🚢Amendments to Vessel Tonnage Tax Regulations for Simplified Compliance
This interim final rule amends U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations so that a tonnage year, for purposes of calculating tonnage taxes for a vessel, is aligned with the fiscal year of the Federal Government. Currently, CBP calculates a unique tonnage year for each vessel, starting when the vessel first enters the United States. This rule also permits CBP to issue a single electronic receipt for the payment of tonnage taxes and light money. This rule simplifies the tonnage tax process, decreases the number of errors in assessing tonnage taxes, and simplifies the tracking of tonnage tax payments.
Learn More⚖️USMCA Correcting Amendments
On January 17, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published an interim final rule in the Federal Register amending the CBP regulations to add implementing regulations for the preferential tariff treatment and related customs provisions of the Agreement Between the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada (USMCA) related to general definitions, drawback and duty- deferral programs, textile and apparel goods, and automotive goods, among others. Errant amendatory instructions resulted in the inadvertent omission of two conforming amendments and the removal of two paragraphs that were unrelated to the USMCA amendments. This action corrects those errors.
Learn More📬Updated Mailing Address for CBP Office of Finance and Revenue Division
This final rule amends the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations to update the address of the Office of Finance, Revenue Division. Additionally, this final rule amends the CBP regulations to reflect the restructuring of the Office of Finance, Revenue Division. All correspondence directed to the CBP Office of Finance, Revenue Division, should be sent to the new address.
Learn More🚆Permission Request for Waybill Data by St. Louis Freightway
The Surface Transportation Board has received a request from Bi-State Development to access specific waybill data for the St. Louis region, aiming to analyze railroad traffic trends. The data request involves confidentiality considerations and requires any objections to be filed within 14 days.
Learn More✈️Extended Flight Prohibition in Kabul FIR for U.S. Air Carriers
This action extends the prohibition against certain flight operations in the Kabul Flight Information Region (FIR) (OAKX) by all: U.S. air carriers; U.S. commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of an airman certificate issued by the FAA, except when such persons are operating U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators of U.S.-registered civil aircraft, except when the operator of such aircraft is a foreign air carrier, for an additional three years, from July 25, 2025, to July 25, 2028. FAA finds this action necessary to address continuing risks to persons and aircraft engaged in such flight operations.
Learn More🚂FRA Proposes Regulatory Relief for End-of-Car Cushioning Units
FRA proposes to amend regulations concerning freight car draft arrangement and end-of-car cushioning units (EOCCs) to make regulatory relief now provided by waiver permanent. The amendments would allow a freight car to remain in service if the EOCC is operative and equipped with a unit condition indicator (UCI) that indicates a non-discharged EOCC. This change would permit those EOCCs to remain in service despite the presence of clearly formed oil droplets on the unit. The amendments, if finalized, preserve the requirement to repair or replace an EOCC with clearly formed oil droplets if the unit does not have a UCI.
Learn More🚂Administrative Updates to Railroad Freight Car Safety Standards
This rule makes administrative updates to FRA's railroad freight car safety standards, including updating addresses.
Learn More🚂Proposed Rule on Freight Car Age Requirements by FRA
FRA proposes to amend its freight car safety regulations to repeal the requirement for special approval to place or continue a freight car in service if it is more than 50 years old or equipped with any design or type component listed in appendix A to this part. Instead, railroads would be able to continue or place such "overage" cars in service after complying with uniform safety requirements. Those requirements would include comprehensive shop inspections by a designated inspector, single-car air brake testing, recordkeeping, and, as appropriate, stenciling. The proposed requirements are consistent with the most important conditions that FRA now requires through the existing special approval process. Repealing the special approval process and replacing it with the proposed, uniform requirements would provide equivalent safety outcomes while reducing burdens on railroads and eliminating the added delay involved in petitioning FRA for a special approval.
Learn More🚂Proposed Rule to Remove Stenciling for Tourist-Use Freight Cars
FRA proposes to exclude railroad freight cars used exclusively for tourist, historic, excursion, educational, recreational, or private purposes and that are not interchanged from the requirement that all restricted freight cars, including cars more than 50 years old, be stenciled with specific information.
Learn More⚓Federal Maritime Commission Revisions to Authority and Organization
The Federal Maritime Commission (Commission or FMC) is revising certain delegations of authority from the Commission, updating descriptions of organization components, and making minor related technical amendments. These revisions reflect re-organization of certain functions within the agency.
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