[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 26, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 76064]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-30922]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Customs and Border Protection


Reopening of Application Period for Participation in the Air 
Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) Pilot Program

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, DHS.

ACTION: General notice.

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SUMMARY: On October 24, 2012, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 
published a notice in the Federal Register that announced the 
formalization and expansion of the Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) 
pilot program and a 30 day application period (until November 23, 2012) 
for new participants. This document announces that CBP is reopening the 
application period for 15 days. The ACAS pilot is a voluntary test in 
which participants submit a subset of the required advance air cargo 
data to CBP at the earliest point practicable prior to loading of the 
cargo onto the aircraft destined to or transiting through the United 
States.

DATES: CBP is reopening the application period to accept applications 
from new ACAS pilot participants until January 8, 2013. Comments 
concerning any aspect of the announced test may be submitted at any 
time during the test period.

ADDRESSES: Applications to participate in the ACAS pilot must be 
submitted via email to [email protected]. Written comments concerning 
program, policy, and technical issues may be submitted via email to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Regina Park, Cargo and Conveyance 
Security, Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, 
via email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On October 24, 2012, CBP published a general notice in the Federal 
Register (77 FR 65006, corrected in 77 FR 65395 \1\) announcing that 
CBP is formalizing and expanding the ACAS pilot to include other 
eligible participants in the air cargo environment. The ACAS pilot 
revises the time frame for transmission by pilot participants of a 
subset of mandatory advance electronic information for air cargo. CBP 
regulations implementing the Trade Act of 2002 require advance 
information for air cargo to be submitted no later than the time of 
departure of the aircraft for the United States (from specified 
locations) or four hours prior to arrival in the United States for all 
other locations. See 19 CFR 122.48a.
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    \1\ The Federal Register corrected the email address under the 
ADDRESSES heading from ``[email protected]'' to 
``[email protected]'' on October 26, 2012.
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    The ACAS pilot is a voluntary test in which participants agree to 
submit a subset of the required 19 CFR 122.48a data elements (ACAS 
data) at the earliest point practicable prior to loading of the cargo 
onto the aircraft destined to or transiting through the United States. 
The ACAS data is used to target high-risk air cargo. The results of the 
ACAS pilot will help determine the relevant data elements, the time 
frame within which data should be submitted to permit CBP to 
effectively target, identify and mitigate any risk with the least 
impact practicable on trade operations, and any other related 
procedures and policies.

Reopening of Application Period

    In the notice announcing the ACAS pilot, CBP stated that 
applications from new ACAS pilot participants would be accepted until 
November 23, 2012. However, CBP received a number of requests for 
extensions for submitting applications. CBP also experienced technical 
difficulties with the email box set up for the ACAS pilot, and 
therefore CBP may not have received all submitted applications. Any 
applicants who have not received a response from CBP will need to 
resubmit their applications. Accordingly, CBP is reopening the 
application period until January 8, 2013.
    Anyone interested in participating in the ACAS pilot should refer 
to the notice published in the Federal Register on October 24, 2012, 
for additional application information and eligibility requirements.

    Dated: December 19, 2012.
David Murphy,
Acting Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations.
[FR Doc. 2012-30922 Filed 12-21-12; 8:45 am]
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