Cotton Board Rules and Regulations: Adjusting Supplemental Assessment on Imports (2014 Amendment), 36241-36242 [2014-14991]

Download as PDF 36241 Proposed Rules Federal Register Vol. 79, No. 123 Thursday, June 26, 2014 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service 7 CFR Part 1205 [Doc. No. AMS–CN–13–0101] Cotton Board Rules and Regulations: Adjusting Supplemental Assessment on Imports (2014 Amendment) Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Proposed rule. AGENCY: This proposed rule is a companion document to the Agricultural Marketing Service’s (AMS) direct final rule (published today in the ‘‘Rules and Regulations’’ section of the Federal Register), amending the Cotton Board Rules and Regulations by decreasing the value assigned to imported cotton for calculating supplemental assessments collected for use by the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. An amendment is required to adjust the value assigned to imported cotton and the cotton content of imported products so that it is the same as those paid on domestically produced cotton. AMS is publishing this amendment as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the agency is contemplated by statute and required by regulation in 7 CFR 1205.510 and anticipates no significant adverse comment. AMS has explained its reasons in the preamble of the direct final rule. If AMS receives no significant adverse comment during the comment period, no further action on this proposed rule will be taken. If, however, AMS receives significant adverse comment, AMS will withdraw the direct final rule and it will not take effect. In that case, AMS will address all public comments in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. AMS will not institute a second comment period on this rule. Any parties interested in commenting must do so during this comment period. pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:46 Jun 25, 2014 Jkt 232001 Comments must be received on or before July 28, 2014. ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted to the addresses specified below. All comments will be made available to the public. Please do not include any personally identifiable information (such as name, address, or other contact information) or confidential business information that you do not want publically disclosed. All comments may be posted on the Internet and can be retrieved by most Internet search engines. Comments may be submitted anonymously. Comments, identified by AMS–CN– 13–0101, may be submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https:// www.regulations.gov. Please follow the instructions for submitting comments. In addition, comments may be submitted by mail or hand delivery to Cotton Research and Promotion Staff, Cotton and Tobacco Program, AMS, USDA, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, Virginia 22406. Comments should be submitted in triplicate. All comments received will be made available for public inspection at Cotton and Tobacco Program, AMS, USDA, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, Virginia 22406. A copy of this notice may be found at: www.regulations.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shethir M. Riva, Chief, Research and Promotion Staff, Cotton and Tobacco Program, AMS, USDA, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, Virginia 22406, telephone (540) 361– 2726, facsimile (540) 361–1199, or email at Shethir.Riva@ams.usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As noted above, in the ‘‘Rules and Regulations’’ section of today’s Federal Register, the direct final rule being published would amend the value assigned to imported cotton in the Cotton Board Rules and Regulations (7 CFR 1205.510(b)(2)) that is used to determine the Cotton Research and Promotion assessment on imported cotton and cotton products. The total value of assessment levied on cotton imports is the sum of two parts. The first part of the assessment is based on the weight of cotton imported—levied at a rate of $1 per bale of cotton, which is equivalent to 500 pounds, or $1 per 226.8 kilograms of cotton. The second part of the import assessment (referred to as the DATES: PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 supplemental assessment) is based on the value of imported cotton lint or the cotton contained in imported cotton products—levied at a rate of five-tenths of one percent of the value of domestically produced cotton. Section 1205.510(b)(2) of the Cotton Research and Promotion Rules and Regulations provides for assigning the calendar year weighted average price received by U.S. farmers for Upland cotton to represent the value of imported cotton. This is so that the assessment on domestically produced cotton and the assessment on imported cotton and the cotton content of imported products is the same. The source for the average price statistic is Agricultural Prices, a publication of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of the Department of Agriculture. Use of the weighted average price figure in the calculation of supplemental assessments on imported cotton and the cotton content of imported products will yield an assessment that is the same as assessments paid on domestically produced cotton. The current value of imported cotton as published in 2013 in the Federal Register (78 FR 39551) for the purpose of calculating assessments on imported cotton is $0.012876 per kilogram. Using the Average Weighted Priced received by U.S. farmers for Upland cotton for the calendar year 2013, the direct final rule would amend the new value of imported cotton to $0.012728 per kilogram to reflect the price paid by U.S. farmers for Upland cotton during 2013. An example of the complete assessment formula and how the figures are obtained is as follows: One bale is equal to 500 pounds. One kilogram equals 2.2046 pounds. One pound equals 0.453597 kilograms. One Dollar per Bale Assessment Converted to Kilograms A 500-pound bale equals 226.8 kg. (500 x 0.453597). $1 per bale assessment equals $0.002000 per pound or $0.2000 cents per pound (1/500) or $0.004409 per kg or $0.4409 cents per kg. (1/226.8). Supplemental Assessment of 5/10 of One Percent of the Value of the Cotton Converted to Kilograms The 2013 calendar year weighted average price received by producers for E:\FR\FM\26JNP1.SGM 26JNP1 36242 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 123 / Thursday, June 26, 2014 / Proposed Rules pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS Upland cotton is $0.755 per pound or $1.664 per kg. (0.755 x 2.2046). Five tenths of one percent of the average price equals $0.008319 per kg. (1.664 × 0.005). Total