81_FR_28797 81 FR 28707 - Requirements for the Submission of Data Needed To Calculate User Fees for Domestic Manufacturers and Importers of Cigars and Pipe Tobacco

81 FR 28707 - Requirements for the Submission of Data Needed To Calculate User Fees for Domestic Manufacturers and Importers of Cigars and Pipe Tobacco

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 90 (May 10, 2016)

Page Range28707-28716
FR Document2016-10688

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is issuing a final rule that requires domestic manufacturers and importers of cigars and pipe tobacco to submit information needed to calculate the amount of user fees assessed under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the FD&C Act). FDA recently expanded its authority by issuing a final rule, ``Deeming Tobacco Products To Be Subject to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as Amended by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act; Restrictions on the Sale and Distribution of Tobacco Products and Required Warning Statements for Tobacco Products'' (Deeming rule), deeming all products that meet the statutory definition of ``tobacco product,'' except accessories of the newly deemed tobacco products, to be subject to the FD&C Act. The Deeming rule, among other things, subjected domestic manufacturers and importers of cigars and pipe tobacco to the FD&C Act's user fee requirements. Consistent with the Deeming rule and the requirements of the FD&C Act, this final rule requires the submission of the information needed to calculate user fee assessments for each manufacturer and importer of cigars and pipe tobacco to FDA.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 90 (Tuesday, May 10, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 90 (Tuesday, May 10, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 28707-28716]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10688]



[[Page 28707]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

21 CFR Part 1150

[Docket No. FDA-2012-N-0920]
RIN 0910-AG81


Requirements for the Submission of Data Needed To Calculate User 
Fees for Domestic Manufacturers and Importers of Cigars and Pipe 
Tobacco

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Final rule.

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

SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is issuing a 
final rule that requires domestic manufacturers and importers of cigars 
and pipe tobacco to submit information needed to calculate the amount 
of user fees assessed under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act 
(the FD&C Act). FDA recently expanded its authority by issuing a final 
rule, ``Deeming Tobacco Products To Be Subject to the Federal Food, 
Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as Amended by the Family Smoking Prevention and 
Tobacco Control Act; Restrictions on the Sale and Distribution of 
Tobacco Products and Required Warning Statements for Tobacco Products'' 
(Deeming rule), deeming all products that meet the statutory definition 
of ``tobacco product,'' except accessories of the newly deemed tobacco 
products, to be subject to the FD&C Act. The Deeming rule, among other 
things, subjected domestic manufacturers and importers of cigars and 
pipe tobacco to the FD&C Act's user fee requirements. Consistent with 
the Deeming rule and the requirements of the FD&C Act, this final rule 
requires the submission of the information needed to calculate user fee 
assessments for each manufacturer and importer of cigars and pipe 
tobacco to FDA.

DATES: This rule is effective August 8, 2016. Domestic manufacturers 
and importers of cigars and pipe tobacco must begin submitting data 
required by Sec.  1150.5 (21 CFR 1150.5) to FDA no later than the 20th 
day of August, 2016.
    Because FDA can perform class allocations only on a full fiscal 
year basis, domestic manufacturers and importers of cigars and pipe 
tobacco will become subject to user fee assessments on October 1 of the 
first full fiscal year following the effective date of this rule.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Hart, Food and Drug 
Administration, Center for Tobacco Products, Document Control Center, 
Bldg. 71, Rm. G335, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20993-
0002; 1-877-287-1373, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents

I. Background
II. Overview of the Final Rule
III. Comments on the Proposed Rule
IV. Legal Authority
V. Environmental Impact
VI. Economic Analysis of Impacts
VII. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
VIII. Federalism
IX. References

I. Background

    The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco 
Control Act) was enacted on June 22, 2009 (Pub. L. 111-31), amending 
the FD&C Act and providing FDA with the authority to regulate tobacco 
products. Section 101(b) of the Tobacco Control Act amends the FD&C Act 
by adding chapter IX (sections 900 through 920 (21 U.S.C. 387 through 
387u)). Chapter IX provides FDA with tools and funds to regulate 
tobacco products and imposes certain obligations on domestic tobacco 
product manufacturers and importers. Included among FDA's authorities 
are the authorities to assess and collect user fees.
    In enacting the Tobacco Control Act, Congress found that tobacco 
use is the single most preventable cause of disease, disability, and 
death in the United States. Each year, over 400,000 people die 
prematurely from smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke. Approximately 
8.6 million people in the United States live with a serious illness 
caused by smoking. A consensus exists within the scientific and medical 
communities that tobacco products are inherently dangerous and cause 
cancer, heart disease, and other serious adverse health effects 
(sections 2(2), (3), and (13) of the Tobacco Control Act).
    The Tobacco Control Act grants FDA the authority to regulate 
tobacco products and to protect the public from the harmful effects of 
tobacco use. Section 901(b) of the FD&C Act automatically provides that 
chapter IX applies to cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, roll-your-own 
tobacco, and smokeless tobacco. It also permits FDA to issue a 
regulation to deem other tobacco products subject to the FD&C Act, 
which FDA has done, by publishing elsewhere in this issue of the 
Federal Register, the Deeming rule to bring all products meeting the 
definition of tobacco product under its FD&C Act authority. More 
specifically, the Tobacco Control Act gives FDA the authority to, among 
other things:
     Restrict tobacco product retail sales to youth;
     require owners and operators of tobacco companies to 
register annually and be subject to biennial inspection by FDA (section 
905 of the FD&C Act);
     require manufacturers and importers who wish to market a 
new tobacco product to obtain a marketing order from FDA prior to 
marketing that product (section 910 of the FD&C Act);
     require each manufacturer or importer to report all 
constituents, including smoke constituents as applicable, identified by 
FDA as harmful or potentially harmful to health in each tobacco 
product, and as applicable in the smoke of each tobacco product, by 
brand and by quantity in each brand and subbrand (section 904(a)(3) of 
the FD&C Act);
     establish tobacco product standards if FDA finds that it 
is appropriate for the protection of the public health (section 
907(a)(3) of the FD&C Act);
     conduct compliance-check inspections of tobacco product 
retailers to determine a retailer's compliance with Federal laws and 
regulations;
     establish science and research programs to inform the 
development of tobacco product regulations and better understand the 
risks associated with tobacco use;
     educate the public about the harmful effects of tobacco 
use; and
     assess and collect user fees from each domestic 
manufacturer and importer of tobacco products subject to section 919 of 
the FD&C Act.
    Section 919(c)(2) of the FD&C Act provides that tobacco product 
user fees are the sole source of funding for FDA's regulation of 
tobacco products. Therefore, FDA considers these fees to be critical to 
the Agency's ability to achieve its mission to protect and promote the 
public health. User fees provide FDA with a source of stable, 
consistent funding that has made possible our implementation of the 
Tobacco Control Act. The revenues from these fees fund the Agency's 
regulation of tobacco products and the tobacco industry, as described 
previously.
    In the Federal Register of May 31, 2013 (78 FR 32581), FDA issued a 
notice of proposed rulemaking (User Fee proposed rule) to add 21 CFR 
part 1150 to require domestic tobacco product manufacturers and 
importers to submit information needed to calculate the amount of user 
fees assessed under the FD&C Act. FDA finalized portions of the User 
Fee proposed rule relating to tobacco products under FDA's jurisdiction 
at that time in the final rule

[[Page 28708]]

``Requirements for the Submission of Data Needed to Calculate User Fees 
for Domestic Manufacturers and Importers of Tobacco Products,'' which 
was published in the Federal Register of July 10, 2014 (79 FR 39302) 
(User Fee final rule). Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, 
FDA is publishing the Deeming rule to deem all products meeting the 
statutory definition of ``tobacco product,'' except accessories of the 
newly deemed tobacco products, to be subject to the FD&C Act. This rule 
is being issued in response to FDA's user fee authority over cigars and 
pipe tobacco, and finalizes portions of the User Fee proposed rule that 
relate to domestic manufacturers and importers of cigars and pipe 
tobacco, requiring them to submit information needed to calculate user 
fee assessments to FDA.
    The final rule, issued under section 919(a) of the FD&C Act, 
requires FDA to assess user fees on, and collect such fees from, each 
manufacturer and importer of tobacco products subject to chapter IX of 
the FD&C Act. The total amount of user fees for each fiscal year is 
specified in section 919(b)(1) of the FD&C Act, and under section 
919(a) we are to assess and collect a proportionate amount each quarter 
of the fiscal year. The FD&C Act provides for the total assessment to 
be allocated among the classes of tobacco products identified in the 
statute: Cigarettes, cigars, snuff, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, and 
roll-your-own tobacco. The class allocation is based on each tobacco 
product class' volume of tobacco products removed \1\ into commerce 
that is not exempt from certain taxes. Within each class of tobacco 
products, an individual domestic manufacturer or importer is assessed a 
user fee based on its statutorily defined ``percentage share'' for that 
tobacco product class.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Removal is defined at 26 U.S.C. 5702 as the removal of 
tobacco products or cigarette papers or tubes, or any processed 
tobacco, from the factory or from internal revenue bond under 
section 5704, as the Secretary of Treasury shall by regulation 
prescribe, or release from customs custody, and shall also include 
the smuggling or other unlawful importation of such articles into 
the United States.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In specifying how to determine each of these two allocations--to a 
class of tobacco products and then to a domestic manufacturer or 
importer within a particular class of tobacco products--section 919 of 
the FD&C Act references the Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform Act of 
2004 (FETRA, Pub. L. 108-357 (7 U.S.C. 518 et seq.)). In determining 
the user fees to be allocated to each class of tobacco products, 
section 919(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the FD&C Act provides that the applicable 
percentage for each tobacco product class shall be the percentage 
determined under section 625(c) of FETRA for each such class of product 
for such fiscal year. The classes of tobacco products identified in 
section 919 of the FD&C Act are the same classes subject to assessments 
under FETRA. In determining the user fee to be paid by each company 
within a given class, except the cigar class, section 919(b)(4) of the 
FD&C Act directs that we use percentage share information determined 
for purposes of allocations under paragraphs (e) through (h) of section 
625 of FETRA. With regards to cigars, section 919(b)(5) of the FD&C Act 
directs that the percentage share for each domestic manufacturer and 
importer be based on the excise taxes paid during the prior fiscal 
year, rather than the prior quarter.
    FETRA provided for a Tobacco Transition Payment Program (TTPP) 
through which eligible former tobacco quota holders and tobacco 
producers received payments in 10 equal installments in each fiscal 
year 2005 through 2014. FETRA provided for the establishment of 
quarterly assessments on each domestic manufacturer and importer of 
tobacco products to fund the 10-year TTPP. The last assessment under 
FETRA was in September 2014, which encompassed the 39th and 40th 
quarterly TTPP assessments. The issuance of the 40th, or last, 
quarterly assessment, was on September 1, 2014, rather than on December 
1, 2014, in accordance with statutory requirements specified in section 
625(d)(3)(A) of FETRA. We are issuing this final rule consistent with 
section 919(b)(7) of the FD&C Act, which requires we ensure that we are 
able to make the determinations necessary for assessing tobacco product 
user fees.

II. Overview of the Final Rule

    We are finalizing portions of the proposed rule with only minor 
changes. We amended Sec.  1150.7(a)(1) and (2) to include language from 
the proposed rule specifying the calculations that FDA will perform to 
determine the yearly class allocation for cigars. Moreover, we added 
Sec.  1150.9(a)(2) to codify the method by which FDA will calculate the 
percentage share for each domestic manufacturer and importer of cigars. 
In the proposed rule, we specifically discussed this proposed 
methodology, requested comment, and reserved Sec.  1150.9(a)(2) for the 
purpose of including the calculations for manufacturers and importers 
in the cigar class if they became subject to chapter IX of the FD&C 
Act. After reviewing comments on the proposed rule, FDA is adding this 
methodology for cigars to Sec.  1150.9(a)(2) without changes.
    We added paragraph (c) to Sec.  1150.5 to require that domestic 
manufacturers and importers of cigars report data for each prior month 
in the fiscal year in their first submission under this rule. Once 
deemed, cigars and pipe tobacco will be subject to user fees under 
section 919 of the FD&C Act. However, domestic manufacturers and 
importers of cigars and pipe tobacco will start being assessed fees 
only at the start of the fiscal year following the effective date of 
this rule because we can only perform class allocations on a full 
fiscal year basis. As we discussed in section I.B. of the User Fee 
proposed rule (78 FR 32583), section 919(b)(5) of the FD&C Act requires 
FDA to allocate user fees within the cigar class to cigar firms based 
on the amount of excise taxes those firms paid in the prior fiscal 
year. This addition to Sec.  1150.5 will ensure that FDA has data for 
the prior fiscal year necessary to calculate, assess, and collect user 
fees for domestic manufacturers and importers of cigars in the first 
fiscal year in which they are assessed fees. We do not need data for 
the full prior fiscal year from domestic manufacturers and importers of 
other tobacco products subject to user fees, including pipe tobacco, 
because percentage share calculations for those classes only requires 
prior fiscal quarter data.
    We added paragraph (d) to Sec.  1150.5 to require that domestic 
manufacturers and importers of pipe tobacco begin their monthly 
reporting of data in August 2016. As noted previously, FDA makes 
percentage share calculations for tobacco products other than cigars 
using prior fiscal quarter data. Because FDA will begin making 
percentage share calculations for domestic manufacturers and importers 
of pipe tobacco beginning in the first fiscal quarter of 2017, FDA does 
not need pipe tobacco firms to submit data for months prior to the 
fourth fiscal quarter of 2016. Requiring domestic manufacturers and 
importers of pipe tobacco to make their first submission of prior month 
data by August 20, 2016, ensures FDA will have data for each month of 
the fourth fiscal quarter in 2016 and will be able to complete 
percentage share calculations for pipe tobacco firms for the first 
fiscal quarter of 2017.
    Further, in light of the Deeming rule subjecting cigars and pipe 
tobacco to user fee requirements, we added 21 U.S.C. 387a and 21 CFR 
1100.1 to the authority section. Finally, we amended Sec.  1150.5(a) by 
removing the phrases ``that are part of a class of tobacco products 
that is subject to regulation

[[Page 28709]]

under chapter IX of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act'' and 
``beginning October 2014.'' We made these changes because all classes 
of tobacco products that are included in the definition of ``class of 
tobacco products'' are subject to chapter IX of the FD&C Act and it is 
no longer necessary to make such a distinction, and because the October 
2014 compliance date has passed.

