Extension of Port Limits of Puget Sound, WA

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service

19 CFR Part 101

Extension of Port Limits of Puget Sound, WA

AGENCY: U. S. Customs Service, Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: This document proposes to amend the Customs Regulations

pertaining to the field organization of Customs by extending the

geographical limits of the consolidated port of Puget Sound,

Washington. This proposed change is being made as part of Customs

continuing program to obtain more efficient use of its personnel,

facilities, and resources and to provide better service to carriers,

importers, and the general public.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 10, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted to and inspected at the

Regulations Branch, Office of Regulations and Rulings, 1300

Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20229, on

[[Page 61233]]

regular business days between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Betsy Passuth, Office of Field

Operations, 202-927-0795.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

As part of a continuing program to obtain more efficient use of its

personnel, facilities and resources, and to provide better service to

carriers, importers and the general public, Customs proposes to amend

Sec. 101.3, Customs Regulations (19 CFR 101.3) by extending the

geographical limits of the consolidated port of Puget Sound,

Washington.

The geographical limits of the consolidated port of Puget Sound, as

set forth in Treasury Decision (T.D.) 96-63, published in the Federal

Register (61 FR 43428) on August 23, 1996, include Seattle, Anacortes,

Bellingham, Everett, Friday Harbor, Neah Bay, Olympia, Port Angeles,

Port Townsend and Tacoma. This document proposes to amend the port

description of Puget Sound, particularly, to extend and redefine the

boundaries of Tacoma as described in the port limit description of the

Puget Sound port of entry in T.D. 96-63.

The description of Tacoma within the description of the Puget Sound

port is proposed to be extended to include two industrial parks which

have new facilities for clearing, storing and forwarding imported

merchandise and require the services of Customs personnel. These

industrial parks are : Lakewood Industrial Park, 120 acres located in

Lakewood, Washington, southeast of the existing port limits; and Sumner

Industrial Park, 88 acres located in Sumner, Washington, east of the

existing port limits.

Proposed New Puget Sound Port Limits

The geographical area within the boundaries of the consolidated

port of Puget Sound is proposed to be as follows:

The ports of Seattle (Section 35, Township 27 North, Range 3 East,

West Meridian, County of Snohomish, and the geographical area beginning

at the intersection of N.W. 205th Street and the waters of Puget Sound,

proceeding in an easterly direction along the King County line to its

intersection with 100th Avenue N.E., thence southerly along 100th

Avenue N.E. and its continuation to the intersection of 100th Avenue

S.E. and S.E. 240th Street, thence westerly along S.E. 240th Street, to

its intersection with North Central Avenue, thence southerly along

North Central Avenue, its continuation as South Central Avenue and 83rd

Avenue South and its connection to Auburn Way North, thence southerly

along Auburn Way North and its continuation as Auburn Way South to its

intersection with State Highway 18, thence westerly along Highway 18 to

its intersection with A Street S.E., then southerly along A Street S.E.

to its intersection with the King County Line, then westerly along the

King County Line to its intersection with the waters of Puget Sound and

then northerly along the shores of Puget Sound to its intersection with

N.W. 205th Street, the point of beginning, all within the County of

King, State of Washington), Anacortes, Bellingham, Everett, Friday

Harbor, Neah Bay, Olympia, Port Angeles, Port Townsend, and the

territory in Tacoma, beginning at the intersection of the westernmost

city limits of Steilacoom and The Narrows and proceeding easterly along

Main Street to the intersection of Stevens Street, then southerly along

Stevens Street to the intersection of Washington Boulevard, then

easterly along Washington Boulevard to the intersection of Gravely Lake

Drive S.W., then southeasterly to the intersection of Nyanza Road, SW,

then southerly to its intersection with Pacific Highway (U.S. Route

99), then proceeding in a northeasterly direction along Pacific Highway

to its intersection with 112 Street East and continuing in an easterly

direction along 112 Street East to its intersection with the northwest

corner of McChord Air Force Base, then proceeding along the northern,

then western, then southern boundary of McChord Air Force Base to its

intersection, just west of Lake Mondress, with the northern boundary of

the Fort Lewis Military Reservation, then proceeding in an easterly

direction along the northern boundary of the Fort Lewis Military

Reservation to its intersection with Pacific Avenue (SR-7), then

proceeding in a southerly direction along Pacific Avenue (SR-7) to its

intersection with SR-507, then proceeding in a southeasterly direction

along SR-7 to its intersection with 224th Street East, then proceeding

in an easterly direction along 224th Street East to its intersection

with Meridian Street South (SR-161), then proceeding in a northerly

direction along Meridian Street South (SR-161) to the intersection with

176 Street East, then easterly along 176 Street East extended to the

intersection with Sunrise Parkway East, then northwesterly along

Sunrise Parkway East to the intersection with 122nd Avenue East, then

northerly to the intersection with Old Military Road East, then

northeasterly to the intersection with SR-162, then northerly along SR-

162 to the intersection with SR-410, then easterly along SR-410 to the

intersection with 166th Avenue East, then northerly to the intersection

with Sumner-Tapps Highway, continuing northeasterly along Sumner-Tapps

Highway to 16th Street East, then easterly to 182 Avenue East, then

northerly to the northern boundary of Pierce County, then proceeding in

a westerly direction along the northern boundary of Pierce County to

its intersection with Puget Sound, then proceeding in a generally

southwesterly direction along the banks of the East Passage of Puget

Sound, Commencement Bay, and The Narrows to the point of intersection

with the westernmost city limits of Steilacoom, Washington, including

all points and places on the southern boundary of the Juan de Fuca

Strait from the eastern port limits of Neah Bay to the western port

limits of Port Townsend, all points and places on the western boundary

of Puget Sound, including Hood Canal, from the port limits of Port

Townsend to the northern port limits of Olympia, all points and places

on the southern boundary of Puget Sound from the port limits of Olympia

to the western port limits of Tacoma, and all points and places on the

eastern boundary of Puget Sound and contiguous waters from the port

limits of Tacoma north to the southern port limits of Bellingham, all

in the State of Washington.

Comments

Prior to the adoption of this proposal, consideration will be given

to written comments timely submitted to Customs. Submitted comments

will be available for public inspection in accordance with the Freedom

of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), section 1.4, Treasury Department

Regulations (31 CFR 1.4), and section 103.11(b), Customs Regulations

(19 CFR 103.11(b)), on regular business days between the hours of 9:00

a.m. and 4:30 p.m., at the Regulations Branch, Office of Regulations

and Rulings, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., Third Floor, Washington,

D.C. 20229.

Authority

This change is proposed under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 301 and 19

U.S.C. 2, 66, and 1624.

Regulatory Flexibility Act and Executive Order 12866

Customs establishes, expands, and consolidates Customs ports of

entry throughout the United States to accommodate the volume of

Customs-related activity in various parts of the

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country. Thus, although this document is being issued with notice for

public comment, because it relates to agency management and

organization it is not subject to the notice and public procedure

requirements of 5 U.S.C. 553. Accordingly, this document is not subject

to the provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et

seq.). Agency organization matters such as this proposed port extension

are not subject to Executive Order 12866.

Drafting Information

The principal author of this document was Janet L. Johnson,

Regulations Branch. However, personnel from other offices participated

in its development.

Raymond W. Kelly,

Commissioner of Customs.

Approved: October 1, 1999.

John P. Simpson,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.

[FR Doc. 99-29379 Filed 11-9-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4820-02-P