FRN - Request for Public Comments on Administration of the Specialty Sugar Allocation of the Refined Sugar Tariff-Rate Quota

[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 136 (Monday, July
16, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36992-36993]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government
Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-17649]

----------------------------------------------------------------------DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Foreign Agricultural Service

Request for Public Comments on Administration of the
Specialty Sugar Allocation of the Refined Sugar Tariff-Rate
Quota
AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.
ACTION: Request for public comments.
----------------------------------------------------------------------SUMMARY: This notice requests public comments on the
administration of the allocation of the specialty sugar tariffrate quota (TRQ), which is an administrative breakout of
the refined sugar TRQ provided for in Additional U.S. Note
5 (a)(i) of Chapter 17 of the Harmonized Tariff
Schedule of the United States (HTS).
DATES: Comments should be received on or before July
31, 2001 to be assured of consideration.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be mailed or delivered to
the Director, Import Policies and Programs Division,
Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., AgStop
1021, Washington DC 20250-1021, or e-mailed to
[email protected].
Comments received may be inspected between 10:00 a.m.
and 4:00 p.m. at room 5531-S, 1400 Independence Avenue,
SW, Washington, DC 20250.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard
Blabey at the address above,
or
[[Page 36993]]
Telephone at (202) 720-2916, or e-mail at
[email protected]. Persons with disabilities who require
this request for comment in an alternative means of
communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should
contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice
and TDD).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USDA is preparing
to establish the FY 2002 specialty sugar allocation under
which imports may enter under subheadings 1701.12.10,
1701.91.10, 1701.99.10, 1702.90.10, 2106.90.44
of the HTS. Imports must be accompanied by a specialty
sugar certificate issued by the USDA Certifying Authority
to be eligible to enter under his TRQ allocation.
USDA is proposing to administer the specialty sugar
TRQ in two tranches. The first tranche would permit
imports not exceeding 1,656 metric tons raw value to enter
under this TRQ beginning in October 2001. All specialty
sugars identified in 15 CFR 2011, Subpart B would
be eligible for entry. When combined with other refined
sugars, syrups, and molasses entered under the above HTS
subheadings, this tranche would permit sufficient imports of
specialty sugar to satisfy the requirement of Additional U.S.
Note 5 of Chapter 17 of the HTS that the Secretary establish
a TRQ of not less than 22,000 metric tons raw value
annually for refined sugar.
A second tranche would permit entry of specialty sugars
not currently commercially produced in the United States or
reasonably available from domestic sources. For FY 2002,
USDA proposes to establish the quantity permitted entry
under the second tranche at a level sufficient to assure that
supplies of various types of specialty sugars meet domestic
demand at reasonable prices. USDA would make known
the size of the second tranche in its press release
announcing the establishment of the FY 2002 refined sugar
TRQ. The second tranche would be adjusted annually
thereafter to reflect changing market conditions.
USDA also proposes that beginning in FY 2002 all
imports of specialty sugar entered under the TRQ must be
entered in bags containing not more than 50 kilos of sugar
stowed in containers. This is the traditional method of
importing specialty sugars and is intended to facilitate
enforcement of the Regulation for specialty sugar.

USDA is soliciting comments on the above proposals for
administering the specialty sugar TRQ and, in particular,
solicits comments regarding appropriate dates for
announcing the refined sugar TRQ and for opening of the
second specialty sugar tranche.
Signed at Washington, DC, on June 22, 2001.
Mattie R. Sharpless, Acting Administrator, Foreign
Agricultural Service.
[FR Doc. 01-17649 Filed 7-13-01; 8:45 am]
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