III. Comments on the Proposed Rule

    We received 12 comments on the proposed rule. We addressed a 
majority of the comments in the User Fee final rule. We declined to 
address comments relating to cigars, pipe tobacco, and other deemed 
products in that document because they were outside of FDA's 
jurisdiction at the time. Now that the Deeming rule has expanded FDA's 
authority to cover those products, we address the comments on assessing 
user fees on tobacco products that FDA deemed subject to chapter IX of 
the FD&C Act in this section.
    Comments were received from tobacco product manufacturers, trade 
associations, and individuals. To make it easier to identify comments 
and our responses, the word ``Comment,'' in parentheses, will appear 
before each comment, and the word ``Response,'' in parentheses, will 
appear before each response. We have numbered the comments to make it 
easier to distinguish between comments; the numbers are for 
organizational purposes only and do not reflect the order in which we 
received the comments or any value associated with the comment. We have 
combined similar comments under one numbered comment.
    (Comment 1) Multiple comments addressed FDA's authority to assess 
and collect user fees from domestic manufacturers and importers of 
products that have been deemed subject to FDA's jurisdiction, 
particularly e-cigarettes. Some comments stated that FDA must assess 
and collect fees because no ``free riders'' are allowed under section 
919(a) of the FD&C Act. These comments relied on the language in 
section 919(a) of the FD&C Act that FDA shall assess user fees on, and 
collect such from, each manufacturer and importer of tobacco products 
subject to chapter IX. The comments asserted that, unless deemed 
products are subject to user fees, ``some regulated manufacturers and 
importers would have to pay the cost of their regulation plus the cost 
of regulating the non-paying manufacturers and importers,'' which would 
provide the non-paying manufacturers and importers a significant 
competitive advantage in terms of reduced costs and prices for their 
products. Several of the comments claimed that failure to assess user 
fees on deemed products would violate the Fifth Amendment. Some 
comments also contend that exempting some products from user fees is 
unfair to existing classes, arbitrary and capricious, and would violate 
the Administrative Procedure Act.
    In contrast, other comments stated that FDA does not have the 
authority to assess user fees for any class other than the six classes 
named in section 919(b)(2)(B) of the FD&C Act and in FETRA. These 
comments noted that section 919(a) provides that fees must be assessed 
and collected ``in accordance with this section'' and, therefore, FDA 
can assess fees only on those classes identified in section 919 and 
FETRA. One of these comments also noted that the reallocation provision 
in section 919(b)(2)(B)(iv) permits reallocation only to regulated 
classes of the six FETRA classes. Similarly, another comment stated 
that FDA cannot deem electronic cigarette manufacturers to meet the 
definition of domestic manufacturer because FDA ``is bound under the 
FD&C Act to follow the allocation procedures established under FETRA.''
    (Response) Section 919(b)(2) of the FD&C Act lists six classes of 
tobacco products for the purpose of allocating among the classes--
cigarettes, cigars, snuff, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, and roll-
your-own tobacco. The comments raise the question of whether Congress 
intended FDA to assess fees for manufacturers and importers of tobacco 
products of only these six classes or intended that FDA create 
additional classes for other tobacco products and assess fees for them 
as well. In construing section 919 of the FD&C Act, FDA is confronted 
with two questions. First, has Congress directly spoken to the precise 
question presented? (``Chevron step one''); Chevron, U.S.A., Inc. v. 
NRDC, Inc., 467 U.S. 837, 842 (1984). To find no ambiguity, Congress 
must have clearly manifested its intention with respect to the 
particular issue (Young v. Community Nutrition Institute, 476 U.S. 974, 
980 (1986)). If Congress has spoken directly and plainly, the Agency 
must implement Congress' unambiguously expressed intent (Chevron, 467 
U.S. at 842 to 843). If, however, section 919 is silent or ambiguous as 
to whether FDA must impose assessments on manufacturers and importers 
of only those classes of tobacco products listed in section 919(b)(2), 
FDA may determine whether section 919 should be interpreted to contain 
such a limitation, and FDA's interpretation must be upheld if it is 
reasonable (``Chevron step two''); Chevron, 467 U.S. at 842 to 843; FDA 
v. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., 529 U.S. 120, 132 (2000).
    We have determined that, in enacting section 919 of the FD&C Act, 
Congress clearly manifested its intention that FDA only assess fees for 
manufacturers and importers of tobacco products in the six enumerated 
classes.
    Section 919(a) of the FD&C Act states that FDA must assess fees 
``in accordance with this section,'' and section 919 provides a clear 
two-step process for assessing fees. The first step requires FDA to 
allocate fees to each class of tobacco products, which it does by 
multiplying the total amount of fees per year by the ``applicable 
percentage'' for each class. Section 919(b)(2)(A) of the FD&C Act. 
Section 919(b)(2)(B) of the FD&C Act sets forth how to calculate these 
applicable percentages, but only for the six classes enumerated in 
section 919(b)(2). The applicable percentage is the percentage 
determined under section 625(c) of Pub. L. 108-357, which is FETRA. 
Section 919(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the FD&C Act. Section 625(c) of FETRA 
provides initial percentages for each of the six classes, totaling 100 
percent, and mandates that subsequent allocations be made only among 
these same classes. See sections 625(c)(1) and (2) of FETRA. Because 
the percentage of the total user fee assessment for each class under 
section 919 of the FD&C Act is the FETRA percentage, the sum of the 
percentages for all six classes will always total 100 percent. Since 
the six classes must comprise 100 percent of the allocation of the 
total user fee assessment under section 919(b)(2) of the FD&C Act, 
adding a class of tobacco product beyond the six would increase the 
total to over 100 percent. This is a result that Congress could not 
have intended, because it would require FDA to assess and collect user 
fees beyond the total amount permitted by section 919(b)(1) of the FD&C 
Act. Moreover, even assuming that under section 919 of the FD&C Act the 
applicable percentage for a class could be something other than the 
FETRA percentage, nothing in section 919 sets forth how FDA must, or 
even could, determine that percentage. Thus, this first step shows that 
section 919 is limited to the six classes enumerated in section 
919(b)(2) of the FD&C Act.
    The second step in the process for assessing fees is to determine 
the share of fees for each manufacturer and importer within each class 
of tobacco products. Except for the cigar class, this percentage shall 
be the percentage

[[Page 28710]]

determined for the purposes of allocations under subsections (e) 
through (h) of section 625 of FETRA. Section 919(b)(4) and (5) of the 
FD&C Act. This directive makes clear Congress' intent that all classes 
except cigars (as discussed in the next paragraph) look to FETRA when 
calculating the percentage share of manufacturers and importers within 
a class. However, FETRA only yields, and by its text and structure can 
only yield, percentages for firms within the six listed classes. First, 
sections 625(e)(1) and (f) of FETRA provide allocations for each 
manufacturer and importer of tobacco products in each class ``specified 
in subsection (c)(1),'' which are the same six classes from section 
919(b)(2) of the FD&C Act. Second, the FETRA allocations are based on 
each firm's share of the gross domestic volume for the class. Gross 
domestic volume is the volume of tobacco products ``removed'' and not 
exempt for Federal excise tax purposes. Section 625(a)(2) of FETRA. 
Thus, section 625(h) of FETRA sets forth the information required to be 
submitted to calculate the domestic volume of each manufacturer and 
importer, which relates to the removal of tobacco products for Federal 
excise tax purposes and the payment of such taxes. However, tobacco 
products outside the six classes listed in section 919 are not subject 
to Federal excise taxes, nor can such products be ``removed'' for 
Federal excise tax purposes. See 26 U.S.C. 52 and 26 U.S.C. 5702. 
Third, section 625(g) of FETRA provides measurement parameters to 
determine the volume of products removed, but they are explicitly 
limited to the six listed classes. The volume of domestic sales within 
a class are measured for the cigarette and cigar classes based on the 
number of cigarettes or cigars; for the remaining four classes 
specified in section 625(c)(1) of FETRA, they are measured based on the 
number of pounds. Because FETRA does not, and cannot, have allocations 
in the second step for products outside the six enumerated classes, it 
is clear that Congress intended only manufacturers and importers of 
tobacco products within those classes to be subject to user fees under 
section 919 of the FD&C Act.
    This is reinforced by section 919(b)(5) of the FD&C Act, which sets 
forth a somewhat different process for calculating allocations among 
firms in the cigar class that is based on excise taxes paid during the 
prior fiscal year rather than the prior quarter. That provision says 
that the allocation among firms in the cigar class is 
``notwithstanding'' section 919(b)(4) of the FD&C Act, showing that 
Congress intended the modified process for cigars to be an exception to 
the rule of using the FETRA framework to determine each firm's share of 
the class assessment. Because section 919 of the FD&C Act does not 
provide any other exceptions, the FETRA percentages must be used for 
the allocations within all other classes.
    Section 919(b)(7)(A) of the FD&C Act likewise limits the assessment 
of fees under section 919 to the six listed classes. This provision 
requires FDA to obtain, from the appropriate Federal Agency, all 
necessary information regarding all tobacco product manufacturers and 
importers required to pay user fees in order to make percentage 
calculations for each class (i.e., ``applicable percentages of each 
class'' under the statute, Section 919(b)(2)) and percentage share 
calculations within each class. As directed, FDA entered into a 
Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Department of Agriculture 
(USDA) to provide all the necessary information to FDA, and did so only 
for firms manufacturing or importing products in the six classes listed 
in section 919.\2\ USDA could not provide ``all necessary information'' 
to FDA to make percentage share calculations for tobacco products in 
any other classes, nor could any other Federal Agency.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ USDA's authority to collect assessments under FETRA has 
sunset. Section 919(b)(7)(B) of the FD&C Act requires FDA to ensure 
that it is able to determine the applicable percentages described in 
section 919(b)(2) and the percentage shares described in section 
919(b)(4). Thus, FDA issued a rule in July 2014, as well as this 
rule to require the submission of the necessary information to 
determine these percentages, which enables FDA to assess and collect 
the tobacco product user fees.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The reallocation provision in section 919 of the FD&C Act also 
shows that user fees cannot be imposed on products outside the six 
listed classes. This provision requires that the amount of user fees 
that would be otherwise be assessed to classes of tobacco products that 
are not subject to chapter IX of the FD&C Act must be reallocated to 
classes that are subject to chapter IX. Section 919(b)(2)(B)(iv) of the 
FD&C Act. This reallocation must be done in the same manner and based 
on the same relative percentages otherwise determined under section 
919(b)(2)(B)(ii). By its terms, section 919(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the FD&C 
Act can provide the applicable percentages for only the six classes in 
section 919(b)(2)(B)(i) because those percentages are determined under 
section 625(c) of FETRA. Accordingly, FDA is unable to reallocate any 
user fees to a class outside of the six. Thus, the only way that FDA 
could reallocate fees to classes that are subject to chapter IX of the 
FD&C Act is for the tobacco product classes to be limited to those 
listed in section 919(b)(2)(B)(i) of the FD&C Act and in FETRA. Any 
other interpretation would render the reallocation provision's express 
linkage to FETRA superfluous and contravene the clear intent of 
Congress.
    Generally, comments that asserted that FDA should assess fees on 
all deemed tobacco products, including those outside the six classes, 
point to section 919(a) of the FD&C Act, which says that FDA shall 
assess user fees on, and collect such from, each manufacturer and 
importer of tobacco products subject to chapter IX. They argue that if 
electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and other tobacco products 
are deemed to be subject to chapter IX, then each manufacturer and 
importer of such products is subject to these fees. These comments, 
however, fail to take into account section 919(a)'s mandate that the 
assessment shall be done ``in accordance with this section.'' As 
described previously, when the assessments are made in accordance with 
section 919's two-step process, they yield assessments only for tobacco 
products in the six classes.
    Moreover, it is clear that, for the purposes of section 919 of the 
FD&C Act, including 919(a), the term ``each manufacturer and importer 
of tobacco products'' is limited to the tobacco products in the six 
classes. By its terms, Congress intended section 919 to work in 
accordance with the FETRA framework. Section 625 of FETRA, like section 
919 of the FD&C Act, applies to each ``tobacco product manufacturer'' 
and ``tobacco product importer'' and to each class of tobacco products. 
The terms manufacturer, importer, and tobacco product in section 919 of 
the FD&C Act and FETRA flow from the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). 26 
U.S.C. 5702. Just as section 919 requires FDA to make the allocations--
both for each class and within each class--based on FETRA, the FETRA 
allocations are based on removals for the purposes of Federal excise 
taxes. Thus, section 919 of the FD&C Act and FETRA, and their 
respective implementing regulations, use the same terms used in the IRC 
relating to Federal excise taxes. The classes of tobacco products are 
likewise consistent among the IRC, FETRA, and section 919 of the FD&C 
Act. The IRC defines six classes of tobacco products for Federal excise 
tax purposes.\3\ The

[[Page 28711]]

