[Federal Register: June 6, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 109)]
[Notices]               
[Page 39098-39099]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06jn02-146]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service

 
Expansion of National Customs Automation Program Test of Semi-
Monthly Statement Processing to Additional Ports of Entry

AGENCY: Customs Service, Treasury.

ACTION: General notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces Customs plan to expand for current 
participants the testing of the semi-monthly filing and statement 
processing program (semi-monthly processing) to seven additional ports 
of entry, and invites those participants to file their statements at 
these additional ports. The expansion of this National Customs 
Automation Program test to the additional ports will enable Customs to 
more fully evaluate the national effect of this program for its final 
integration into the Automated Commercial Environment. The test is not 
being opened for new participants.
    For the convenience of participants in this program test, this 
notice lists all the ports of entry--both existing and the additions--
where participants may file their entry summaries and make payment of 
duties, taxes, and fees owed.

EFFECTIVE DATES: Current participants will be able to file semi-monthly 
statements at the additional ports of entry July 8, 2002; however, 
participants will need to notify the Entry Branch Supervisor at each 
additional port of entry to arrange for an exact start date and to 
receive any additional instructions. Evaluations of the semi-monthly 
processing at all the ports identified will continue to be conducted 
periodically.

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: For inquiries regarding the ports of entry 
added to the semi-monthly processing prototype contact Debbie Scott, 
Entry and Drawback Management Team, (202) 927-1962.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Title VI of the North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation 
Act (the Act), Pub. L. 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 these provisions, 
Customs is developing a new commercial processing system, the Automated 
Commercial Environment (ACE). The ACE is being designed to support the 
new Trade Compliance processes. One of the main features of the ACE 
will be the periodic summary filing and periodic statements function, 
which will enable each account to pay duties, taxes, fees, and other 
payments owed using a periodic statement cycle. Periodic summary filing 
and statement functional capabilities eventually will be fully 
integrated into the new ACE system. Semi-monthly processing using the 
current Automated Commercial System (ACS) will eventually cease as the 
ACE system is deployed nationwide.
    For programs designed to evaluate existing and planned components 
of the National Customs Automation Program (NCAP), Sec. 101.9(b) of the 
Customs Regulations (19 CFR 101.9(b)) implements the NCAP testing 
procedures. As the periodic summary filing and periodic statements 
function (semi-monthly filing and statement processing prototype) 
concerns an existing component of the NCAP relating to the electronic 
payment of duties, fees, and taxes, the semi-monthly processing test 
was established pursuant to that regulation. See, the Federal Register 
Notice published March 30, 1998 (63 FR 15259) for a fuller explanation 
of this test.
    When initially established in 1998, the semi-monthly filing and 
statement processing prototype (semi-monthly processing) was 
implemented at only 14 ports of entry and it was stated in the Federal 
Register Notice that the testing of this prototype would be implemented 
over an 18-month period and would end when the periodic payment/
statement feature of ACE is available. To date, the ACE is not fully 
implemented, and the testing of the semi-monthly processing prototype 
is incomplete. The reasons for these developments are many: the 
continuing reorganization of Customs, budgeting difficulties, the 
occurrence of other national events, which has occasioned a shifting of 
Customs priorities, etc. Regarding the locations where semi-monthly 
processing are currently authorized to be filed, evaluations of the 
prototype conducted to date with participants show a concern that the 
prototype testing should be expanded to additional ports, so that the 
national effect of this program can be fully gauged. Accordingly, 
Customs is announcing in this document that seven new ports of entry 
will be authorized so that current participants may file their entry 
summaries and make payment of duties, taxes, and fees owed. The seven 
new ports of entry are located at: Dallas, Texas; Houston, Texas; 
Indianapolis, Indiana; Jacksonville, Florida; Memphis, Tennessee; 
Norfolk, Virginia; and Savannah, Georgia.
    Current participants will be able to file semi-monthly statements 
at any of these additional ports 30 days after this Notice is published 
in the Federal Register. However, participants will need to notify the 
Entry Branch Supervisor at each additional port of entry to arrange for 
an exact start date and to receive any additional instructions. It is 
noted that the test is not being opened for new participants. 
Evaluations of the semi-monthly processing at all the ports identified 
will continue to be conducted periodically.
    For the convenience of participants in this program test, this 
notice summarily lists, alphabetically by State, all the ports of 
entry--both existing and the additions--eligible for the semi-monthly 
processing prototype:
    In California, the ports at Los Angeles-Long Beach and San 
Francisco-Oakland;
    In Florida, the ports at Jacksonville and Miami;
    In Georgia, the ports at Atlanta and Savannah;
    In Illinois, the port at Chicago;
    In Indiana, the port at Indianapolis;
    In Michigan, the ports at Detroit and Port Huron;
    In New York, the ports at Buffalo-Niagara Falls and New York;
    In Ohio, the port at Cleveland;
    In South Carolina, the port at Charleston;
    In Tennessee, the port at Memphis;
    In Texas, the ports at Dallas-Fort Worth, El Paso, Houston-
Galveston, and Laredo;
    In Virginia, the port at Norfolk-Newport News; and
    In Washington, the port at Puget Sound.

    Customs requests that participants be active in the evaluation of 
the semi-monthly test.


[[Page 39099]]


    Dated: May 31, 2002.
Bonni G. Tischler,
Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations.
[FR Doc. 02-14220 Filed 6-5-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4820-02-P