[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 28, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16354-16355]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-7556]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service

19 CFR Part 101


Consolidation of the Ports of Milwaukee and Racine

AGENCY: U. S. Customs Service, Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: This document proposes amending the Customs Regulations 
pertaining to the field organization of the Customs Service by 
consolidating the ports of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Racine, Wisconsin 
and also expanding the area of coverage in southeast Wisconsin. This 
change is being proposed as part of Customs continuing program to 
obtain more efficient use of its personnel, facilities, and resources, 
and to provide better services to carriers, importers and the general 
public.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 30, 2000.


ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted to and inspected at the 
Regulations Branch, Office of Regulations and Rulings, U. S. Customs 
Service, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Third Floor, Washington, D.C.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Betsy Passuth, Office of Field 
Operations, 202-927-0795.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  

Background

    As part of a continuing program to obtain more efficient use of its 
personnel, facilities, and resources, and to provide better service to 
carriers, importers, and the general public, Customs proposes to amend 
Sec. 101.3 of the Customs Regulations (19 CFR 101.3) by consolidating 
the ports of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Racine, Wisconsin. Both are 
currently listed as ports under Sec. 101.3(b), Customs Regulations (19 
CFR 101.3(b)). The consolidated port would be renamed the Port of 
Milwaukee-Racine. Consolidating the two ports will reduce 
administrative costs, without impairing service to area businesses or 
to the general public, and will provide a more efficient use of Customs 
personnel and resources. The proposal, if adopted, will improve service 
to the public by making better use of staffing resources.
    Currently, southeast Wisconsin is served by the Customs ports of 
Racine and Milwaukee, both operating in limited areas with minimal 
staffing. Budget restrictions have prevented Customs from allocating 
additional resources to the area.
    Because Racine has only one inspector, services other than the 
filing of entries and manifests are restricted. If for any reason the 
inspector at Racine is not available, service is not available and 
entries must be filed at the Port of Milwaukee. The proposed 
consolidation of the ports of Racine and Milwaukee, which includes 
enlarging the overall area of the port to include four counties, would 
result in providing centralized full-time service to the entire area, 
not merely service to the former ports of Milwaukee and Racine. 
Personnel would be available to perform cargo examinations, private 
aircraft processing, and other services such as the processing of 
entries and manifests on an as needed basis at the port of Racine and 
all locations within this proposed consolidation.

Current Port Limits

    The current port limits of the Port of Milwaukee are described in 
T.D. 72-105 (37 FR 7591) as encompassing all the territory within the 
counties of Milwaukee and Waukesha, Wisconsin.
    The current port limits of the Port of Racine are described in T.D. 
54884 (24 FR 5366) as the corporate limits of the city of Racine, the 
corporate limits of the city of Kenosha, and the townships of Mt. 
Pleasant and Somers, all in the state of Wisconsin.

Proposed Port Limits

    The proposed port limits of the Port of Milwaukee-Racine will be 
the counties of Waukesha, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha in the state of 
Wisconsin.

Comments

    Prior to adoption of this proposal, consideration will be given to 
written comments timely submitted to Customs. Submitted comments will 
be available for public inspection in accordance with the Freedom of 
Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), Sec. 1.4, Treasury Regulations (31 CFR 
1.4), and Sec. 103.11(b), Customs Regulations (19 CFR 103.11(b)), on 
regular business days between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at 
the Regulations Branch, Office of Regulations and Rulings, 1300 
Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Third Floor, Washington, DC 20229.

Authority

    This change is proposed under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 301 and 19 
U.S.C. 2, 66, and 1624.

Regulatory Flexibility Act and Executive Order 12866

    Customs establishes, expands, and consolidates Customs ports of 
entry throughout the United States to accommodate the volume of 
Customs-related activity in various parts of the country. Thus, 
although this document is being issued with notice for public comment, 
because it relates to agency management and organization, it is not 
subject to the notice and public procedure requirements of 5 U.S.C. 
553. Accordingly, this document is not subject to the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).
    Agency organization matters such as this proposed port extension 
are exempt from consideration under Executive Order 12866.

[[Page 16355]]

Drafting Information

    The principal author of this document was Janet L. Johnson, 
Regulations Branch. However, personnel from other offices participated 
in its development.

Raymond W. Kelly,
Commissioner of Customs.
    Approved: July 7, 1999.
John P. Simpson,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.
[FR Doc. 00-7556 Filed 3-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4820-02-P