding limitations using the 

methodology set forth in 19 CFR 

24.22(k). Following the steps provided 

in paragraph (k)(2) of § 24.22, CBP has 

determined that the increase in the CPI 

between the most recent June to May 12- 

month period (June 2016–May 2017) 

and Fiscal Year 2014 is 2.542 percent. 

(19 CFR 24.22(k)). As the increase in the 

CPI is greater than one (1) percent, the 

customs COBRA user fees and 

corresponding limitations must be 

adjusted for Fiscal Year 2018. 

Determination of the Adjusted Fees and 

Limitations 

Using the methodology set forth in 

§ 24.22(k)(2) of the CBP regulations (19 

CFR 24.22(k)), CBP has determined that 

the factor by which the fees and 

limitations will be adjusted is 2.677 

percent. In reaching this determination, 

CBP calculated the values for each 

variable found in 19 CFR 24.22(k) as 

follows: 

• The arithmetic average of the CPI– 

U for June 2016–May 2017, referred to 

as (A) in the CBP regulations, is 

242.328 1

• The arithmetic average of the CPI– 

U for Fiscal Year 2014, referred to as (B), 

is 236.009; 

• The arithmetic average of the CPI– 

U for the comparison year, referred to as 

(C), is 236.009; 

• The difference between the 

arithmetic averages of the CPI–U of the 

comparison year (Fiscal Year 2014) and 

the current year (June 2016–May 2017), 

referred to as (D), is 6.320; 

• This difference rounded to the 

nearest whole number, referred to as (E), 

is 6; 

• The percentage change in the 

arithmetic averages of the CPI–U of the 

comparison year (Fiscal Year 2014) and 

the current year (June 2016–May 2017), 

referred to as (F), is 2.542 percent; 

• The difference in the arithmetic 

average of the CPI–U between the 

current year (June 2016–May 2017) and 

the base year (Fiscal Year 2014), referred 

to as (G), is 6.320; and 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
50660 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 210 / Wednesday, November 1, 2017 / Notices 

• Lastly, the percentage change in the 

CPI–U from the base year (Fiscal Year 

2014) to the current year (June 2016– 

May 2017), referred to as (H), is 2.677 

percent. 

Announcement of New Fees and 

Limitations 

The adjusted amounts of customs 

COBRA user fees and their 

corresponding limitations for Fiscal 

Year 2018 as adjusted by 2.677 percent 

set forth below are required as of 

January 1, 2018. Table 1 provides the 

fees and limitations found in 19 CFR 

24.22 as adjusted for Fiscal Year 2018 

and Table 2 provides the fees and 

limitations found in 19 CFR 24.23 as 

adjusted for Fiscal Year 2018. 

TABLE 1—CUSTOMS COBRA USER FEES AND LIMITATIONS FOUND IN 19 CFR 24.22 AS ADJUSTED FOR FISCAL YEAR

2018 

19 U.S.C. 58c 19 CFR 24.22 Customs COBRA user fee/limitation 

New fee/limitation 

adjusted in 

accordance with 

the FAST Act 

(a)(1) ...................................... (b)(1)(i) ................................... Fee: Commercial Vessel Arrival Fee .................................... $448.70 

(b)(5)(A) ................................. (b)(1)(ii) .................................. Limitation: Calendar Year Maximum for Commercial Vessel 

Arrival Fees.

6,114.46 

(a)(8) ...................................... (b)(2)(i) ................................... Fee: Barges and Other Bulk Carriers Arrival Fee ................. 112.95 

(b)(6) ...................................... (b)(2)(ii) .................................. Limitation: Calendar Year Maximum for Barges and Other 

Bulk Carriers Arrival Fees.

1,540.17 

(a)(2) ...................................... (c)(1) ...................................... Fee: Commercial Truck Arrival Fee ...................................... 5.65 

(b)(2) ...................................... (c)(2) and (3) ......................... Limitation: Commercial Truck Calendar Year Prepayment 

Fee.

102.68 

(a)(3) ...................................... (d)(1) ...................................... Fee: Railroad Car Arrival Fee ............................................... 8.47 

(b)(3) ...................................... (d)(2) and (3) ......................... Limitation: Railroad Car Calendar Year Prepayment Fee .... 102.68 

(a)(4) ...................................... (e)(1) and (2) ......................... Fee and Limitation: Private Vessel or Private Aircraft First 

Arrival/Calendar Year Prepayment Fee.

28.24 

(a)(6) ...................................... (f) ........................................... Fee: Dutiable Mail Fee .......................................................... 5.65 

(a)(5)(A) ................................. (g)(1)(i) ................................... Fee: Commercial Vessel or Commercial Aircraft Passenger 

Arrival Fee.

5.65 

(a)(5)(B) ................................. (g)(1)(ii) .................................. Fee: Commercial Vessel Passenger Arrival Fee (from one 

of the territories and possessions of the United States).

1.98 

(a)(7) ...................................... (h) .......................................... Fee: Customs Broker Permit User Fee ................................. 141.70 

TABLE 2—CUSTOMS COBRA USER FEES AND LIMITATIONS FOUND IN 19 CFR 24.23 AS ADJUSTED FOR FISCAL YEAR

2018 

19 U.S.C. 58c 19 CFR 24.23 Customs COBRA user fee/limitation 

New fee/limitation 

adjusted in 

accordance with 

the FAST Act 

(b)(9)(A)(ii) ............................. (b)(1)(i)(A) .............................. Fee: Express Consignment Carrier/Centralized Hub Facility 

Fee, Per Individual Waybill/Bill of Lading Fee.

$1.03 

(b)(9)(B)(i) .............................. (b)(1)(i)(B)(2) ......................... Limitation: Minimum Express Consignment Carrier/Centralized Hub Facility Fee.0.36 

(b)(9)(B)(i) .............................. (b)(1)(i)(B)(2) ......................... Limitation: Maximum Express Consignment Carrier/Centralized Hub Facility Fee.1.03 

(a)(9)(B)(i); (b)(8)(A)(i) ........... (b)(1)(i)(B)(1) ......................... Limitation: Minimum Merchandise Processing Fee .............. 25.67 

(a)(9)(B)(i); (b)(8)(A)(i) ........... (b)(1)(i)(B)(1) ......................... Limitation: Maximum Merchandise Processing Fee ............. 497.99 

(b)(8)(A)(ii) ............................. (b)(1)(ii) .................................. Fee: Surcharge for Manual Entry or Release ....................... 3.08 

(a)(10)(C)(i) ............................ (b)(2)(i) ................................... Fee: Informal Entry or Release; Automated and Not Prepared by CBP Personnel.2.05 

(a)(10)(C)(ii) ........................... (b)(2)(ii) .................................. Fee: Informal Entry or Release; Manual and Not Prepared 

by CBP Personnel.

6.16 

(a)(10)(C)(iii) .......................... (b)(2)(iii) ................................. Fee: Informal Entry or Release; Automated or Manual; Prepared by CBP Personnel.9.24 

(b)(9)(A)(ii) ............................. (b)(4) ...................................... Fee: Express Consignment Carrier/Centralized Hub Facility 

Fee, Per Individual Waybill/Bill of Lading Fee.

1.03 

Tables 1 and 2 setting forth the 

adjusted fees and limitations for Fiscal 

Year 2018 will also be maintained for 

the public’s convenience on the CBP 

Web site at www.cbp.gov. 

Dated: October 30, 2017. 

Kevin K. McAleenan, 

Acting Commissioner, U.S. Customs and 

Border Protection. 

[FR Doc. 2017–23876 Filed 10–31–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9111–14–P 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES