Notice of Finding That Certain Stevia Extracts and Derivatives Produced in the People's Republic of China With the Use of Convict, Forced or Indentured Labor Are Being, or Are Likely To Be, Imported Into the United States, 66574-66575 [2020-23123]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 203 / Tuesday, October 20, 2020 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket No. USCG–2020–0664]
Information Collection Request to
Office of Management and Budget;
OMB Control Number: 1625–0119
Coast Guard, DHS.
Sixty-day notice requesting
comments.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
In compliance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
U.S. Coast Guard intends to submit an
Information Collection Request (ICR) to
the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting an
extension of its approval for the
following collection of information:
1625–0119, Coast Guard Exchange
System Scholarship Application;
without change. Our ICR describes the
information we seek to collect from the
public. Before submitting this ICR to
OIRA, the Coast Guard is inviting
comments as described below.
DATES: Comments must reach the Coast
Guard on or before December 21, 2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
identified by Coast Guard docket
number [USCG–2020–0664] to the Coast
Guard using the Federal eRulemaking
Portal at https://www.regulations.gov.
See the ‘‘Public participation and
request for comments’’ portion of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for
further instructions on submitting
comments.
A copy of the ICR is available through
the docket on the internet at https://
www.regulations.gov. Additionally,
copies are available from: Commandant
(CG–6P), ATTN: Paperwork Reduction
Act Manager, U.S. Coast Guard, 2703
Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, STOP
7710, Washington, DC 20593–7710.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A.L.
Craig, Office of Privacy Management,
telephone 202–475–3528, or fax 202–
372–8405, for questions on these
documents.
SUMMARY:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Participation and Request for
Comments
This notice relies on the authority of
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995;
44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended. An
ICR is an application to OIRA seeking
the approval, extension, or renewal of a
Coast Guard collection of information
(Collection). The ICR contains
information describing the Collection’s
purpose, the Collection’s likely burden
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:08 Oct 19, 2020
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on the affected public, an explanation of
the necessity of the Collection, and
other important information describing
the Collection. There is one ICR for each
Collection.
The Coast Guard invites comments on
whether this ICR should be granted
based on the Collection being necessary
for the proper performance of
Departmental functions. In particular,
the Coast Guard would appreciate
comments addressing: (1) The practical
utility of the Collection; (2) the accuracy
of the estimated burden of the
Collection; (3) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of
information subject to the Collection;
and (4) ways to minimize the burden of
the Collection on respondents,
including the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology. Consistent with
the requirements of Executive Order
13771, Reducing Regulation and
Controlling Regulatory Costs, and
Executive Order 13777, Enforcing the
Regulatory Reform Agenda, the Coast
Guard is also requesting comments on
the extent to which this request for
information could be modified to reduce
the burden on respondents.
In response to your comments, we
may revise this ICR or decide not to seek
an extension of approval for the
Collection. We will consider all
comments and material received during
the comment period.
We encourage you to respond to this
request by submitting comments and
related materials. Comments must
contain the OMB Control Number of the
ICR and the docket number of this
request, [USCG–2020–0664], and must
be received by December 21, 2020.
Submitting Comments
We encourage you to submit
comments through the Federal
eRulemaking Portal at https://
www.regulations.gov. If your material
cannot be submitted using https://
www.regulations.gov, contact the person
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section of this document for
alternate instructions. Documents
mentioned in this notice, and all public
comments, are in our online docket at
https://www.regulations.gov and can be
viewed by following that website’s
instructions. Additionally, if you go to
the online docket and sign up for email
alerts, you will be notified when
comments are posted.
We accept anonymous comments. All
comments received will be posted
without change to https://
www.regulations.gov and will include
any personal information you have
provided. For more about privacy and
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submissions in response to this
document, see DHS’s eRulemaking
System of Records notice (85 FR 14226,
March 11, 2020).
Information Collection Request
Title: Coast Guard Exchange System
Scholarship Application.
OMB Control Number: 1625–0119.
Summary: This information collected
on this form allows the Coast Guard
Exchange System Scholarship Program
Committee to evaluate and rank
scholarship applications in order to
award the annual scholarships.
Need: Community Services Command
Staff Instruction, CSCINST 1780 (series),
provides policy and procedure for the
award of annual scholarships from the
Coast Guard Exchange System to
dependents of Coast Guard members
and employees. The information
collected by this form allows for the
awarding of scholarships based upon
the criteria and procedures outlined in
the Instruction under the auspices of 5
U.S.C. 301.
Forms: CG–5687.