Assessment The total assessment per kilogram of raw cotton is obtained by adding the $1 per bale equivalent assessment of $0.004409 per kg. and the supplemental assessment $0.008319 per kg., which equals $0.012728 per kg. The current assessment on imported cotton is $0.012876 per kilogram of imported cotton. The revised assessment in this direct final rule is $0.012728, a decrease of $0.000148 per kilogram. This decrease reflects the decrease in the average weighted price of Upland cotton received by U.S. Farmers during the period January through December 2013. Import Assessment Table in section 1205.510(b)(3) indicates the total assessment rate ($ per kilogram) due for each Harmonized Tariff Schedule number that is subject to assessment. This table must be revised each year to reflect changes in supplemental assessment rates. In this direct final rule, AMS is amending the Import Assessment Table. AMS believes that these amendments are necessary to assure that assessments collected on imported cotton and the cotton content of imported products are the same as those paid on domestically produced cotton. Accordingly, changes reflected in this rule should be adopted and implemented as soon as possible since it is required by regulation. The amendment proposed by this notice is the same as the amendment contained in the direct final rule. Please refer to the preamble and regulatory text of the direct final rule for further information and the actual text of the amendment. Statutory review and Executive Orders for this proposed rule can be found in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of the direct final rule. A 30-day comment period is provided to comment on the changes to the Cotton Board Rules and Regulations proposed herein. This period is deemed appropriate because this rule would decrease the assessments paid by importers under the Cotton Research and Promotion Order. An amendment is required to adjust the assessments collected on imported cotton and the cotton content of imported products to be the same as those paid on domestically produced cotton. Accordingly, the change in this rule, if adopted, should be implemented as soon as possible. VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:46 Jun 25, 2014 Jkt 232001 Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2101–2118. Dated: June 23, 2014. Rex A. Barnes, Associate Administrator. [FR Doc. 2014–14991 Filed 6–25–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–02–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 10 CFR Parts 429 and 430 [Docket No. EERE–2011–BT–TP–0071] RIN 1904–AC67 Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedures for Integrated LightEmitting Diode Lamps Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, DOE. ACTION: Supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking. AGENCY: On June 3, 2014, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNOPR) (hereafter the June 2014 SNOPR) in which DOE proposed test procedures for light-emitting diode (LED) lamps. The June 2014 SNOPR defined methods for measuring the lumen output, input power, and relative spectral distribution (to determine correlated color temperature, or CCT). Further, the June 2014 SNOPR proposed a method for calculating the lifetime of LED lamps, and defined the lifetime as the time required for the LED lamp to reach a lumen maintenance of 70 percent (that is, 70 percent of initial light output). Additionally, the June 2014 SNOPR added calculations for lamp efficacy as well as the color rendering index (CRI) of LED lamps. This SNOPR revises DOE’s proposed definition for lifetime in the June 2014 SNOPR. The definition of lifetime contained in this document better aligns with the statutory definition of lifetime in the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975, as amended. DOE also proposes a new definition for time to failure to support the revised definition of lifetime. Finally, this SNOPR discusses other necessary changes to the regulations to support the new and revised definitions. DATES: DOE will accept comments, data, and information regarding this SNOPR until August 4, 2014. See section V, ‘‘Public Participation,’’ for details. ADDRESSES: Any comments submitted must identify the SNOPR for Test Procedures for LED lamps, and provide docket number EE–2011–BT–TP–0071 and/or regulatory information number (RIN) number 1904–AC67. Comments SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 may be submitted using any of the following methods: 1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. 2. Email: LEDLamps-2011-TP-0071@ ee.doe.gov. Include the docket number and/or RIN in the subject line of the message. 3. Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Office, Mailstop EE–5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC,20585–0121. If possible, please submit all items on a CD. It is not necessary to include printed copies. 4. Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Office, 950 L’Enfant Plaza SW., Suite 600, Washington, DC 20024. Telephone: (202) 586–2945. If possible, please submit all items on a CD. It is not necessary to include printed copies. For detailed instructions on submitting comments and additional information on the rulemaking process, see section V of this document (Public Participation). Docket: The docket is available for review at regulations.gov, including Federal Register notices, public meeting attendee lists and transcripts, comments, and other supporting documents/materials. All documents in the docket are listed in the regulations.gov index. However, not all documents listed in the index may be publicly available, such as information that is exempt from public disclosure. A link to the docket Web page can be found at: www1.eere.energy.gov/ buildings/appliance_standards/ rulemaking.aspx/ruleid/18. This Web page will contain a link to the docket for this notice on the regulations.gov site. The regulations.gov Web page contains simple instructions on how to access all documents, including public comments, in the docket. See section V for information on how to submit comments through regulations.gov. For further information on how to submit a comment, review other public comments and the docket, or participate in the public meeting, contact Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202) 586–2945 or by email: Brenda.Edwards@ee.doe.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Lucy deButts, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Office, EE–5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585–0121. Telephone: (202) 287–1604. Email: light_emitting_diodes@ee.doe.gov. E:\FR\FM\26JNP1.SGM 26JNP1

