The Fish and Wildlife Service is issuing a final rule listing the Upper Coosa River distinct population segment of the frecklebelly madtom (Noturus munitus), a fish species, as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The listing includes a 4(d) rule for this species that prohibits importation and exportation without a permit. New import and export restrictions set by the agency’s final rule take effect April 3.

The Fish and Wildlife Service is now requiring two new species to have Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species documentation when being imported into or exported from the U.S., it announced in two public bulletins Feb. 21. The small Reunion swallowtail (Papilio phorbanta) will require CITES documentation starting May 21, and the Palestine viper (Daboia palaestinae), starting May 4, FWS said. Both species were added to the CITES Appendix III species list.

The Fish and Wildlife Service on Feb. 27 released a final rule listing the prostrate milkweed (Asclepias prostrata), a plant species from Texas, as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. New import and export restrictions set by the agency’s final rule take effect March 30.

The Census Bureau on Feb. 7 officially deployed a new informational message in the Automated Export System to alert exporters when the U.S. Principal Party in Interest address state field and state of origin field don’t match, CBP said in a CSMS message. The message, previewed by the agency last year (see 2212220023), will appear as response code 26C and “will allow the filer to take notice of the USPPI Address and State of Origin fields being reported on the [Electronic Export Information] in the AES when the data elements do not match and make changes.”

CBP on Feb. 6 resolved an issue in the Automated Export System that caused filers to briefly experience issues “receiving responses,” the agency said in a CSMS message. The agency reported the issue around 1:30 p.m. EST and said the system was working normally at around 3:30 p.m. EST.

The Census Bureau is extending by 30 days the comment period for an information collection related to its Automated Export System, the agency said in a notice. The information collection mentions the agency’s 2021 proposed rule that could require exporters to declare the country of origin for their items through a new “conditional” data element in AES (see 2112140033), a proposal that has been met with strong pushback from industry (see 2301230008 and see 2203160026). Comments were previously due Jan. 20 (see 2211180006).

The Census Bureau announced Jan. 26 that the Automated Export System is functioning properly after reporting problems with the application earlier this week (see 2301250029). The agency said it deactivated its downtime policy and all AES applications are “now operational.” Exporters should file all Electronic Export Information for shipments exported under the AES Downtime Policy, along with any new AES transactions, to receive an Internal Transaction Number, Census said. “Due to the high volume of shipments that are being processed at this time, please be patient in obtaining an AES response message,” the agency said. “Do not submit shipments more than once.”

The EPA is proposing new reporting requirements under a significant new use rule for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that have not been imported, manufactured or processed for many years and are consequently designated as inactive on the agency's Chemical Substance Inventory, it said in a notice released Jan. 25. The proposed SNURs would require notification to EPA at least 90 days in advance of a new use by importers, manufacturers or processors. Importers of chemicals subject to these proposed SNURs would need to certify their compliance with the SNUR requirements should these proposed rules be finalized, EPA said. Exporters of these chemicals would become subject to export notification requirements. Comments on the proposed SNURs are due by March 27.

The Census Bureau this week reported “issues” with the Automated Export System, saying the application was “not properly functioning for users.” Census and CBP are working “to determine the cause and resolution for the problem,” the agency said in a Jan. 25 email to industry. “Additional guidance will be provided if the issue persists.”

The Census Bureau emailed tips Jan. 24 on how to address the most frequent messages generated this month in the Automated Export System. Response code 171 is a fatal error for when the Transportation Reference Number is not allowed to be reported for the Mode of Transportation reported for a shipment. Census said a Transportation Reference Number is required for vessel shipments and allowed for air, rail or truck shipments but can’t be reported for a shipment using any other mode of transportation, such as mail, fixed or other. The filer should verify the Mode of Transportation Code and Transportation Reference Number, correct the shipment and resubmit.