same six classes are enumerated in FETRA and section 919 of the FD&C 
Act for use in assessing the TTPP and tobacco user fees, respectively. 
Accordingly, in the IRC, FETRA, and section 919 of the FD&C Act, 
tobacco manufacturers are those who manufacture tobacco products in 
those six classes subject to Federal excise taxes. Any other approach 
to the term ``each manufacturer and importer of tobacco products'' in 
section 919 of the FD&C Act would lead to absurd results that Congress 
could not have intended. For example, section 900(20) of the FD&C Act 
defines ``tobacco product manufacturer'' as any person, including any 
repacker or relabeler, who manufactures, fabricates, assembles, 
processes, or labels a tobacco product. Relying on the section 900(20) 
definition would require FDA to assess user fees on each firm in the 
supply chain that, among other things, repacks, relabels, or 
distributes tobacco. However, doing so is impossible under the FETRA 
calculus mandated for the six classes under section 919 of the FD&C Act 
because FETRA calculates the relevant percentages based on the volume 
of product removed into domestic commerce (as defined by section 5702 
of the IRC), and not tax exempt. Section 625(a)(2) and (3), (c)(2), (e) 
and (g) of FETRA. Some firms included in the section 900(20) of the 
FD&C Act definition of manufacturer, such as repackers and relabelers, 
do not ``remove'' products into domestic commerce as defined by the IRC 
because they are not removing products from a factory or bonded 
warehouse. Accordingly, these firms would not have a calculable volume 
of product removed into domestic commerce; as such, FDA could not 
calculate the user fees those firms would be assessed under section 
919(b)(4) of the FD&C Act, nor could it determine how those firms 
affect class allocations under section 919(b)(2)(B) of the FD&C Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ The IRC definition of tobacco product includes five classes, 
including `smokeless tobacco,' which is further defined to comprise 
two classes of tobacco products: Chewing tobacco and snuff. 21 
U.S.C. 5702(c), (m).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In contrast, using the definitions for manufacturer and importer in 
the IRC, and as adopted in USDA's and FDA's implementing regulations, 
allows FDA to make the necessary user fee allocations. This approach 
limits the entities to be assessed fees to those that must obtain a 
permit from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) because 
they meet the definition of manufacturer of tobacco products or 
importer under the IRC and its implementing regulations (27 CFR 40.11 
and 41.11). Only these entities are subject to Federal excise taxes 
under chapter 52 of the IRC and can ``remove'' tobacco products into 
domestic commerce. Thus, only these entities have a volume of domestic 
sales under FETRA and can be assessed user fees under section 919 of 
the FD&C Act.
    Additionally, section 919 of the FD&C Act directly contradicts the 
section 900(20) definition in the manner it treats manufacturers and 
importers of tobacco products. Whereas the former treats manufacturers 
and importers as distinct entities for the purpose of assessments and 
collections, the section 900(20) definition includes importer as a 
subset of manufacturer, since the latter includes any person who 
imports a finished tobacco product for sale or distribution in the 
United States. Thus, Congress did not intend FDA to use the section 
900(20) definition for the purposes of section 919.
    Likewise, Congress could not have intended section 919 of the FD&C 
Act to incorporate the definition of ``tobacco product'' in section 
201(rr) (21 U.S.C. 321(rr)) or the tobacco product definitions from 
section 900 of the FD&C Act. The former includes any ``component, part, 
or accessory'' of a tobacco product, which is significantly broader 
than the definitions for the different types of tobacco products in the 
IRC and FETRA. Similarly, the definition of ``cigarette'' in section 
900(3) of the FD&C Act includes roll-your-own tobacco for cigarettes. 
If FDA calculated user fee assessments relying the definitions of 
``cigarette'' and ``roll-your-own'' found in section 900(3) and 900(15) 
of the FD&C Act, respectively, manufacturers and importers of roll-
your-own cigarettes would be required to pay fees both as part of the 
cigarette class and as part of the roll-your-own class. Such 
duplicative assessments would run contrary to section 919(b)(3)(B) of 
the FD&C Act, which expressly precludes manufacturers and importers 
from paying a user fee in excess of their percentage share. To prevent 
this, tobacco product classes must be distinct, and cannot overlap. 
Using the tobacco product definitions found in section 5702 of the IRC 
avoids double-billing firms because the classes are structured such 
that they are distinct and non-overlapping. Thus, for the term ``each 
manufacturer and importer of tobacco products,'' Congress intended FDA 
to use the term in the IRC and FETRA.
    While the definitions in sections 201(rr) and 900 of the FD&C Act 
say they apply for the purposes of the FD&C Act and chapter IX of the 
FD&C Act, respectively, this cannot be the case when doing so would run 
counter to the statutory purpose of a particular provision. Although 
there may be ``a natural presumption that identical words used in 
different parts of the same act are intended to have the same meaning 
[citation omitted] . . . the presumption is not rigid. . . .'' 
(Atlantic Cleaners & Dryers, Inc. v. U.S., 286 U.S. 427, 433 (1932); 
(accord: Yates v. U.S., 135 S. Ct. 1074, 1082 (2015)). Thus, the same 
words may be given different meanings, even in the same statute, if 
Congress intended different interpretations (at Chevron step one) or if 
such different interpretations are reasonable (at Chevron step two) 
(Atlantic Cleaners & Dryers, Inc., supra). See also Lawson v. Suwannee 
S.S. Co., 336 U.S. 198, 201 (1949); Nw. Austin Mun. Util. Dist. No. One 
v. Holder, 557 U.S. 193, 205 to 206 (2009). For the reasons given, it 
is clear that Congress intended the terms in section 919 to be 
consistent with the counterpart terms in FETRA and the IRC.
    Nothing in the legislative history of section 919 of the FD&C Act 
undermines this view that user fees are limited to the six enumerated 
classes. To the contrary, this interpretation is reinforced by the 
legislative history of the Tobacco Control Act, which states that the 
method of assessing fees shall be the same as that currently used by 
United States Department of Agriculture for all tobacco manufacturers 
and importers to fund the 2004 legislation providing transitional 
payments to tobacco grower quota holders. H. Rpt. 111-58, p. 47. 
Because products other than those in the six listed classes are not 
``removed'' and are not subject to a Federal excise tax, a user fee 
methodology for them could not be the same as that used by USDA under 
FETRA.
    Having concluded that the statutory scheme precludes FDA from 
assessing user fees on classes of tobacco products beyond the six 
listed in section 919 of the FD&C Act, the Chevron analysis need not 
proceed further. However, in the alternative, even if section 919 of 
the FD&C Act is ambiguous as to whether classes beyond the six may be 
subject to user fee assessments, FDA would adopt the same 
interpretation of the statute in an exercise of its discretion. In 
conducting this Chevron step two analysis, the Agency has based its 
conclusion on the same considerations discussed previously as well as 
the considerations discussed later in this document (Bell Atlantic 
Telephone Co. v. FCC, 131 F.3d 1044, 1049 (D.C. Cir. 1997); Chevron 
U.S.A., Inc. v. FERC, 193 F. Supp. 2d 54, 68 (D.D.C. 2002)). FDA's 
interpretation of section 919 of the FD&C Act as assessing user fees 
only on the six classes of tobacco products listed

[[Page 28712]]

in section 919(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the FD&C Act is reasonable. (Chevron, 
USA, Inc. v. NRDC, Inc., supra at 843).
    FDA's interpretation is consistent with the text and statutory 
structure of section 919. The statute requires FDA to use the FETRA 
percentages, and thus the FETRA formula, to determine the applicable 
percentages of the six classes listed in section 919(b)(2)(B)(i) of the 
FD&C Act, but it gives no indication of the manner under which FDA 
could or should determine user fee allocations for any additional 
classes. By using the FETRA framework, the applicable percentages for 
the six classes listed in section 919(b)(2)(B)(ii) are determined by a 
basic and predictable calculation. In addition, the user fee 
calculation is based on the share of gross domestic volume, which is 
inextricably linked to the volume of tobacco products removed that are 
subject to Federal excise taxes--information that was readily available 
to FDA at the time the Tobacco Control Act was enacted. For these six 
classes, Congress thus provided an easy-to-implement system that gives 
FDA relatively little discretion in determining the assessments.
    As discussed previously, the class percentage for classes beyond 
the six cannot be determined pursuant to the FETRA framework since 
those classes do not have volumes as defined in section 625(a) of 
FETRA. Thus, in order to assess any user fees on any class of tobacco 
products beyond the six listed in section 919 of the FD&C Act, FDA 
would need to demarcate a new set of tobacco product classes among 
newly deemed tobacco products, and fashion an entirely novel framework 
for determining class percentage allocations and allocations within 
each class of tobacco product. It would have to do this against the 
backdrop of the range of tobacco products, including various types of 
ENDS (such as e-cigarettes, e-cigars, e-hookah, vape pens, personal 
vaporizers, and electronic pipes), as well as nicotine gels, nicotine 
toothpicks, etc.
    Even if section 919 of the FD&C Act somehow allowed FDA to allocate 
percentages to and among additional classes, nothing in section 919 
sets forth the methodology FDA must, or even could, use to calculate 
these percentages or how FDA would obtain the necessary information for 
doing so. Since 100 percent of the total amount of user fees to be 
assessed are allocated among the six classes listed in section 
919(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the FD&C Act, FDA would need to devise a common 
metric for comparing each of these novel tobacco product classes to 
those six listed in order to adjust the relative class percentages (and 
find authority under section 919 to make such adjustments). FDA could 
not use the common metric adopted by USDA and, subsequently, by FDA in 
its 2014 final rule. This is based on the 2003 maximum Federal excise 
tax rates, which do not exist for tobacco products beyond the six 
classes. Further, because section 919(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the FD&C Act 
states that the applicable percentages for the six listed classes are 
the percentages from FETRA, for FDA to adjust those percentages based 
on a novel common metric external to FETRA would violate the statutory 
terms of that section.
    Some commenters argued that FDA could and should abandon the tax-
based methodology from FETRA altogether and create an entirely novel 
system unrelated to taxes or tax rates for determining the applicable 
percentages for both new and existing tobacco product classes. However, 
this suggestion also falters against the plain language of section 
919(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the FD&C Act, which requires FDA to use the FETRA 
percentages for the six listed classes; deviating from FETRA's 
methodology for allocations would contradict the clear intent of 
Congress. Moreover, it is reasonable to conclude that Congress did not 
intend FDA to develop a new system that departs from the methodology 
mandated by FETRA. Any such system would necessarily be subjective, 
especially relative to the system Congress established for the 
enumerated six classes. As such, FDA's interpretation is a reasonable 
construction of the FD&C Act.
    We disagree with commenters that a failure to assess fees on all 
deemed tobacco products is arbitrary and capricious. FDA is 
implementing the system established by Congress, which does not allow 
FDA to assess user fees for products outside the six classes. Even 
assuming section 919 of the FD&C Act is ambiguous regarding this point, 
for the reasons previously stated, FDA's interpretation here is 
reasonable. We also disagree with comments that argued that FDA's 
proposed scheme amounts to a tax because there is no tangible benefit 
to manufacturers and importers required to make user fee payments vis-
[agrave]-vis those that are not, as required under the Independent 
Offices Appropriations Act (IOAA). Because Congress granted FDA 
independent statutory authority to assess user fees, the requirements 
of the IOAA do not apply. See American Medical Ass'n v. Reno, 857 F. 
Supp. 80, 84 (D.D.C. 1994); National Cable Television Ass'n, Inc. v. 
United States, 415 U.S. 336 (1974). Finally, we do not need to address 
commenters' Fifth Amendment arguments here because the FD&C Act itself 
differentiates between the six classes listed in section 
919(b)(2)(B)(ii) and other tobacco product classes. As explained, FDA 
is merely following Congress' intent as expressed in section 919 of the 
FD&C Act.
    (Comment 2) One comment stated that FDA should formulate a 
reasonable common metric to assess user fees on all regulated tobacco 
products, including those not subject to excise taxes. This comment 
said that a common metric was needed to compare new classes of tobacco 
products with existing classes and suggested that FDA ``could base its 
calculations on total sales (in units) of each tobacco product, using 
traditional selling-sizes or weights of packages (e.g., 20 cigarettes = 
1 e-cigarette cartridge = 1 standard container of moist snuff = 4 large 
cigars) to derive the conversion factor necessary for market share 
calculations.'' Another comment stated that FDA should develop a method 
for calculating user fees for deemed products, not within the six 
classes, before any deeming regulation takes effect.
    (Response) FDA disagrees with these comments. As discussed in the 
response to comment 1, section 919 of the FD&C Act prevents FDA from 
assessing and collecting user fees from manufacturers and importers of 
deemed products other than cigars and pipe tobacco. Creating a common 
metric among all product classes subject to FDA regulation would not 
change the requirements of section 919 of the FD&C Act that prevent FDA 
from assessing user fees for deemed products other than cigars and pipe 
tobacco.
    (Comment 3) One comment stated that FDA should not adopt the USDA's 
retrospective calculation method for determining class percentage 
allocations at Step A because of concerns that a regulation deeming 
additional products subject to FDA regulation could dramatically alter 
class allocations from year to year, and that class allocation 
calculations using this method will not be an accurate reflection of 
each class' current percentage allocation. This comment stated that 
small businesses may no longer be able to sell deemed products 
withdrawn from the market due to premarket authorization requirements, 
but may still have to pay their share of their respective classes' user 
fees. Other companies that market grandfathered deemed products, the 
comment argued, would be forced to pay a disproportionate share based 
upon a class determination that was calculated before the deeming 
regulation. The comment requested that

[[Page 28713]]

FDA include safeguards against inequitable retrospective user fee 
requirements or allow for the continued marketing of deemed products 
while their corresponding premarket applications are pending review.
    (Response) FDA disagrees with this comment. FDA is unable to alter 
the user fee calculations required by section 919 of the FD&C Act. In 
determining the user fees to be assessed on each class of tobacco 
products, section 919(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the FD&C Act provides that the 
applicable percentage for each tobacco product class shall be the 
percentage determined under section 625(c) of FETRA for each such class 
of product for such fiscal year. Relying on the initial allocation 
percentages in section 625(c) of FETRA, USDA calculated the yearly 
class allocations for each fiscal year based on data about removals 
covering the most recent full calendar year (see 70 FR 7007). As such, 
FDA's class allocations are calculated in the same manner. Section 919 
also requires FDA to calculate assessments on each manufacturer and 
importer within a class on a quarterly basis using the prior quarter's 
tax removal data for products other than cigars and the prior fiscal 
year's tax removal data for cigars. While it is true that class 
allocations between product classes and percentage shares between 
companies within product classes can fluctuate throughout the year, FDA 
cannot alter the required method of user fee calculations.
    (Comment 4) One comment argued that premium cigars should be exempt 
from FDA regulation generally and user fees specifically because FDA 
regulation would be disproportionately burdensome for the product 
segment, as exemplified by the new product (or premarket) requirements 
that would be triggered by the often minor ingredient variations 
intended to alter the taste and aroma of a premium cigar.
    (Response) FDA disagrees with this comment. In the Deeming rule, 
FDA concluded that all cigars should be deemed subject to chapter IX of 
the FD&C Act and, in doing so, took into account the concerns about 
premarket authorization requirements raised in this comment. All cigars 
have been deemed subject to FDA's regulation and, as such, are subject 
to user fees under section 919 of the FD&C Act. Furthermore, FDA lacks 
the authority to exempt any portion of a class that has been deemed 
subject to chapter IX of the FD&C Act from user fee requirements.
    (Comment 5) FDA received comments addressing the calculation of 
user fee assessments for domestic manufacturers and importers of 
cigars. One commenter asserted that using the amount of excise tax paid 
to determine percentage share within the cigar class would favor 
importers over domestic manufacturers because importers ``can typically 
sell cigars to distributors at a lower price'' because they benefit 
from lower wages, taxes, and regulatory costs. The commenter stated 
that actual units (sticks) would better reflect true market share and 
using excise taxes paid to calculate percentage share would increase 
incentives to move production and jobs off-shore.
    Another comment suggested that FDA consider the differences in 
taxation of cigars compared with other taxable classes of tobacco 
products and assess the rule's ``potentially inequitable impact on 
cigar manufacturers and importers.'' The comment asserted that the 
different excise tax rates applied within the cigar class would have 
the ``unintended consequence'' of causing manufacturers and importers 
of similar products to pay dramatically different amounts in user fees. 
The commenter further stated that large cigars have different first 
wholesale prices, and that some of these pricing differences are due to 
economies of scale or other efficiency factors. Companies with 
significant economies of scale would benefit by paying lower user fees 
due to their products being produced at lower cost, while small 
manufacturers and importers would be disadvantaged.
    (Response) FDA disagrees with the suggestion that it can use 
something other than excise taxes to calculate the percentage share of 
manufacturers and importers in the cigar class. Section 919(b)(5) of 
the FD&C Act specifies that ``if a user fee assessment is imposed on 
cigars, the percentage share of each manufacturer or importer of cigars 
shall be based on the excise taxes paid by such manufacturer or 
importer during the prior fiscal year.'' We acknowledge that this 
method of calculating cigar manufacturers' and importers' percentage 
share depends on the excise tax rate and would result in manufacturers 
and importers of small cigars paying a lower dollar amount of user fees 
per stick than manufacturers and importers of large cigars because 
large cigars are taxed at a higher rate than small cigars. However, we 
disagree that this would favor importers over domestic manufacturers 
and that it would encourage manufacturers to move abroad. Low volume, 
higher priced cigars are both more expensive and largely manufactured 
abroad. Importers of the higher priced cigars would pay more in user 
fees under the FD&C Act methodology than under a system in which volume 
was determined based on sticks.
    In addition, we disagree that differences in user fee assessments 
across cigar types would be an unintended consequence of the FD&C Act 
methodology and that it would be inequitable. Cigars are a 
heterogeneous group of products, differing in such attributes as size 
and quality. The market for cigars is sufficiently competitive that 
price differences primarily reflect these product differences. It is 
not inequitable for products that differ greatly, as measured by market 
price, to pay different amounts of user fees. Moreover, the statute 
expressly states that each cigar manufacturer's or importer's 
percentage share must be calculated based on excise taxes paid. 
Congress thus clearly intended that user fees for cigars would vary 
depending on the excise taxes imposed on cigars, which in turn vary 
depending on the price and size of cigars.