Respondents: Coast Guard
dependents.
Frequency: Annually.
Hour Burden Estimate: The estimated
burden remains 120 hours per year.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995; 44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended.
Dated: October 13, 2020.
Kathleen Claffie,
Chief, Office of Privacy Management, U.S.
Coast Guard.
[FR Doc. 2020–23203 Filed 10–19–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110–04–P
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
[CBP Dec. 20–17]
Notice of Finding That Certain Stevia
Extracts and Derivatives Produced in
the People’s Republic of China With
the Use of Convict, Forced or
Indentured Labor Are Being, or Are
Likely To Be, Imported Into the United
States
U.S. Customs and Border
Protection, Department of Homeland
Security.
ACTION: General notice of forced labor
finding.
AGENCY:
This document notifies the
public that the Executive Assistant
Commissioner, Office of Trade, of U.S.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP),
with the approval of the Acting
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 203 / Tuesday, October 20, 2020 / Notices
Secretary of Homeland Security, has
determined that stevia extracts and
derivatives, mined, produced, or
manufactured in the People’s Republic
of China by the Inner Mongolia
Hengzheng Group Baoanzhao
Agriculture, Industry, and Trade Co.,
Ltd. (also referred to herein as
‘‘Baoanzhao’’) with the use of convict,
forced or indentured labor, are being, or
are likely to be, imported into the
United States.
DATES: This Finding applies to any
merchandise described in Section II of
this Notice that is imported on or after
October 20, 2020. It also applies to
merchandise which has already been
imported and has not been released
from CBP custody before October 20,
2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Edward T. Thurmond, Chief, Forced
Labor Division, Trade Remedy Law
Enforcement Directorate, Office of
Trade, (202) 897–9348 or
edward.t.thurmond@cbp.dhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Pursuant to section 307 of the Tariff
Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C.
1307), ‘‘[a]ll goods, wares, articles, and
merchandise mined, produced or
manufactured wholly or in part in any
foreign country by convict labor or/and
forced labor or/and indentured labor
under penal sanctions shall not be
entitled to entry at any of the ports of
the United States, and the importation
thereof is hereby prohibited.’’ Under
this section, ‘‘forced labor’’ includes ‘‘all
work or service which is exacted from
any person under the menace of any
penalty for its nonperformance and for
which the worker does not offer himself
voluntarily’’ and includes forced or
indentured child labor.
The CBP regulations promulgated
under the authority of 19 U.S.C. 1307
are found at sections 12.42 through
12.45 of title 19, Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) (19 CFR 12.42–12.45).
Among other things, these regulations
allow persons outside of CBP to petition
the Commissioner of CBP to investigate
whether a certain ‘‘class of merchandise
. . . is being, or is likely to be, imported
into the United States [in violation of 19
U.S.C. 1307].’’ 19 CFR 12.42(a)–(d). CBP
also has the authority to self-initiate an
investigation. If the Commissioner of
CBP finds that the information available
‘‘reasonably but not conclusively
indicates that merchandise within the
purview of section 307 is being, or is
likely to be, imported,’’ the
Commissioner will order port directors
to ‘‘withhold release of any such
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18:08 Oct 19, 2020
Jkt 253001
merchandise pending [further]
instructions.’’ 19 CFR 12.42(e). After
issuance of a withhold release order, the
covered merchandise will be detained
by CBP for an admissibility
determination and excluded unless the
importer demonstrates that the
merchandise was not made using forced
labor. The importer may also export the
merchandise.
These regulations also set forth the
procedure for the Commissioner of CBP
to issue a Finding when it is determined
that the merchandise is subject to the
provisions of 19 U.S.C. 1307. Pursuant
to 19 CFR 12.42(f), if the Commissioner
of CBP finds that merchandise within
the purview of 19 U.S.C. 1307 is being,
or is likely to be, imported into the
United States, the Commissioner of CBP
will, with the approval of the Secretary
of the Department of Homeland Security
(DHS), publish a Finding to that effect
in the Customs Bulletin and in the
Federal Register.1 Under the authority
of 19 CFR 12.44(b), CBP may seize and
forfeit imported merchandise covered
by a Finding.
On May 20, 2016, CBP issued a
withhold release order on ‘‘stevia
extracts and derivatives’’ believed to be
processed by forced or convict labor in
the People’s Republic of China by the
Inner Mongolia Hengzheng Group
Baoanzhao Agriculture, Industry, and
Trade Co., Ltd. Through its
investigation, CBP has determined that
there is sufficient evidence to support
the finding that Baoanzhao is a prison/
forced labor facility and that stevia
extracts and derivatives mined,
produced, or manufactured by
Baoanzhao are likely being imported
into the United States.