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[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 123 (Thursday, June 26, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 36241-36242]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-14991]


========================================================================
Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 123 / Thursday, June 26, 2014 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 36241]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 1205

[Doc. No. AMS-CN-13-0101]


Cotton Board Rules and Regulations: Adjusting Supplemental 
Assessment on Imports (2014 Amendment)

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This proposed rule is a companion document to the Agricultural 
Marketing Service's (AMS) direct final rule (published today in the 
``Rules and Regulations'' section of the Federal Register), amending 
the Cotton Board Rules and Regulations by decreasing the value assigned 
to imported cotton for calculating supplemental assessments collected 
for use by the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. An amendment is 
required to adjust the value assigned to imported cotton and the cotton 
content of imported products so that it is the same as those paid on 
domestically produced cotton.
    AMS is publishing this amendment as a direct final rule without 
prior proposal because the agency is contemplated by statute and 
required by regulation in 7 CFR 1205.510 and anticipates no significant 
adverse comment. AMS has explained its reasons in the preamble of the 
direct final rule. If AMS receives no significant adverse comment 
during the comment period, no further action on this proposed rule will 
be taken. If, however, AMS receives significant adverse comment, AMS 
will withdraw the direct final rule and it will not take effect. In 
that case, AMS will address all public comments in a subsequent final 
rule based on this proposed rule. AMS will not institute a second 
comment period on this rule. Any parties interested in commenting must 
do so during this comment period.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 28, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted to the addresses specified 
below. All comments will be made available to the public. Please do not 
include any personally identifiable information (such as name, address, 
or other contact information) or confidential business information that 
you do not want publically disclosed. All comments may be posted on the 
Internet and can be retrieved by most Internet search engines. Comments 
may be submitted anonymously.
    Comments, identified by AMS-CN-13-0101, may be submitted 
electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. Please follow the instructions for submitting 
comments. In addition, comments may be submitted by mail or hand 
delivery to Cotton Research and Promotion Staff, Cotton and Tobacco 
Program, AMS, USDA, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, 
Virginia 22406. Comments should be submitted in triplicate. All 
comments received will be made available for public inspection at 
Cotton and Tobacco Program, AMS, USDA, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 
101, Fredericksburg, Virginia 22406. A copy of this notice may be found 
at: www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shethir M. Riva, Chief, Research and 
Promotion Staff, Cotton and Tobacco Program, AMS, USDA, 100 Riverside 
Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, Virginia 22406, telephone (540) 
361-2726, facsimile (540) 361-1199, or email at 
Shethir.Riva@ams.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As noted above, in the ``Rules and 
Regulations'' section of today's Federal Register, the direct final 
rule being published would amend the value assigned to imported cotton 
in the Cotton Board Rules and Regulations (7 CFR 1205.510(b)(2)) that 
is used to determine the Cotton Research and Promotion assessment on 
imported cotton and cotton products.
    The total value of assessment levied on cotton imports is the sum 
of two parts. The first part of the assessment is based on the weight 
of cotton imported--levied at a rate of $1 per bale of cotton, which is 
equivalent to 500 pounds, or $1 per 226.8 kilograms of cotton. The 
second part of the import assessment (referred to as the supplemental 
assessment) is based on the value of imported cotton lint or the cotton 
contained in imported cotton products--levied at a rate of five-tenths 
of one percent of the value of domestically produced cotton.
    Section 1205.510(b)(2) of the Cotton Research and Promotion Rules 
and Regulations provides for assigning the calendar year weighted 
average price received by U.S. farmers for Upland cotton to represent 
the value of imported cotton. This is so that the assessment on 
domestically produced cotton and the assessment on imported cotton and 
the cotton content of imported products is the same. The source for the 
average price statistic is Agricultural Prices, a publication of the 
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of the Department of 
Agriculture. Use of the weighted average price figure in the 
calculation of supplemental assessments on imported cotton and the 
cotton content of imported products will yield an assessment that is 
the same as assessments paid on domestically produced cotton.
    The current value of imported cotton as published in 2013 in the 
Federal Register (78 FR 39551) for the purpose of calculating 
assessments on imported cotton is $0.012876 per kilogram. Using the 
Average Weighted Priced received by U.S. farmers for Upland cotton for 
the calendar year 2013, the direct final rule would amend the new value 
of imported cotton to $0.012728 per kilogram to reflect the price paid 
by U.S. farmers for Upland cotton during 2013.
    An example of the complete assessment formula and how the figures 
are obtained is as follows:
    One bale is equal to 500 pounds.
    One kilogram equals 2.2046 pounds.
    One pound equals 0.453597 kilograms.