IV. Legal Authority

    Section 901 of the FD&C Act provides that chapter IX of the FD&C 
Act applies to all cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, roll-your-own 
tobacco, and smokeless tobacco and to any other tobacco products that 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services by regulation deems to be 
subject to this chapter. In accordance with section 901, FDA is issuing 
the Deeming rule (published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal 
Register) to extend FDA's ``tobacco product'' authorities to products 
that meet the statutory definition of ``tobacco product'' in section 
201(rr) of the FD&C Act, except the accessories of these tobacco 
products. Section 919(b)(7) of the FD&C Act requires that FDA ensure we 
are able to determine the applicable percentages described in section 
919(b)(2) and the percentage shares described in section 919(b)(4). 
Section 909(a) of the FD&C Act authorizes FDA to issue regulations 
requiring tobacco product manufacturers or importers to make such 
reports and provide such information as may be reasonably required to 
assure that their tobacco products are not adulterated or misbranded 
and to otherwise protect public health. Under section 902(4), a tobacco 
product is deemed to be adulterated if the manufacturer or importer of 
the tobacco product fails to pay a user fee assessed to it under 
section 919 of the FD&C Act. In addition, section 701(a) of the FD&C 
Act (21 U.S.C. 371(a)) gives FDA general rulemaking authority to issue 
regulations for the efficient enforcement of the FD&C Act. Consistent 
with these

[[Page 28714]]

authorities, FDA is issuing this rule, which is intended to ensure that 
we are able to make the determinations required by section 919 of the 
FD&C Act and assess and collect tobacco product user fees.

V. Environmental Impact

    The Agency has determined under 21 CFR 25.30(h) that this action is 
of a type that does not individually or cumulatively have a significant 
effect on the human environment. Therefore, neither an environmental 
assessment nor an environmental impact statement is required.

VI. Economic Analysis of Impacts

    FDA has examined the impacts of the final rule under Executive 
Order 12866, Executive Order 13563, the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 
U.S.C. 601 to 612), and the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. 
L. 104-4). Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 direct Agencies to assess 
all costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, when 
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize 
net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public 
health and safety, and other advantages; distributive impacts; and 
equity). FDA has determined that this final rule is a significant 
regulatory action under Executive Order 12866.
    The Regulatory Flexibility Act requires Agencies to analyze 
regulatory options that would minimize any significant impact of a rule 
on small entities. The potential impact on small entities is uncertain, 
and FDA is unable to rule out the possibility that this final rule may 
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities.
    Section 202(a) of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 requires 
that Agencies prepare a written statement, which includes an assessment 
of anticipated costs and benefits, before proposing ``any rule that 
includes any Federal mandate that may result in the expenditure by 
State, local, and tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the 
private sector, of $100,000,000 or more (adjusted annually for 
inflation) in any one year.'' The current threshold after adjustment 
for inflation is $144 million, using the most current (2014) Implicit 
Price Deflator for the Gross Domestic Product. FDA does not expect this 
final rule to result in any 1-year expenditure that would meet or 
exceed this amount.
    Under our baseline, FDA would obtain the information necessary for 
collecting cigar and pipe tobacco user fees directly from other Federal 
Agencies that collect such information. Compared with this baseline, 
this final rule would impose both initial transition costs and monthly 
information submission costs on industry. There would also be an 
approximately offsetting reduction in government information collection 
costs. The net effect of this may be a small social cost or benefit. 
This final rule would also allow FDA to have full access to the data 
needed for calculating and billing user fees and would resolve 
impediments that may otherwise exist concerning FDA's ability to use 
the data for its intended purpose. This final rule can be expected to 
eliminate the potential need for additional regulatory mechanisms to 
collect information and allow user fee assessment to proceed more 
smoothly than it could otherwise.
    Compared to the baseline, the estimated one-time private sector 
transition cost is $159.36 per manufacturer or importer, including 
small manufacturers and importers, and the annual compliance cost is 
$2,549.76. One option for regulatory relief would be to exempt firms 
from reporting in a particular month if they did not introduce any 
units of any tobacco products for which user fees are assessed into 
domestic commerce. Another option for regulatory relief would be to 
require submission of either the FDA form or copies of forms submitted 
to other Agencies. The full analysis of economic impacts is available 
as Ref. 1 in Docket No. FDA-2012-N-0920 and at http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ReportsManualsForms/Reports/EconomicAnalyses/default.htm.

VII. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

    This final rule contains information collection provisions that are 
subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520). 
The title, description, and respondent description of the information 
collection provisions are shown in the following paragraphs with an 
estimate of the annual reporting burden. Included in the estimate is 
the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, 
gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing 
each collection of information.
    Title: Tobacco Products, User Fees, Requirements for the Submission 
of Data Needed to Calculate User Fees for Domestic Manufacturers and 
Importers of Cigars and Pipe Tobacco.
    Description: This final rule requires each domestic manufacturer 
and importer of cigars and pipe tobacco to submit to FDA information 
needed to calculate and assess user fees under the FD&C Act.
    The USDA collected information to calculate percentage share for 
its purposes and provided FDA with the data FDA needs to determine user 
fee assessments under the FD&C Act. USDA ceased collecting this 
information at the end of fiscal year 2014. Consistent with the 
requirements of the FD&C Act, this rule continues the submission of 
this information, but to FDA rather than USDA, and thus ensures that 
FDA continues to have the information needed to calculate the amount of 
user fees assessed to each entity and collect those fees. Section 919 
of the FD&C Act establishes the user fee allocation and collection 
process, which references the FETRA framework for determining tobacco 
product class allocations and individual domestic manufacturer or 
importer allocations. As was required by USDA under FETRA, the final 
rule requires domestic manufacturers and importers of tobacco products 
to submit to FDA each month a form with summary information and copies 
of the reports or forms that relate to the tobacco products removed 
into domestic commerce.
    Description of Respondents: Domestic manufacturers and importers of 
newly deemed tobacco products.
    The information collection provisions in this final rule have been 
submitted to OMB for review as required by section 3507(d) of the PRA. 
The requirements were approved and assigned OMB control number 0910-
0749. This approval expires on July 31, 2017.
    An Agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number.

[[Page 28715]]



                                 Table 1--Estimated Annual Reporting Burden \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      No. of
         21 CFR section               No. of       responses per   Total annual      Hours per      Total hours
                                    respondents     respondent       responses       response
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1150.5(a), (b)(1), (b)(2), and               135              12           1,620               3           4,860
 FDA Form 3852 (Ref. 2) General
 identifying information
 provided by manufacturers and
 importers of FDA regulated
 tobacco products and
 Identification and removal
 information (monthly)..........
1150.5(b)(3) Certified Copies                135              12           1,620               1           1,620
 (monthly)......................
1150.13 Submission of user fee            \2\ 68               4             272               1             272
 information (Identifying
 information, fee amount, etc.
 (quarterly)....................
1150.15(a) Submission of user                  1               1               1              10              10
 fee dispute (annually).........
1150.15(d) Submission of request               1               1               1              10              10
 for further review of dispute
 of user fee (annually).........
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............           6,772
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of
  information.
\2\ This figure was rounded to the nearest tenth.

    Table 1 describes the annual reporting burden of 6,772 hours as a 
result of the provisions set forth in this proposed rule. Our estimated 
number of 135 newly deemed respondents (335 total tobacco entities) is 
based on 2013 summary information obtained from the Alcohol and Tobacco 
Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) regarding the number of permitted 
manufacturers and importers. As referenced previously, the PRA burden 
for currently regulated products was previously approved by OMB. The 
burden analysis for that collection assumed 200 respondents would 
submit user fees. Therefore given our updated estimate of 335 entities, 
the total number of new deemed tobacco entities is 135 (335 - 200 = 
135). FDA estimates that there are 113 cigar manufacturers and 74 pipe 
tobacco manufacturers, as well as 216 importers of cigars and 43 
importers of pipe tobacco. However, these estimates from TTB reflect 
that in 2013 there were 135 total permitted manufacturers and 200 
permitted importers over all tobacco product types for which TTB 
collects excise taxes (including cigarettes, cigars, snuff, chewing 
tobacco, pipe tobacco, and roll-you-own tobacco, excluding electronic 
nicotine delivery systems). This total is less than the sum across all 
tobacco product types because some manufacturers and importers produce 
or import more than one type of tobacco product (we subsequently refer 
to these entities as polymanufacturers and polyimporters). As the 
number of cigar and pipe tobacco manufacturers cannot exceed the number 
of permitted entities, we use 335 as an upper bound estimate of the 
number of affected entities. The estimate of 135 respondents reflects 
both reports of no removal into domestic commerce and reports of 
removal of tobacco product into domestic commerce. The estimate of 68 
respondents reflects an average number of domestic manufacturers and 
importers who may be subject to fees each fiscal quarter. FDA assumes 
half the number of respondents will submit quarterly payments to the 
Agency. Based on our experience with the assessment of user fees for 
other FDA-regulated products, we estimate that approximately one 
respondent might appeal an assessment, and one respondent will request 
for further review of their dispute.

VIII. Federalism

    FDA has analyzed this final rule in accordance with the principles 
set forth in Executive Order 13132. FDA has determined that the rule 
does not contain policies that would have substantial direct effects on 
the States, on the relationship between the National Government and the 
States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the 
various levels of government. Accordingly, the Agency has concluded 
that the rule does not contain policies that have federalism 
implications as defined in the Executive order and, consequently, a 
federalism summary impact statement is not required.

IX. References

    The following references have been placed on display in the 
Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 
5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852, and may be seen by 
interested persons between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
and are available electronically at http://www.regulations.gov. FDA has 
verified the Web site address, as of the date this document publishes 
in the Federal Register, but Web sites are subject to change over time.

    1. Regulatory Impact Analysis. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ReportsManualsForms/Reports/EconomicAnalyses/default.htm.
    2. Form FDA 3852.

List of Subjects in 21 CFR Part 1150

    Tobacco products, User fees.

    Therefore, under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and under 
authority delegated to the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, 21 CFR part 
1150 is amended to read as follows:

PART 1150--USER FEES

0
1. The authority citation for part 1150 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority:  21 U.S.C. 371, 387a, 387b, 387i, 387s, 21 CFR 
1100.1.

0
2. In Sec.  1150.3, revise the definition for ``Units of product'' to 
read as follows:


Sec.  1150.3  Definitions.

* * * * *
    Units of product means:
    (1) The number of sticks for cigarettes and cigars, or
    (2) The weight (measured in pounds) for snuff, chewing tobacco, 
pipe tobacco, and roll-your-own tobacco.
* * * * *


Sec.  1150.5  [Amended]

0
3. Amend Sec.  1150.5 by:
0
a. Removing from the first sentence of paragraph (a) the phrases ``that 
is subject to regulation under chapter IX of the Federal Food, Drug, 
and Cosmetic Act'' and ``beginning October 2014''.
0
b. Adding paragraphs (c) and (d) to read as follows:


Sec.  1150.5  Required Information.

* * * * *
    (c) First report for cigars. Domestic manufacturers and importers 
of cigars must submit the information described in this section 
beginning no later than

[[Page 28716]]

the 20th day of August, 2016. Domestic manufacturers and importers of 
cigars must submit the information described in this section for each 
of the prior months of fiscal year 2016 as their first monthly 
submission. The previous sentence only applies for the first report in 
fiscal year 2016.
    (d) First report for pipe tobacco. Domestic manufacturers and 
importers of pipe tobacco must submit the information described in this 
section beginning no later than the 20th day of August, 2016.
* * * * *

0
4. In Sec.  1150.7, revise paragraph (a)(1) and add paragraph (a)(2) to 
read as follows:


Sec.  1150.7  Yearly class allocation.

* * * * *
    (a) * * *
    (1) Except for cigars, FDA will multiply the units of product 
removed and not tax exempt for the most recent full calendar year by 
the 2003 maximum Federal excise tax rate for that class (class dollar 
figure).
    (2) For cigars, FDA will:
    (i) Multiply the units of small cigars removed and not tax exempt 
for the most recent full calendar year by the 2003 maximum Federal 
excise tax rate for small cigars (small cigar subclass dollar figure).
    (ii) Multiply the units of large cigars removed and not tax exempt 
for the most recent full calendar year by the 2003 maximum Federal 
excise tax rate for large cigars (large cigar subclass dollar figure).
    (iii) Add the small cigar subclass dollar figure and the large 
cigar subclass dollar figure (cigar class dollar figure).
* * * * *

0
5. In Sec.  1150.9, revise paragraph (a)(1) and add paragraph (a)(2) to 
read as follows:


Sec.  1150.9  Domestic manufacturer or importer assessment.