II. Finding
A. General
Pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 1307 and 19
CFR 12.42(f), it is hereby determined
that certain articles described in
paragraph II.B., that are mined,
produced or manufactured in whole or
in part with the use of convict, forced,
or indentured labor by the Inner
Mongolia Hengzheng Group Baoanzhao
Agriculture, Industry, and Trade Co.,
1 Although the regulation states that the Secretary
of the Treasury must approve the issuance of a
Finding, the Secretary of the Treasury delegated
this authority to the Secretary of Homeland Security
in Treasury Order No. 100–16 (68 FR 28322). In
Delegation Order 7010.3, Section II.A.3, the
Secretary of Homeland Security delegated the
authority to issue a Finding to the Commissioner of
CBP, with the approval of the Secretary of
Homeland Security. The Commissioner of CBP, in
turn, delegated the authority to make a Finding
regarding prohibited goods under 19 U.S.C. 1307 to
the Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of
Trade.
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Fmt 4703
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66575
Ltd. in the People’s Republic of China,
are being, or are likely to be, imported
into the United States. Based upon this
determination, the port director may
seize the covered merchandise for
violation of 19 U.S.C. 1307 and
commence forfeiture proceedings
pursuant to 19 CFR part 162, subpart E.
B. Articles and Entities Covered by This
Finding
This Finding covers stevia leaf (Stevia
rebaudiana) extracts, or glycosides
classified under subheading
2938.90.0000, Harmonized Tariff
Schedule of the United States (HTSUS),
that are mined, produced or
manufactured wholly or in part by the
Inner Mongolia Hengzheng Group
Baoanzhao Agriculture, Industry, and
Trade Co., Ltd. in the People’s Republic
of China. This entity is also known by
the following names: The Inner
Mongolia Hengzheng Group Baoanzhao
Agriculture and Trade Co., Ltd.; the
Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
Prison Administration Bureau
Baoanzhao Agriculture and Trade Co.,
Ltd.; and the Baoanzhao Prison Farm.
The Acting Secretary of Homeland
Security has reviewed and approved
this Finding.
Dated: October 14, 2020.
Brenda B. Smith,
Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of
Trade.
[FR Doc. 2020–23123 Filed 10–19–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111–14–P
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
[Docket No. DHS–2020–0037]
Homeland Security Advisory Council;
Meeting
Office of Partnership and
Engagement (OPE), Department of
Homeland Security (DHS).
ACTION: Notice of partially closed
Federal Advisory Committee meeting.
AGENCY:
The Homeland Security
Advisory Council (Council) will meet
on Thursday, November 12, 2020. The
meeting will be partially closed to the
public and have both an open session
and a closed session.
DATES: The meeting will take place from
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday,
November 12, 2020. The meeting will be
closed to the public from 1:00 p.m. to
2:00 p.m. EDT. The meeting will be
open to the public from 2:05 p.m. to
4:00 p.m. EDT. Please note the meeting
may end early if the Council has
completed its business.
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\20OCN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 203 (Tuesday, October 20, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66574-66575]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-23123]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
[CBP Dec. 20-17]
Notice of Finding That Certain Stevia Extracts and Derivatives
Produced in the People's Republic of China With the Use of Convict,
Forced or Indentured Labor Are Being, or Are Likely To Be, Imported
Into the United States
AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland
Security.
ACTION: General notice of forced labor finding.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This document notifies the public that the Executive Assistant
Commissioner, Office of Trade, of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(CBP), with the approval of the Acting
[[Page 66575]]
Secretary of Homeland Security, has determined that stevia extracts and
derivatives, mined, produced, or manufactured in the People's Republic
of China by the Inner Mongolia Hengzheng Group Baoanzhao Agriculture,
Industry, and Trade Co., Ltd. (also referred to herein as
``Baoanzhao'') with the use of convict, forced or indentured labor, are
being, or are likely to be, imported into the United States.
DATES: This Finding applies to any merchandise described in Section II
of this Notice that is imported on or after October 20, 2020. It also
applies to merchandise which has already been imported and has not been
released from CBP custody before October 20, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edward T. Thurmond, Chief, Forced
Labor Division, Trade Remedy Law Enforcement Directorate, Office of
Trade, (202) 897-9348 or [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Pursuant to section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19
U.S.C. 1307), ``[a]ll goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined,
produced or manufactured wholly or in part in any foreign country by
convict labor or/and forced labor or/and indentured labor under penal
sanctions shall not be entitled to entry at any of the ports of the
United States, and the importation thereof is hereby prohibited.''