One Dollar per Bale Assessment Converted to Kilograms

    A 500-pound bale equals 226.8 kg. (500 x 0.453597).
    $1 per bale assessment equals $0.002000 per pound or $0.2000 cents 
per pound (1/500) or $0.004409 per kg or $0.4409 cents per kg. (1/
226.8).

Supplemental Assessment of 5/10 of One Percent of the Value of the 
Cotton Converted to Kilograms

    The 2013 calendar year weighted average price received by producers 
for

[[Page 36242]]

Upland cotton is $0.755 per pound or $1.664 per kg. (0.755 x 2.2046).
    Five tenths of one percent of the average price equals $0.008319 
per kg. (1.664 x 0.005).

Total Assessment

    The total assessment per kilogram of raw cotton is obtained by 
adding the $1 per bale equivalent assessment of $0.004409 per kg. and 
the supplemental assessment $0.008319 per kg., which equals $0.012728 
per kg.
    The current assessment on imported cotton is $0.012876 per kilogram 
of imported cotton. The revised assessment in this direct final rule is 
$0.012728, a decrease of $0.000148 per kilogram. This decrease reflects 
the decrease in the average weighted price of Upland cotton received by 
U.S. Farmers during the period January through December 2013.
    Import Assessment Table in section 1205.510(b)(3) indicates the 
total assessment rate ($ per kilogram) due for each Harmonized Tariff 
Schedule number that is subject to assessment. This table must be 
revised each year to reflect changes in supplemental assessment rates. 
In this direct final rule, AMS is amending the Import Assessment Table.
    AMS believes that these amendments are necessary to assure that 
assessments collected on imported cotton and the cotton content of 
imported products are the same as those paid on domestically produced 
cotton. Accordingly, changes reflected in this rule should be adopted 
and implemented as soon as possible since it is required by regulation.
    The amendment proposed by this notice is the same as the amendment 
contained in the direct final rule. Please refer to the preamble and 
regulatory text of the direct final rule for further information and 
the actual text of the amendment. Statutory review and Executive Orders 
for this proposed rule can be found in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
section of the direct final rule.
    A 30-day comment period is provided to comment on the changes to 
the Cotton Board Rules and Regulations proposed herein. This period is 
deemed appropriate because this rule would decrease the assessments 
paid by importers under the Cotton Research and Promotion Order. An 
amendment is required to adjust the assessments collected on imported 
cotton and the cotton content of imported products to be the same as 
those paid on domestically produced cotton. Accordingly, the change in 
this rule, if adopted, should be implemented as soon as possible.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2101-2118.

    Dated: June 23, 2014.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2014-14991 Filed 6-25-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
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