* * * * *
    (a) * * *
    (1) For each class of tobacco products except cigars, FDA will 
calculate the percentage share for each domestic manufacturer and 
importer by dividing the Federal excise taxes that it paid for the 
class for the prior quarter by the total excise taxes that all domestic 
manufacturers and importers paid for the class for that same quarter.
    (2) For the cigar class, FDA will calculate the percentage share 
for each domestic manufacturer and importer by dividing the Federal 
excise taxes that it paid for the class for the prior fiscal year by 
the total excise taxes that all domestic manufacturers and importers 
paid for the class for the prior fiscal year.
* * * * *

    Dated: May 3, 2016.
Leslie Kux,
Associate Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2016-10688 Filed 5-5-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4164-01-P



                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 90 / Tuesday, May 10, 2016 / Rules and Regulations                                           28707

                                           DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND                                Control Center, Bldg. 71, Rm. G335,                   Tobacco Control Act gives FDA the
                                           HUMAN SERVICES                                          10903 New Hampshire Ave., Silver                      authority to, among other things:
                                                                                                   Spring, MD 20993–0002; 1–877–287–                        • Restrict tobacco product retail sales
                                           Food and Drug Administration                            1373, CTPRegulations@fda.hhs.gov.                     to youth;
                                                                                                                                                            • require owners and operators of
                                                                                                   SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                           21 CFR Part 1150                                                                                              tobacco companies to register annually
                                                                                                   Table of Contents                                     and be subject to biennial inspection by
                                           [Docket No. FDA–2012–N–0920]
                                                                                                   I. Background
                                                                                                                                                         FDA (section 905 of the FD&C Act);
                                           RIN 0910–AG81                                           II. Overview of the Final Rule                           • require manufacturers and
                                                                                                   III. Comments on the Proposed Rule                    importers who wish to market a new
                                           Requirements for the Submission of                      IV. Legal Authority                                   tobacco product to obtain a marketing
                                           Data Needed To Calculate User Fees                      V. Environmental Impact                               order from FDA prior to marketing that
                                           for Domestic Manufacturers and                          VI. Economic Analysis of Impacts                      product (section 910 of the FD&C Act);
                                           Importers of Cigars and Pipe Tobacco                    VII. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995                     • require each manufacturer or
                                                                                                   VIII. Federalism                                      importer to report all constituents,
                                           AGENCY:    Food and Drug Administration,                IX. References
                                           HHS.                                                                                                          including smoke constituents as
                                                                                                                                                         applicable, identified by FDA as
                                           ACTION:   Final rule.                                   I. Background                                         harmful or potentially harmful to health
                                           SUMMARY:    The Food and Drug                             The Family Smoking Prevention and                   in each tobacco product, and as
                                           Administration (FDA or we) is issuing a                 Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control                  applicable in the smoke of each tobacco
                                           final rule that requires domestic                       Act) was enacted on June 22, 2009 (Pub.               product, by brand and by quantity in
                                           manufacturers and importers of cigars                   L. 111–31), amending the FD&C Act and                 each brand and subbrand (section
                                           and pipe tobacco to submit information                  providing FDA with the authority to                   904(a)(3) of the FD&C Act);
                                           needed to calculate the amount of user                  regulate tobacco products. Section                       • establish tobacco product standards
                                           fees assessed under the Federal Food,                   101(b) of the Tobacco Control Act                     if FDA finds that it is appropriate for the
                                           Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the FD&C Act).                  amends the FD&C Act by adding chapter                 protection of the public health (section
                                           FDA recently expanded its authority by                  IX (sections 900 through 920 (21 U.S.C.               907(a)(3) of the FD&C Act);
                                           issuing a final rule, ‘‘Deeming Tobacco                 387 through 387u)). Chapter IX provides                  • conduct compliance-check
                                           Products To Be Subject to the Federal                   FDA with tools and funds to regulate                  inspections of tobacco product retailers
                                           Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as                        tobacco products and imposes certain                  to determine a retailer’s compliance
                                           Amended by the Family Smoking                           obligations on domestic tobacco product               with Federal laws and regulations;
                                                                                                   manufacturers and importers. Included                    • establish science and research
                                           Prevention and Tobacco Control Act;
                                                                                                   among FDA’s authorities are the                       programs to inform the development of
                                           Restrictions on the Sale and Distribution
                                                                                                   authorities to assess and collect user                tobacco product regulations and better
                                           of Tobacco Products and Required
                                                                                                   fees.                                                 understand the risks associated with
                                           Warning Statements for Tobacco
                                                                                                                                                         tobacco use;
                                           Products’’ (Deeming rule), deeming all                    In enacting the Tobacco Control Act,                   • educate the public about the
                                           products that meet the statutory                        Congress found that tobacco use is the                harmful effects of tobacco use; and
                                           definition of ‘‘tobacco product,’’ except               single most preventable cause of                         • assess and collect user fees from
                                           accessories of the newly deemed                         disease, disability, and death in the                 each domestic manufacturer and
                                           tobacco products, to be subject to the                  United States. Each year, over 400,000                importer of tobacco products subject to
                                           FD&C Act. The Deeming rule, among                       people die prematurely from smoking or                section 919 of the FD&C Act.
                                           other things, subjected domestic                        exposure to secondhand smoke.                            Section 919(c)(2) of the FD&C Act
                                           manufacturers and importers of cigars                   Approximately 8.6 million people in the               provides that tobacco product user fees
                                           and pipe tobacco to the FD&C Act’s user                 United States live with a serious illness             are the sole source of funding for FDA’s
                                           fee requirements. Consistent with the                   caused by smoking. A consensus exists                 regulation of tobacco products.
                                           Deeming rule and the requirements of                    within the scientific and medical                     Therefore, FDA considers these fees to
                                           the FD&C Act, this final rule requires                  communities that tobacco products are                 be critical to the Agency’s ability to
                                           the submission of the information                       inherently dangerous and cause cancer,                achieve its mission to protect and
                                           needed to calculate user fee assessments                heart disease, and other serious adverse              promote the public health. User fees
                                           for each manufacturer and importer of                   health effects (sections 2(2), (3), and (13)          provide FDA with a source of stable,
                                           cigars and pipe tobacco to FDA.                         of the Tobacco Control Act).                          consistent funding that has made
                                           DATES: This rule is effective August 8,                   The Tobacco Control Act grants FDA                  possible our implementation of the
                                           2016. Domestic manufacturers and                        the authority to regulate tobacco                     Tobacco Control Act. The revenues from
                                           importers of cigars and pipe tobacco                    products and to protect the public from               these fees fund the Agency’s regulation
                                           must begin submitting data required by                  the harmful effects of tobacco use.                   of tobacco products and the tobacco
                                           § 1150.5 (21 CFR 1150.5) to FDA no                      Section 901(b) of the FD&C Act                        industry, as described previously.
                                           later than the 20th day of August, 2016.                automatically provides that chapter IX                   In the Federal Register of May 31,
                                              Because FDA can perform class                        applies to cigarettes, cigarette tobacco,             2013 (78 FR 32581), FDA issued a notice
                                           allocations only on a full fiscal year                  roll-your-own tobacco, and smokeless                  of proposed rulemaking (User Fee
                                           basis, domestic manufacturers and                       tobacco. It also permits FDA to issue a               proposed rule) to add 21 CFR part 1150
                                           importers of cigars and pipe tobacco                    regulation to deem other tobacco                      to require domestic tobacco product
                                           will become subject to user fee                         products subject to the FD&C Act,                     manufacturers and importers to submit
ehiers on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES




                                           assessments on October 1 of the first full              which FDA has done, by publishing                     information needed to calculate the
                                           fiscal year following the effective date of             elsewhere in this issue of the Federal                amount of user fees assessed under the
                                           this rule.                                              Register, the Deeming rule to bring all               FD&C Act. FDA finalized portions of the
                                           FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul                   products meeting the definition of                    User Fee proposed rule relating to
                                           Hart, Food and Drug Administration,                     tobacco product under its FD&C Act                    tobacco products under FDA’s
                                           Center for Tobacco Products, Document                   authority. More specifically, the                     jurisdiction at that time in the final rule


                                      VerDate Sep<11>2014   15:17 May 09, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00019   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\10MYR1.SGM   10MYR1


                                           28708                Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 90 / Tuesday, May 10, 2016 / Rules and Regulations

                                           ‘‘Requirements for the Submission of                    the percentage determined under                       for cigars to § 1150.9(a)(2) without
                                           Data Needed to Calculate User Fees for                  section 625(c) of FETRA for each such                 changes.
                                           Domestic Manufacturers and Importers                    class of product for such fiscal year. The               We added paragraph (c) to § 1150.5 to
                                           of Tobacco Products,’’ which was                        classes of tobacco products identified in             require that domestic manufacturers and
                                           published in the Federal Register of                    section 919 of the FD&C Act are the                   importers of cigars report data for each
                                           July 10, 2014 (79 FR 39302) (User Fee                   same classes subject to assessments                   prior month in the fiscal year in their
                                           final rule). Elsewhere in this issue of the             under FETRA. In determining the user                  first submission under this rule. Once
                                           Federal Register, FDA is publishing the                 fee to be paid by each company within                 deemed, cigars and pipe tobacco will be
                                           Deeming rule to deem all products                       a given class, except the cigar class,                subject to user fees under section 919 of
                                           meeting the statutory definition of                     section 919(b)(4) of the FD&C Act                     the FD&C Act. However, domestic
                                           ‘‘tobacco product,’’ except accessories of              directs that we use percentage share                  manufacturers and importers of cigars
                                           the newly deemed tobacco products, to                   information determined for purposes of                and pipe tobacco will start being
                                           be subject to the FD&C Act. This rule is                allocations under paragraphs (e) through              assessed fees only at the start of the
                                           being issued in response to FDA’s user                  (h) of section 625 of FETRA. With                     fiscal year following the effective date of
                                           fee authority over cigars and pipe                      regards to cigars, section 919(b)(5) of the           this rule because we can only perform
                                           tobacco, and finalizes portions of the                  FD&C Act directs that the percentage                  class allocations on a full fiscal year
                                           User Fee proposed rule that relate to                   share for each domestic manufacturer                  basis. As we discussed in section I.B. of
                                           domestic manufacturers and importers                    and importer be based on the excise                   the User Fee proposed rule (78 FR
                                           of cigars and pipe tobacco, requiring                   taxes paid during the prior fiscal year,              32583), section 919(b)(5) of the FD&C
                                           them to submit information needed to                    rather than the prior quarter.                        Act requires FDA to allocate user fees
                                           calculate user fee assessments to FDA.                     FETRA provided for a Tobacco                       within the cigar class to cigar firms
                                              The final rule, issued under section                 Transition Payment Program (TTPP)                     based on the amount of excise taxes
                                           919(a) of the FD&C Act, requires FDA to                 through which eligible former tobacco                 those firms paid in the prior fiscal year.
                                           assess user fees on, and collect such fees                                                                    This addition to § 1150.5 will ensure
                                                                                                   quota holders and tobacco producers
                                           from, each manufacturer and importer                                                                          that FDA has data for the prior fiscal
                                                                                                   received payments in 10 equal
                                           of tobacco products subject to chapter                                                                        year necessary to calculate, assess, and
                                                                                                   installments in each fiscal year 2005
                                           IX of the FD&C Act. The total amount                                                                          collect user fees for domestic
                                                                                                   through 2014. FETRA provided for the
                                           of user fees for each fiscal year is                                                                          manufacturers and importers of cigars in
                                                                                                   establishment of quarterly assessments
                                           specified in section 919(b)(1) of the                                                                         the first fiscal year in which they are
                                                                                                   on each domestic manufacturer and
                                           FD&C Act, and under section 919(a) we                                                                         assessed fees. We do not need data for
                                                                                                   importer of tobacco products to fund the
                                           are to assess and collect a proportionate                                                                     the full prior fiscal year from domestic
                                                                                                   10-year TTPP. The last assessment
                                           amount each quarter of the fiscal year.                                                                       manufacturers and importers of other
                                                                                                   under FETRA was in September 2014,
                                           The FD&C Act provides for the total                                                                           tobacco products subject to user fees,
                                                                                                   which encompassed the 39th and 40th                   including pipe tobacco, because
                                           assessment to be allocated among the                    quarterly TTPP assessments. The
                                           classes of tobacco products identified in                                                                     percentage share calculations for those
                                                                                                   issuance of the 40th, or last, quarterly              classes only requires prior fiscal quarter
                                           the statute: Cigarettes, cigars, snuff,                 assessment, was on September 1, 2014,
                                           chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, and roll-                                                                      data.
                                                                                                   rather than on December 1, 2014, in                      We added paragraph (d) to § 1150.5 to
                                           your-own tobacco. The class allocation                  accordance with statutory requirements
                                           is based on each tobacco product class’                                                                       require that domestic manufacturers and
                                                                                                   specified in section 625(d)(3)(A) of                  importers of pipe tobacco begin their
                                           volume of tobacco products removed 1                    FETRA. We are issuing this final rule
                                           into commerce that is not exempt from                                                                         monthly reporting of data in August
                                                                                                   consistent with section 919(b)(7) of the              2016. As noted previously, FDA makes
                                           certain taxes. Within each class of                     FD&C Act, which requires we ensure
                                           tobacco products, an individual                                                                               percentage share calculations for
                                                                                                   that we are able to make the                          tobacco products other than cigars using
                                           domestic manufacturer or importer is                    determinations necessary for assessing
                                           assessed a user fee based on its                                                                              prior fiscal quarter data. Because FDA
                                                                                                   tobacco product user fees.                            will begin making percentage share
                                           statutorily defined ‘‘percentage share’’
                                           for that tobacco product class.                         II. Overview of the Final Rule                        calculations for domestic manufacturers
                                              In specifying how to determine each                                                                        and importers of pipe tobacco beginning
                                                                                                     We are finalizing portions of the                   in the first fiscal quarter of 2017, FDA
                                           of these two allocations—to a class of
                                                                                                   proposed rule with only minor changes.                does not need pipe tobacco firms to
                                           tobacco products and then to a domestic
                                                                                                   We amended § 1150.7(a)(1) and (2) to                  submit data for months prior to the
                                           manufacturer or importer within a
                                                                                                   include language from the proposed rule               fourth fiscal quarter of 2016. Requiring
                                           particular class of tobacco products—
                                                                                                   specifying the calculations that FDA                  domestic manufacturers and importers
                                           section 919 of the FD&C Act references
                                                                                                   will perform to determine the yearly                  of pipe tobacco to make their first
                                           the Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform
                                                                                                   class allocation for cigars. Moreover, we             submission of prior month data by
                                           Act of 2004 (FETRA, Pub. L. 108–357 (7
                                                                                                   added § 1150.9(a)(2) to codify the                    August 20, 2016, ensures FDA will have
                                           U.S.C. 518 et seq.)). In determining the
                                                                                                   method by which FDA will calculate the                data for each month of the fourth fiscal
                                           user fees to be allocated to each class of
                                                                                                   percentage share for each domestic                    quarter in 2016 and will be able to
                                           tobacco products, section
                                                                                                   manufacturer and importer of cigars. In               complete percentage share calculations
                                           919(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the FD&C Act
                                                                                                   the proposed rule, we specifically                    for pipe tobacco firms for the first fiscal
                                           provides that the applicable percentage
                                                                                                   discussed this proposed methodology,                  quarter of 2017.
                                           for each tobacco product class shall be
                                                                                                   requested comment, and reserved                          Further, in light of the Deeming rule
                                                                                                   § 1150.9(a)(2) for the purpose of                     subjecting cigars and pipe tobacco to
ehiers on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES




