[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 6 (Thursday, January 9, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 1172-1173]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-432]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service

19 CFR Part 101


Expansion of the Port Limits of Portland, MA

AGENCY: Customs Service, Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: This document proposes to amend the Customs regulations 
pertaining to the field organization of Customs by extending the 
geographical limits of the port of entry of Portland, Maine, to include 
the City of Auburn, Maine. This proposed change is being made to 
provide better service to carriers, importers, and the general public.

DATE: Comments must be received on or before March 10, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Written comments must be submitted to the U. S. Customs 
Service, Office of Regulations and Rulings, Attention: Regulations 
Branch, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20229. Submitted 
comments may be inspected at the U.S. Customs Service, 799 9th Street, 
NW., Washington, DC, during regular business hours. Arrangements to 
inspect submitted comments should be made in advance by calling Mr. 
Joseph Clark at 202-572-8768.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Keith Fleming, Office of Field 
Operations, at 202-927-1049.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    To provide better service to carriers, importers, and the general 
public, Customs proposes to amend Sec.  101.3(b)(1), Customs 
regulations (19 CFR 101.3(b)(1)), by extending the geographical limits 
of the port of entry of Portland, Maine.

Current Port Limits of Portland, Maine

    The current port limits of Portland, Maine, as extended by 
Executive Order (E. O.) 9297 of February 1, 1943 (8 FR 1479), include 
Portland, Maine, and the territory embracing the municipalities of 
South Portland, Falmouth, and Cape Elizabeth, in the State of Maine, 
and Peak, Long, Cliff, Cushing, and Diamond Islands, in the State of 
Maine.

Proposed Expansion of Port

    It is proposed to expand the port limits of the port of entry of 
Portland, Maine, to include the City of Auburn, Maine.
    Customs proposes to include the City of Auburn within the port 
limits to facilitate the clearance of international cargo at the Auburn 
Intermodal Facility (``AIF''). AIF is a rail/truck intermodal facility 
with a high cube, doublestack intermodal terminal worldwide.
    If the proposed extension of the Portland, Maine, port of entry 
limits to include the City of Auburn, Maine, is adopted, the limits of 
port column adjacent to the listing of Portland, Maine, in the list of 
Customs ports of entry in Sec.  101.3(b)(1) will be amended 
accordingly.

Authority

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

Comments

    Before adopting this proposal, consideration will be given to any

[[Page 1173]]

written comments that are timely submitted to Customs. All such 
comments received from the public pursuant to this notice of proposed 
rulemaking will be available for public inspection in accordance with 
the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), Sec.  1.5, Treasury 
Department Regulations (31 CFR 1.5), and Sec.  103.11(b), Customs 
regulations (19 CFR 102.11(b)), during regular business days between 
the hours of 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Regulations Branch, Office of 
Regulations and Rulings, U.S. Customs Service, 799 9th Street, NW., 
Washington, DC.

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 provisions of 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.

Drafting Information

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

Robert C. Bonner,
Commissioner of Customs.
    Approved: January 6, 2003.
Timothy E. Skud,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.
[FR Doc. 03-432 Filed 1-8-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4820-02-P