Under this section, ``forced labor'' includes ``all work or service
which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty for
its nonperformance and for which the worker does not offer himself
voluntarily'' and includes forced or indentured child labor.
The CBP regulations promulgated under the authority of 19 U.S.C.
1307 are found at sections 12.42 through 12.45 of title 19, Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) (19 CFR 12.42-12.45). Among other things,
these regulations allow persons outside of CBP to petition the
Commissioner of CBP to investigate whether a certain ``class of
merchandise . . . is being, or is likely to be, imported into the
United States [in violation of 19 U.S.C. 1307].'' 19 CFR 12.42(a)-(d).
CBP also has the authority to self-initiate an investigation. If the
Commissioner of CBP finds that the information available ``reasonably
but not conclusively indicates that merchandise within the purview of
section 307 is being, or is likely to be, imported,'' the Commissioner
will order port directors to ``withhold release of any such merchandise
pending [further] instructions.'' 19 CFR 12.42(e). After issuance of a
withhold release order, the covered merchandise will be detained by CBP
for an admissibility determination and excluded unless the importer
demonstrates that the merchandise was not made using forced labor. The
importer may also export the merchandise.
These regulations also set forth the procedure for the Commissioner
of CBP to issue a Finding when it is determined that the merchandise is
subject to the provisions of 19 U.S.C. 1307. Pursuant to 19 CFR
12.42(f), if the Commissioner of CBP finds that merchandise within the
purview of 19 U.S.C. 1307 is being, or is likely to be, imported into
the United States, the Commissioner of CBP will, with the approval of
the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), publish a
Finding to that effect in the Customs Bulletin and in the Federal
Register.\1\ Under the authority of 19 CFR 12.44(b), CBP may seize and
forfeit imported merchandise covered by a Finding.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Although the regulation states that the Secretary of the
Treasury must approve the issuance of a Finding, the Secretary of
the Treasury delegated this authority to the Secretary of Homeland
Security in Treasury Order No. 100-16 (68 FR 28322). In Delegation
Order 7010.3, Section II.A.3, the Secretary of Homeland Security
delegated the authority to issue a Finding to the Commissioner of
CBP, with the approval of the Secretary of Homeland Security. The
Commissioner of CBP, in turn, delegated the authority to make a
Finding regarding prohibited goods under 19 U.S.C. 1307 to the
Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Trade.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On May 20, 2016, CBP issued a withhold release order on ``stevia
extracts and derivatives'' believed to be processed by forced or
convict labor in the People's Republic of China by the Inner Mongolia
Hengzheng Group Baoanzhao Agriculture, Industry, and Trade Co., Ltd.
Through its investigation, CBP has determined that there is sufficient
evidence to support the finding that Baoanzhao is a prison/forced labor
facility and that stevia extracts and derivatives mined, produced, or
manufactured by Baoanzhao are likely being imported into the United
States.
II. Finding
A. General
Pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 1307 and 19 CFR 12.42(f), it is hereby
determined that certain articles described in paragraph II.B., that are
mined, produced or manufactured in whole or in part with the use of
convict, forced, or indentured labor by the Inner Mongolia Hengzheng
Group Baoanzhao Agriculture, Industry, and Trade Co., Ltd. in the
People's Republic of China, are being, or are likely to be, imported
into the United States. Based upon this determination, the port
director may seize the covered merchandise for violation of 19 U.S.C.
1307 and commence forfeiture proceedings pursuant to 19 CFR part 162,
subpart E.
B. Articles and Entities Covered by This Finding
This Finding covers stevia leaf (Stevia rebaudiana) extracts, or
glycosides classified under subheading 2938.90.0000, Harmonized Tariff
Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), that are mined, produced or
manufactured wholly or in part by the Inner Mongolia Hengzheng Group
Baoanzhao Agriculture, Industry, and Trade Co., Ltd. in the People's
Republic of China. This entity is also known by the following names:
The Inner Mongolia Hengzheng Group Baoanzhao Agriculture and Trade Co.,
Ltd.; the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Prison Administration Bureau
Baoanzhao Agriculture and Trade Co., Ltd.; and the Baoanzhao Prison
Farm.
The Acting Secretary of Homeland Security has reviewed and approved
this Finding.
Dated: October 14, 2020.
Brenda B. Smith,
Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Trade.
[FR Doc. 2020-23123 Filed 10-19-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-14-P