                                             1 Removal is defined at 26 U.S.C. 5702 as the

                                           removal of tobacco products or cigarette papers or      including the calculations for                        user fee requirements, we added 21
                                           tubes, or any processed tobacco, from the factory or    manufacturers and importers in the                    U.S.C. 387a and 21 CFR 1100.1 to the
                                           from internal revenue bond under section 5704, as       cigar class if they became subject to                 authority section. Finally, we amended
                                           the Secretary of Treasury shall by regulation
                                           prescribe, or release from customs custody, and
                                                                                                   chapter IX of the FD&C Act. After                     § 1150.5(a) by removing the phrases
                                           shall also include the smuggling or other unlawful      reviewing comments on the proposed                    ‘‘that are part of a class of tobacco
                                           importation of such articles into the United States.    rule, FDA is adding this methodology                  products that is subject to regulation


                                      VerDate Sep<11>2014   15:17 May 09, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00020   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\10MYR1.SGM   10MYR1


                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 90 / Tuesday, May 10, 2016 / Rules and Regulations                                          28709

                                           under chapter IX of the Federal Food,                   terms of reduced costs and prices for                 limitation, and FDA’s interpretation
                                           Drug, and Cosmetic Act’’ and                            their products. Several of the comments               must be upheld if it is reasonable
                                           ‘‘beginning October 2014.’’ We made                     claimed that failure to assess user fees              (‘‘Chevron step two’’); Chevron, 467 U.S.
                                           these changes because all classes of                    on deemed products would violate the                  at 842 to 843; FDA v. Brown &
                                           tobacco products that are included in                   Fifth Amendment. Some comments also                   Williamson Tobacco Corp., 529 U.S.
                                           the definition of ‘‘class of tobacco                    contend that exempting some products                  120, 132 (2000).
                                           products’’ are subject to chapter IX of                 from user fees is unfair to existing                     We have determined that, in enacting
                                           the FD&C Act and it is no longer                        classes, arbitrary and capricious, and                section 919 of the FD&C Act, Congress
                                           necessary to make such a distinction,                   would violate the Administrative                      clearly manifested its intention that
                                           and because the October 2014                            Procedure Act.                                        FDA only assess fees for manufacturers
                                           compliance date has passed.                                In contrast, other comments stated                 and importers of tobacco products in the
                                                                                                   that FDA does not have the authority to               six enumerated classes.
                                           III. Comments on the Proposed Rule                      assess user fees for any class other than                Section 919(a) of the FD&C Act states
                                              We received 12 comments on the                       the six classes named in section                      that FDA must assess fees ‘‘in
                                           proposed rule. We addressed a majority                  919(b)(2)(B) of the FD&C Act and in                   accordance with this section,’’ and
                                           of the comments in the User Fee final                   FETRA. These comments noted that                      section 919 provides a clear two-step
                                           rule. We declined to address comments                   section 919(a) provides that fees must be             process for assessing fees. The first step
                                           relating to cigars, pipe tobacco, and                   assessed and collected ‘‘in accordance                requires FDA to allocate fees to each
                                           other deemed products in that                           with this section’’ and, therefore, FDA               class of tobacco products, which it does
                                           document because they were outside of                   can assess fees only on those classes                 by multiplying the total amount of fees
                                           FDA’s jurisdiction at the time. Now that                identified in section 919 and FETRA.                  per year by the ‘‘applicable percentage’’
                                           the Deeming rule has expanded FDA’s                     One of these comments also noted that                 for each class. Section 919(b)(2)(A) of
                                           authority to cover those products, we                   the reallocation provision in section                 the FD&C Act. Section 919(b)(2)(B) of
                                           address the comments on assessing user                  919(b)(2)(B)(iv) permits reallocation                 the FD&C Act sets forth how to calculate
                                           fees on tobacco products that FDA                       only to regulated classes of the six                  these applicable percentages, but only
                                           deemed subject to chapter IX of the                     FETRA classes. Similarly, another                     for the six classes enumerated in section
                                           FD&C Act in this section.                               comment stated that FDA cannot deem                   919(b)(2). The applicable percentage is
                                              Comments were received from                          electronic cigarette manufacturers to                 the percentage determined under
                                           tobacco product manufacturers, trade                    meet the definition of domestic                       section 625(c) of Pub. L. 108–357, which
                                           associations, and individuals. To make                  manufacturer because FDA ‘‘is bound                   is FETRA. Section 919(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the
                                           it easier to identify comments and our                  under the FD&C Act to follow the                      FD&C Act. Section 625(c) of FETRA
                                           responses, the word ‘‘Comment,’’ in                     allocation procedures established under               provides initial percentages for each of
                                           parentheses, will appear before each                    FETRA.’’                                              the six classes, totaling 100 percent, and
                                           comment, and the word ‘‘Response,’’ in                     (Response) Section 919(b)(2) of the                mandates that subsequent allocations be
                                           parentheses, will appear before each                    FD&C Act lists six classes of tobacco                 made only among these same classes.
                                           response. We have numbered the                          products for the purpose of allocating                See sections 625(c)(1) and (2) of FETRA.
                                           comments to make it easier to                           among the classes—cigarettes, cigars,                 Because the percentage of the total user
                                           distinguish between comments; the                       snuff, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco,                 fee assessment for each class under
                                           numbers are for organizational purposes                 and roll-your-own tobacco. The                        section 919 of the FD&C Act is the
                                           only and do not reflect the order in                    comments raise the question of whether                FETRA percentage, the sum of the
                                           which we received the comments or any                   Congress intended FDA to assess fees                  percentages for all six classes will
                                           value associated with the comment. We                   for manufacturers and importers of                    always total 100 percent. Since the six
                                           have combined similar comments under                    tobacco products of only these six                    classes must comprise 100 percent of
                                           one numbered comment.                                   classes or intended that FDA create                   the allocation of the total user fee
                                              (Comment 1) Multiple comments                        additional classes for other tobacco                  assessment under section 919(b)(2) of
                                           addressed FDA’s authority to assess and                 products and assess fees for them as                  the FD&C Act, adding a class of tobacco
                                           collect user fees from domestic                         well. In construing section 919 of the                product beyond the six would increase
                                           manufacturers and importers of                          FD&C Act, FDA is confronted with two                  the total to over 100 percent. This is a
                                           products that have been deemed subject                  questions. First, has Congress directly               result that Congress could not have
                                           to FDA’s jurisdiction, particularly e-                  spoken to the precise question                        intended, because it would require FDA
                                           cigarettes. Some comments stated that                   presented? (‘‘Chevron step one’’);                    to assess and collect user fees beyond
                                           FDA must assess and collect fees                        Chevron, U.S.A., Inc. v. NRDC, Inc., 467              the total amount permitted by section
                                           because no ‘‘free riders’’ are allowed                  U.S. 837, 842 (1984). To find no                      919(b)(1) of the FD&C Act. Moreover,
                                           under section 919(a) of the FD&C Act.                   ambiguity, Congress must have clearly                 even assuming that under section 919 of
                                           These comments relied on the language                   manifested its intention with respect to              the FD&C Act the applicable percentage
                                           in section 919(a) of the FD&C Act that                  the particular issue (Young v.                        for a class could be something other
                                           FDA shall assess user fees on, and                      Community Nutrition Institute, 476 U.S.               than the FETRA percentage, nothing in
                                           collect such from, each manufacturer                    974, 980 (1986)). If Congress has spoken              section 919 sets forth how FDA must, or
                                           and importer of tobacco products                        directly and plainly, the Agency must                 even could, determine that percentage.
                                           subject to chapter IX. The comments                     implement Congress’ unambiguously                     Thus, this first step shows that section
                                           asserted that, unless deemed products                   expressed intent (Chevron, 467 U.S. at                919 is limited to the six classes
                                           are subject to user fees, ‘‘some regulated              842 to 843). If, however, section 919 is              enumerated in section 919(b)(2) of the
                                           manufacturers and importers would                       silent or ambiguous as to whether FDA                 FD&C Act.
ehiers on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES




                                           have to pay the cost of their regulation                must impose assessments on                               The second step in the process for
                                           plus the cost of regulating the non-                    manufacturers and importers of only                   assessing fees is to determine the share
                                           paying manufacturers and importers,’’                   those classes of tobacco products listed              of fees for each manufacturer and
                                           which would provide the non-paying                      in section 919(b)(2), FDA may                         importer within each class of tobacco
                                           manufacturers and importers a                           determine whether section 919 should                  products. Except for the cigar class, this
                                           significant competitive advantage in                    be interpreted to contain such a                      percentage shall be the percentage


                                      VerDate Sep<11>2014   15:17 May 09, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00021   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\10MYR1.SGM   10MYR1


                                           28710               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 90 / Tuesday, May 10, 2016 / Rules and Regulations

                                           determined for the purposes of                          ‘‘notwithstanding’’ section 919(b)(4) of                 only way that FDA could reallocate fees
                                           allocations under subsections (e)                       the FD&C Act, showing that Congress                      to classes that are subject to chapter IX
                                           through (h) of section 625 of FETRA.                    intended the modified process for cigars                 of the FD&C Act is for the tobacco
                                           Section 919(b)(4) and (5) of the FD&C                   to be an exception to the rule of using                  product classes to be limited to those
                                           Act. This directive makes clear                         the FETRA framework to determine                         listed in section 919(b)(2)(B)(i) of the
                                           Congress’ intent that all classes except                each firm’s share of the class                           FD&C Act and in FETRA. Any other
                                           cigars (as discussed in the next                        assessment. Because section 919 of the                   interpretation would render the
                                           paragraph) look to FETRA when                           FD&C Act does not provide any other                      reallocation provision’s express linkage
                                           calculating the percentage share of                     exceptions, the FETRA percentages                        to FETRA superfluous and contravene
                                           manufacturers and importers within a                    must be used for the allocations within                  the clear intent of Congress.
                                           class. However, FETRA only yields, and                  all other classes.                                          Generally, comments that asserted
                                           by its text and structure can only yield,                  Section 919(b)(7)(A) of the FD&C Act                  that FDA should assess fees on all
                                           percentages for firms within the six                    likewise limits the assessment of fees                   deemed tobacco products, including
                                           listed classes. First, sections 625(e)(1)               under section 919 to the six listed                      those outside the six classes, point to
                                           and (f) of FETRA provide allocations for                classes. This provision requires FDA to                  section 919(a) of the FD&C Act, which
                                           each manufacturer and importer of                       obtain, from the appropriate Federal                     says that FDA shall assess user fees on,
                                           tobacco products in each class                          Agency, all necessary information                        and collect such from, each
                                           ‘‘specified in subsection (c)(1),’’ which               regarding all tobacco product                            manufacturer and importer of tobacco
                                           are the same six classes from section                   manufacturers and importers required to                  products subject to chapter IX. They
                                           919(b)(2) of the FD&C Act. Second, the                  pay user fees in order to make                           argue that if electronic nicotine delivery
                                           FETRA allocations are based on each                     percentage calculations for each class                   systems (ENDS) and other tobacco
                                           firm’s share of the gross domestic                      (i.e., ‘‘applicable percentages of each                  products are deemed to be subject to
                                           volume for the class. Gross domestic                    class’’ under the statute, Section                       chapter IX, then each manufacturer and
                                           volume is the volume of tobacco                         919(b)(2)) and percentage share                          importer of such products is subject to
                                           products ‘‘removed’’ and not exempt for                 calculations within each class. As                       these fees. These comments, however,
                                           Federal excise tax purposes. Section                    directed, FDA entered into a                             fail to take into account section 919(a)’s
                                           625(a)(2) of FETRA. Thus, section                       Memorandum of Understanding with                         mandate that the assessment shall be
                                           625(h) of FETRA sets forth the                          the U.S. Department of Agriculture                       done ‘‘in accordance with this section.’’
                                           information required to be submitted to                 (USDA) to provide all the necessary                      As described previously, when the
                                           calculate the domestic volume of each                   information to FDA, and did so only for                  assessments are made in accordance
                                           manufacturer and importer, which                        firms manufacturing or importing                         with section 919’s two-step process,
                                           relates to the removal of tobacco                       products in the six classes listed in                    they yield assessments only for tobacco
                                           products for Federal excise tax purposes                section 919.2 USDA could not provide                     products in the six classes.
                                           and the payment of such taxes.                          ‘‘all necessary information’’ to FDA to                     Moreover, it is clear that, for the
                                           However, tobacco products outside the                   make percentage share calculations for                   purposes of section 919 of the FD&C
                                           six classes listed in section 919 are not               tobacco products in any other classes,                   Act, including 919(a), the term ‘‘each
                                           subject to Federal excise taxes, nor can                nor could any other Federal Agency.                      manufacturer and importer of tobacco
                                                                                                      The reallocation provision in section                 products’’ is limited to the tobacco
                                           such products be ‘‘removed’’ for Federal
                                                                                                   919 of the FD&C Act also shows that                      products in the six classes. By its terms,
                                           excise tax purposes. See 26 U.S.C. 52
                                                                                                   user fees cannot be imposed on                           Congress intended section 919 to work
                                           and 26 U.S.C. 5702. Third, section
                                                                                                   products outside the six listed classes.                 in accordance with the FETRA
                                           625(g) of FETRA provides measurement
                                                                                                   This provision requires that the amount                  framework. Section 625 of FETRA, like
                                           parameters to determine the volume of                   of user fees that would be otherwise be
                                           products removed, but they are                                                                                   section 919 of the FD&C Act, applies to
                                                                                                   assessed to classes of tobacco products                  each ‘‘tobacco product manufacturer’’
                                           explicitly limited to the six listed                    that are not subject to chapter IX of the
                                           classes. The volume of domestic sales                                                                            and ‘‘tobacco product importer’’ and to
                                                                                                   FD&C Act must be reallocated to classes                  each class of tobacco products. The
                                           within a class are measured for the                     that are subject to chapter IX. Section
                                           cigarette and cigar classes based on the                                                                         terms manufacturer, importer, and
                                                                                                   919(b)(2)(B)(iv) of the FD&C Act. This                   tobacco product in section 919 of the
                                           number of cigarettes or cigars; for the                 reallocation must be done in the same
                                           remaining four classes specified in                                                                              FD&C Act and FETRA flow from the
                                                                                                   manner and based on the same relative                    Internal Revenue Code (IRC). 26 U.S.C.
                                           section 625(c)(1) of FETRA, they are                    percentages otherwise determined
                                           measured based on the number of                                                                                  5702. Just as section 919 requires FDA
                                                                                                   under section 919(b)(2)(B)(ii). By its                   to make the allocations—both for each
                                           pounds. Because FETRA does not, and                     terms, section 919(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the
                                           cannot, have allocations in the second                                                                           class and within each class—based on
                                                                                                   FD&C Act can provide the applicable                      FETRA, the FETRA allocations are
                                           step for products outside the six                       percentages for only the six classes in
                                           enumerated classes, it is clear that                                                                             based on removals for the purposes of
                                                                                                   section 919(b)(2)(B)(i) because those                    Federal excise taxes. Thus, section 919
                                           Congress intended only manufacturers                    percentages are determined under
                                           and importers of tobacco products                                                                                of the FD&C Act and FETRA, and their
                                                                                                   section 625(c) of FETRA. Accordingly,                    respective implementing regulations,
                                           within those classes to be subject to user              FDA is unable to reallocate any user fees
                                           fees under section 919 of the FD&C Act.                                                                          use the same terms used in the IRC
                                                                                                   to a class outside of the six. Thus, the                 relating to Federal excise taxes. The
                                              This is reinforced by section 919(b)(5)
                                                                                                                                                            classes of tobacco products are likewise
                                           of the FD&C Act, which sets forth a                       2 USDA’s authority to collect assessments under

                                                                                                   FETRA has sunset. Section 919(b)(7)(B) of the FD&C       consistent among the IRC, FETRA, and
                                           somewhat different process for
ehiers on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES




                                                                                                   Act requires FDA to ensure that it is able to            section 919 of the FD&C Act. The IRC
                                           calculating allocations among firms in                  determine the applicable percentages described in        defines six classes of tobacco products
                                           the cigar class that is based on excise                 section 919(b)(2) and the percentage shares
                                                                                                                                                            for Federal excise tax purposes.3 The
                                           taxes paid during the prior fiscal year                 described in section 919(b)(4). Thus, FDA issued a
                                           rather than the prior quarter. That                     rule in July 2014, as well as this rule to require the
                                                                                                   submission of the necessary information to                  3 The IRC definition of tobacco product includes
                                           provision says that the allocation among                determine these percentages, which enables FDA to        five classes, including ‘smokeless tobacco,’ which is
                                           firms in the cigar class is                             assess and collect the tobacco product user fees.        further defined to comprise two classes of tobacco



                                      VerDate Sep<11>2014   15:17 May 09, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00022   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\10MYR1.SGM      10MYR1


                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 90 / Tuesday, May 10, 2016 / Rules and Regulations                                           28711

                                           same six classes are enumerated in                      chapter 52 of the IRC and can ‘‘remove’’              provision. Although there may be ‘‘a
                                           FETRA and section 919 of the FD&C Act                   tobacco products into domestic                        natural presumption that identical
                                           for use in assessing the TTPP and                       commerce. Thus, only these entities                   words used in different parts of the
                                           tobacco user fees, respectively.                        have a volume of domestic sales under                 same act are intended to have the same
                                           Accordingly, in the IRC, FETRA, and                     FETRA and can be assessed user fees                   meaning [citation omitted] . . . the
                                           section 919 of the FD&C Act, tobacco                    under section 919 of the FD&C Act.                    presumption is not rigid. . . .’’ (Atlantic
                                           manufacturers are those who                                Additionally, section 919 of the FD&C              Cleaners & Dryers, Inc. v. U.S., 286 U.S.
                                           manufacture tobacco products in those                   Act directly contradicts the section                  427, 433 (1932); (accord: Yates v. U.S.,
                                           six classes subject to Federal excise                   900(20) definition in the manner it                   135 S. Ct. 1074, 1082 (2015)). Thus, the
                                           taxes. Any other approach to the term                   treats manufacturers and importers of                 same words may be given different
                                           ‘‘each manufacturer and importer of                     tobacco products. Whereas the former                  meanings, even in the same statute, if
                                           tobacco products’’ in section 919 of the                treats manufacturers and importers as                 Congress intended different
                                           FD&C Act would lead to absurd results                   distinct entities for the purpose of                  interpretations (at Chevron step one) or
                                           that Congress could not have intended.                  assessments and collections, the section              if such different interpretations are
                                           For example, section 900(20) of the                     900(20) definition includes importer as               reasonable (at Chevron step two)
                                           FD&C Act defines ‘‘tobacco product                      a subset of manufacturer, since the latter            (Atlantic Cleaners & Dryers, Inc., supra).
                                           manufacturer’’ as any person, including                 includes any person who imports a                     See also Lawson v. Suwannee S.S. Co.,
                                           any repacker or relabeler, who                          finished tobacco product for sale or                  336 U.S. 198, 201 (1949); Nw. Austin
                                           manufactures, fabricates, assembles,                    distribution in the United States. Thus,              Mun. Util. Dist. No. One v. Holder, 557
                                           processes, or labels a tobacco product.                 Congress did not intend FDA to use the                U.S. 193, 205 to 206 (2009). For the
                                           Relying on the section 900(20)                          section 900(20) definition for the                    reasons given, it is clear that Congress
                                           definition would require FDA to assess                  purposes of section 919.                              intended the terms in section 919 to be
                                           user fees on each firm in the supply                       Likewise, Congress could not have                  consistent with the counterpart terms in
                                           chain that, among other things, repacks,                intended section 919 of the FD&C Act to               FETRA and the IRC.
                                           relabels, or distributes tobacco.                       incorporate the definition of ‘‘tobacco                  Nothing in the legislative history of
                                           However, doing so is impossible under                   product’’ in section 201(rr) (21 U.S.C.               section 919 of the FD&C Act
                                           the FETRA calculus mandated for the                     321(rr)) or the tobacco product                       undermines this view that user fees are
                                           six classes under section 919 of the                    definitions from section 900 of the                   limited to the six enumerated classes.
                                           FD&C Act because FETRA calculates the                   FD&C Act. The former includes any                     To the contrary, this interpretation is
                                           relevant percentages based on the                       ‘‘component, part, or accessory’’ of a                reinforced by the legislative history of
                                           volume of product removed into                          tobacco product, which is significantly               the Tobacco Control Act, which states
                                           domestic commerce (as defined by                        broader than the definitions for the                  that the method of assessing fees shall
                                           section 5702 of the IRC), and not tax                   different types of tobacco products in                be the same as that currently used by
                                           exempt. Section 625(a)(2) and (3), (c)(2),              the IRC and FETRA. Similarly, the                     United States Department of Agriculture
                                           (e) and (g) of FETRA. Some firms                        definition of ‘‘cigarette’’ in section                for all tobacco manufacturers and
                                           included in the section 900(20) of the                  900(3) of the FD&C Act includes roll-                 importers to fund the 2004 legislation
                                           FD&C Act definition of manufacturer,                    your-own tobacco for cigarettes. If FDA               providing transitional payments to
                                           such as repackers and relabelers, do not                calculated user fee assessments relying               tobacco grower quota holders. H. Rpt.
                                           ‘‘remove’’ products into domestic                       the definitions of ‘‘cigarette’’ and ‘‘roll-          111–58, p. 47. Because products other
                                           commerce as defined by the IRC because                  your-own’’ found in section 900(3) and                than those in the six listed classes are
                                           they are not removing products from a                   900(15) of the FD&C Act, respectively,                not ‘‘removed’’ and are not subject to a
                                           factory or bonded warehouse.                            manufacturers and importers of roll-                  Federal excise tax, a user fee
                                           Accordingly, these firms would not                      your-own cigarettes would be required                 methodology for them could not be the
                                           have a calculable volume of product                     to pay fees both as part of the cigarette             same as that used by USDA under
                                           removed into domestic commerce; as                      class and as part of the roll-your-own                FETRA.
                                           such, FDA could not calculate the user                  class. Such duplicative assessments                      Having concluded that the statutory
                                           fees those firms would be assessed                      would run contrary to section                         scheme precludes FDA from assessing
                                           under section 919(b)(4) of the FD&C Act,                919(b)(3)(B) of the FD&C Act, which                   user fees on classes of tobacco products
                                           nor could it determine how those firms                  expressly precludes manufacturers and                 beyond the six listed in section 919 of
                                           affect class allocations under section                  importers from paying a user fee in                   the FD&C Act, the Chevron analysis
                                           919(b)(2)(B) of the FD&C Act.                           excess of their percentage share. To                  need not proceed further. However, in
                                              In contrast, using the definitions for               prevent this, tobacco product classes                 the alternative, even if section 919 of the
                                           manufacturer and importer in the IRC,                   must be distinct, and cannot overlap.                 FD&C Act is ambiguous as to whether
                                           and as adopted in USDA’s and FDA’s                      Using the tobacco product definitions                 classes beyond the six may be subject to
                                           implementing regulations, allows FDA                    found in section 5702 of the IRC avoids               user fee assessments, FDA would adopt
                                           to make the necessary user fee                          double-billing firms because the classes              the same interpretation of the statute in
                                           allocations. This approach limits the                   are structured such that they are distinct            an exercise of its discretion. In
                                           entities to be assessed fees to those that              and non-overlapping. Thus, for the term               conducting this Chevron step two
                                           must obtain a permit from the Alcohol                   ‘‘each manufacturer and importer of                   analysis, the Agency has based its
                                           and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau                        tobacco products,’’ Congress intended                 conclusion on the same considerations
                                           (TTB) because they meet the definition                  FDA to use the term in the IRC and                    discussed previously as well as the
                                           of manufacturer of tobacco products or                  FETRA.                                                considerations discussed later in this
                                           importer under the IRC and its                             While the definitions in sections                  document (Bell Atlantic Telephone Co.
ehiers on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES




                                           implementing regulations (27 CFR 40.11                  201(rr) and 900 of the FD&C Act say                   v. FCC, 131 F.3d 1044, 1049 (D.C. Cir.
                                           and 41.11). Only these entities are                     they apply for the purposes of the FD&C               1997); Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. FERC, 193
                                           subject to Federal excise taxes under                   Act and chapter IX of the FD&C Act,                   F. Supp. 2d 54, 68 (D.D.C. 2002)). FDA’s
                                                                                                   respectively, this cannot be the case                 interpretation of section 919 of the
                                           products: Chewing tobacco and snuff. 21 U.S.C.          when doing so would run counter to the                FD&C Act as assessing user fees only on
                                           5702(c), (m).                                           statutory purpose of a particular                     the six classes of tobacco products listed


                                      VerDate Sep<11>2014   15:17 May 09, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00023   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\10MYR1.SGM   10MYR1


                                           28712               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 90 / Tuesday, May 10, 2016 / Rules and Regulations

                                           in section 919(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the FD&C                 listed in order to adjust the relative class          commenters’ Fifth Amendment
                                           Act is reasonable. (Chevron, USA, Inc. v.               percentages (and find authority under                 arguments here because the FD&C Act
                                           NRDC, Inc., supra at 843).                              section 919 to make such adjustments).                itself differentiates between the six
                                              FDA’s interpretation is consistent                   FDA could not use the common metric                   classes listed in section 919(b)(2)(B)(ii)
                                           with the text and statutory structure of                adopted by USDA and, subsequently, by                 and other tobacco product classes. As
                                           section 919. The statute requires FDA to                FDA in its 2014 final rule. This is based             explained, FDA is merely following
                                           use the FETRA percentages, and thus                     on the 2003 maximum Federal excise                    Congress’ intent as expressed in section
                                           the FETRA formula, to determine the                     tax rates, which do not exist for tobacco             919 of the FD&C Act.
                                           applicable percentages of the six classes               products beyond the six classes.                         (Comment 2) One comment stated
                                           listed in section 919(b)(2)(B)(i) of the                Further, because section 919(b)(2)(B)(ii)             that FDA should formulate a reasonable
                                           FD&C Act, but it gives no indication of                 of the FD&C Act states that the                       common metric to assess user fees on all
                                           the manner under which FDA could or                     applicable percentages for the six listed             regulated tobacco products, including
                                           should determine user fee allocations                   classes are the percentages from FETRA,               those not subject to excise taxes. This
                                           for any additional classes. By using the                for FDA to adjust those percentages                   comment said that a common metric
                                           FETRA framework, the applicable                         based on a novel common metric                        was needed to compare new classes of
                                           percentages for the six classes listed in               external to FETRA would violate the                   tobacco products with existing classes
                                           section 919(b)(2)(B)(ii) are determined                 statutory terms of that section.                      and suggested that FDA ‘‘could base its
                                           by a basic and predictable calculation.                    Some commenters argued that FDA                    calculations on total sales (in units) of
                                           In addition, the user fee calculation is                could and should abandon the tax-based                each tobacco product, using traditional
                                           based on the share of gross domestic                    methodology from FETRA altogether                     selling-sizes or weights of packages (e.g.,
                                           volume, which is inextricably linked to                 and create an entirely novel system                   20 cigarettes = 1 e-cigarette cartridge =
                                           the volume of tobacco products                          unrelated to taxes or tax rates for                   1 standard container of moist snuff = 4
                                           removed that are subject to Federal                     determining the applicable percentages                large cigars) to derive the conversion
                                           excise taxes—information that was                       for both new and existing tobacco                     factor necessary for market share
                                           readily available to FDA at the time the                product classes. However, this                        calculations.’’ Another comment stated
                                           Tobacco Control Act was enacted. For                    suggestion also falters against the plain             that FDA should develop a method for
                                           these six classes, Congress thus                        language of section 919(b)(2)(B)(ii) of               calculating user fees for deemed
                                           provided an easy-to-implement system                    the FD&C Act, which requires FDA to                   products, not within the six classes,
                                           that gives FDA relatively little                        use the FETRA percentages for the six                 before any deeming regulation takes
                                           discretion in determining the                           listed classes; deviating from FETRA’s                effect.
                                           assessments.                                            methodology for allocations would                        (Response) FDA disagrees with these
                                              As discussed previously, the class                   contradict the clear intent of Congress.              comments. As discussed in the response
                                           percentage for classes beyond the six                   Moreover, it is reasonable to conclude                to comment 1, section 919 of the FD&C
                                           cannot be determined pursuant to the                    that Congress did not intend FDA to                   Act prevents FDA from assessing and
                                           FETRA framework since those classes                     develop a new system that departs from                collecting user fees from manufacturers
                                           do not have volumes as defined in                       the methodology mandated by FETRA.                    and importers of deemed products other
                                           section 625(a) of FETRA. Thus, in order                 Any such system would necessarily be                  than cigars and pipe tobacco. Creating a
                                           to assess any user fees on any class of                 subjective, especially relative to the                common metric among all product
                                           tobacco products beyond the six listed                  system Congress established for the                   classes subject to FDA regulation would
                                           in section 919 of the FD&C Act, FDA                     enumerated six classes. As such, FDA’s                not change the requirements of section
                                           would need to demarcate a new set of                    interpretation is a reasonable                        919 of the FD&C Act that prevent FDA
                                           tobacco product classes among newly                     construction of the FD&C Act.                         from assessing user fees for deemed
                                           deemed tobacco products, and fashion                       We disagree with commenters that a                 products other than cigars and pipe
                                           an entirely novel framework for                         failure to assess fees on all deemed                  tobacco.
                                           determining class percentage allocations                tobacco products is arbitrary and                        (Comment 3) One comment stated
                                           and allocations within each class of                    capricious. FDA is implementing the                   that FDA should not adopt the USDA’s
                                           tobacco product. It would have to do                    system established by Congress, which                 retrospective calculation method for
                                           this against the backdrop of the range of               does not allow FDA to assess user fees                determining class percentage allocations
                                           tobacco products, including various                     for products outside the six classes.                 at Step A because of concerns that a
                                           types of ENDS (such as e-cigarettes, e-                 Even assuming section 919 of the FD&C                 regulation deeming additional products
                                           cigars, e-hookah, vape pens, personal                   Act is ambiguous regarding this point,                subject to FDA regulation could
                                           vaporizers, and electronic pipes), as                   for the reasons previously stated, FDA’s              dramatically alter class allocations from
                                           well as nicotine gels, nicotine                         interpretation here is reasonable. We                 year to year, and that class allocation
                                           toothpicks, etc.                                        also disagree with comments that                      calculations using this method will not
                                              Even if section 919 of the FD&C Act                  argued that FDA’s proposed scheme                     be an accurate reflection of each class’
                                           somehow allowed FDA to allocate                         amounts to a tax because there is no                  current percentage allocation. This
                                           percentages to and among additional                     tangible benefit to manufacturers and                 comment stated that small businesses
                                           classes, nothing in section 919 sets forth              importers required to make user fee                   may no longer be able to sell deemed
                                           the methodology FDA must, or even                       payments vis-à-vis those that are not, as            products withdrawn from the market
                                           could, use to calculate these percentages               required under the Independent Offices                due to premarket authorization
                                           or how FDA would obtain the necessary                   Appropriations Act (IOAA). Because                    requirements, but may still have to pay
                                           information for doing so. Since 100                     Congress granted FDA independent                      their share of their respective classes’
                                           percent of the total amount of user fees                statutory authority to assess user fees,              user fees. Other companies that market
ehiers on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES




                                           to be assessed are allocated among the                  the requirements of the IOAA do not                   grandfathered deemed products, the
                                           six classes listed in section                           apply. See American Medical Ass’n v.                  comment argued, would be forced to
                                           919(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the FD&C Act, FDA                   Reno, 857 F. Supp. 80, 84 (D.D.C. 1994);              pay a disproportionate share based upon
                                           would need to devise a common metric                    National Cable Television Ass’n, Inc. v.              a class determination that was
                                           for comparing each of these novel                       United States, 415 U.S. 336 (1974).                   calculated before the deeming
                                           tobacco product classes to those six                    Finally, we do not need to address                    regulation. The comment requested that


                                      VerDate Sep<11>2014   15:17 May 09, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00024   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\10MYR1.SGM   10MYR1


                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 90 / Tuesday, May 10, 2016 / Rules and Regulations                                           28713

                                           FDA include safeguards against                          asserted that using the amount of excise              system in which volume was
                                           inequitable retrospective user fee                      tax paid to determine percentage share                determined based on sticks.
                                           requirements or allow for the continued                 within the cigar class would favor                       In addition, we disagree that
                                           marketing of deemed products while                      importers over domestic manufacturers                 differences in user fee assessments
                                           their corresponding premarket                           because importers ‘‘can typically sell                across cigar types would be an
                                           applications are pending review.                        cigars to distributors at a lower price’’             unintended consequence of the FD&C
                                              (Response) FDA disagrees with this                   because they benefit from lower wages,                Act methodology and that it would be
                                           comment. FDA is unable to alter the                     taxes, and regulatory costs. The                      inequitable. Cigars are a heterogeneous
                                           user fee calculations required by section               commenter stated that actual units                    group of products, differing in such
                                           919 of the FD&C Act. In determining the                 (sticks) would better reflect true market             attributes as size and quality. The
                                           user fees to be assessed on each class of               share and using excise taxes paid to                  market for cigars is sufficiently
                                           tobacco products, section                               calculate percentage share would                      competitive that price differences
                                           919(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the FD&C Act                        increase incentives to move production                primarily reflect these product
                                           provides that the applicable percentage                 and jobs off-shore.                                   differences. It is not inequitable for
                                           for each tobacco product class shall be                    Another comment suggested that FDA                 products that differ greatly, as measured
                                           the percentage determined under                         consider the differences in taxation of               by market price, to pay different
                                           section 625(c) of FETRA for each such                   cigars compared with other taxable                    amounts of user fees. Moreover, the
                                           class of product for such fiscal year.                  classes of tobacco products and assess                statute expressly states that each cigar
                                           Relying on the initial allocation                       the rule’s ‘‘potentially inequitable                  manufacturer’s or importer’s percentage
                                           percentages in section 625(c) of FETRA,                 impact on cigar manufacturers and                     share must be calculated based on
                                           USDA calculated the yearly class                        importers.’’ The comment asserted that                excise taxes paid. Congress thus clearly
                                           allocations for each fiscal year based on               the different excise tax rates applied                intended that user fees for cigars would
                                           data about removals covering the most                   within the cigar class would have the                 vary depending on the excise taxes
                                           recent full calendar year (see 70 FR                    ‘‘unintended consequence’’ of causing                 imposed on cigars, which in turn vary
                                           7007). As such, FDA’s class allocations                 manufacturers and importers of similar                depending on the price and size of
                                           are calculated in the same manner.                      products to pay dramatically different                cigars.
                                           Section 919 also requires FDA to                        amounts in user fees. The commenter                   IV. Legal Authority
                                           calculate assessments on each                           further stated that large cigars have
                                           manufacturer and importer within a                                                                               Section 901 of the FD&C Act provides
                                                                                                   different first wholesale prices, and that            that chapter IX of the FD&C Act applies
                                           class on a quarterly basis using the prior
                                                                                                   some of these pricing differences are                 to all cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, roll-
                                           quarter’s tax removal data for products
                                                                                                   due to economies of scale or other                    your-own tobacco, and smokeless
                                           other than cigars and the prior fiscal
                                                                                                   efficiency factors. Companies with                    tobacco and to any other tobacco
                                           year’s tax removal data for cigars. While
                                                                                                   significant economies of scale would                  products that the Secretary of Health
                                           it is true that class allocations between
                                                                                                   benefit by paying lower user fees due to              and Human Services by regulation
                                           product classes and percentage shares
                                                                                                   their products being produced at lower                deems to be subject to this chapter. In
                                           between companies within product
                                                                                                   cost, while small manufacturers and                   accordance with section 901, FDA is
                                           classes can fluctuate throughout the
                                                                                                   importers would be disadvantaged.                     issuing the Deeming rule (published
                                           year, FDA cannot alter the required
                                           method of user fee calculations.                           (Response) FDA disagrees with the                  elsewhere in this issue of the Federal
                                              (Comment 4) One comment argued                       suggestion that it can use something                  Register) to extend FDA’s ‘‘tobacco
                                           that premium cigars should be exempt                    other than excise taxes to calculate the              product’’ authorities to products that
                                           from FDA regulation generally and user                  percentage share of manufacturers and                 meet the statutory definition of ‘‘tobacco
                                           fees specifically because FDA regulation                importers in the cigar class. Section                 product’’ in section 201(rr) of the FD&C
                                           would be disproportionately                             919(b)(5) of the FD&C Act specifies that              Act, except the accessories of these
                                           burdensome for the product segment, as                  ‘‘if a user fee assessment is imposed on              tobacco products. Section 919(b)(7) of
                                           exemplified by the new product (or                      cigars, the percentage share of each                  the FD&C Act requires that FDA ensure
                                           premarket) requirements that would be                   manufacturer or importer of cigars shall              we are able to determine the applicable
                                           triggered by the often minor ingredient                 be based on the excise taxes paid by                  percentages described in section
                                           variations intended to alter the taste and              such manufacturer or importer during                  919(b)(2) and the percentage shares
                                           aroma of a premium cigar.                               the prior fiscal year.’’ We acknowledge               described in section 919(b)(4). Section
                                              (Response) FDA disagrees with this                   that this method of calculating cigar                 909(a) of the FD&C Act authorizes FDA
                                           comment. In the Deeming rule, FDA                       manufacturers’ and importers’                         to issue regulations requiring tobacco
                                           concluded that all cigars should be                     percentage share depends on the excise                product manufacturers or importers to
                                           deemed subject to chapter IX of the                     tax rate and would result in                          make such reports and provide such
                                           FD&C Act and, in doing so, took into                    manufacturers and importers of small                  information as may be reasonably
                                           account the concerns about premarket                    cigars paying a lower dollar amount of                required to assure that their tobacco
                                           authorization requirements raised in                    user fees per stick than manufacturers                products are not adulterated or
                                           this comment. All cigars have been                      and importers of large cigars because                 misbranded and to otherwise protect
                                           deemed subject to FDA’s regulation and,                 large cigars are taxed at a higher rate               public health. Under section 902(4), a
                                           as such, are subject to user fees under                 than small cigars. However, we disagree               tobacco product is deemed to be
                                           section 919 of the FD&C Act.                            that this would favor importers over                  adulterated if the manufacturer or
                                           Furthermore, FDA lacks the authority to                 domestic manufacturers and that it                    importer of the tobacco product fails to
                                           exempt any portion of a class that has                  would encourage manufacturers to                      pay a user fee assessed to it under
ehiers on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES




                                           been deemed subject to chapter IX of the                move abroad. Low volume, higher                       section 919 of the FD&C Act. In
                                           FD&C Act from user fee requirements.                    priced cigars are both more expensive                 addition, section 701(a) of the FD&C Act
                                              (Comment 5) FDA received comments                    and largely manufactured abroad.                      (21 U.S.C. 371(a)) gives FDA general
                                           addressing the calculation of user fee                  Importers of the higher priced cigars                 rulemaking authority to issue
                                           assessments for domestic manufacturers                  would pay more in user fees under the                 regulations for the efficient enforcement
                                           and importers of cigars. One commenter                  FD&C Act methodology than under a                     of the FD&C Act. Consistent with these


                                      VerDate Sep<11>2014   15:17 May 09, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00025   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\10MYR1.SGM   10MYR1


                                           28714               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 90 / Tuesday, May 10, 2016 / Rules and Regulations

                                           authorities, FDA is issuing this rule,                  this final rule to result in any 1-year               burden. Included in the estimate is the
                                           which is intended to ensure that we are                 expenditure that would meet or exceed                 time for reviewing instructions,
                                           able to make the determinations                         this amount.                                          searching existing data sources,
                                           required by section 919 of the FD&C Act                    Under our baseline, FDA would                      gathering and maintaining the data
                                           and assess and collect tobacco product                  obtain the information necessary for                  needed, and completing and reviewing
                                           user fees.                                              collecting cigar and pipe tobacco user                each collection of information.
                                                                                                   fees directly from other Federal                        Title: Tobacco Products, User Fees,
                                           V. Environmental Impact                                 Agencies that collect such information.               Requirements for the Submission of
                                              The Agency has determined under 21                   Compared with this baseline, this final               Data Needed to Calculate User Fees for
                                           CFR 25.30(h) that this action is of a type              rule would impose both initial                        Domestic Manufacturers and Importers
                                           that does not individually or                           transition costs and monthly                          of Cigars and Pipe Tobacco.
                                           cumulatively have a significant effect on               information submission costs on                         Description: This final rule requires
                                           the human environment. Therefore,                       industry. There would also be an                      each domestic manufacturer and
                                           neither an environmental assessment                     approximately offsetting reduction in                 importer of cigars and pipe tobacco to
                                           nor an environmental impact statement                   government information collection                     submit to FDA information needed to
                                           is required.                                            costs. The net effect of this may be a                calculate and assess user fees under the
                                                                                                   small social cost or benefit. This final              FD&C Act.
                                           VI. Economic Analysis of Impacts
                                                                                                   rule would also allow FDA to have full                  The USDA collected information to
                                              FDA has examined the impacts of the                  access to the data needed for calculating
                                           final rule under Executive Order 12866,                                                                       calculate percentage share for its
                                                                                                   and billing user fees and would resolve               purposes and provided FDA with the
                                           Executive Order 13563, the Regulatory                   impediments that may otherwise exist
                                           Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 to 612), and                                                                    data FDA needs to determine user fee
                                                                                                   concerning FDA’s ability to use the data              assessments under the FD&C Act. USDA
                                           the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of                     for its intended purpose. This final rule
                                           1995 (Pub. L. 104–4). Executive Orders                                                                        ceased collecting this information at the
                                                                                                   can be expected to eliminate the                      end of fiscal year 2014. Consistent with
                                           12866 and 13563 direct Agencies to                      potential need for additional regulatory
                                           assess all costs and benefits of available                                                                    the requirements of the FD&C Act, this
                                                                                                   mechanisms to collect information and                 rule continues the submission of this
                                           regulatory alternatives and, when                       allow user fee assessment to proceed
                                           regulation is necessary, to select                                                                            information, but to FDA rather than
                                                                                                   more smoothly than it could otherwise.                USDA, and thus ensures that FDA
                                           regulatory approaches that maximize                        Compared to the baseline, the
                                           net benefits (including potential                                                                             continues to have the information
                                                                                                   estimated one-time private sector
                                           economic, environmental, public health                                                                        needed to calculate the amount of user
                                                                                                   transition cost is $159.36 per
                                           and safety, and other advantages;                                                                             fees assessed to each entity and collect
                                                                                                   manufacturer or importer, including
                                           distributive impacts; and equity). FDA                                                                        those fees. Section 919 of the FD&C Act
                                                                                                   small manufacturers and importers, and
                                           has determined that this final rule is a                                                                      establishes the user fee allocation and
                                                                                                   the annual compliance cost is $2,549.76.
                                           significant regulatory action under                                                                           collection process, which references the
                                                                                                   One option for regulatory relief would
                                           Executive Order 12866.                                                                                        FETRA framework for determining
                                                                                                   be to exempt firms from reporting in a
                                              The Regulatory Flexibility Act                                                                             tobacco product class allocations and
                                                                                                   particular month if they did not
                                           requires Agencies to analyze regulatory                                                                       individual domestic manufacturer or
                                                                                                   introduce any units of any tobacco
                                           options that would minimize any                                                                               importer allocations. As was required by
                                                                                                   products for which user fees are
                                           significant impact of a rule on small                                                                         USDA under FETRA, the final rule
                                                                                                   assessed into domestic commerce.
                                           entities. The potential impact on small                                                                       requires domestic manufacturers and
                                                                                                   Another option for regulatory relief
                                           entities is uncertain, and FDA is unable                                                                      importers of tobacco products to submit
                                                                                                   would be to require submission of either
                                           to rule out the possibility that this final                                                                   to FDA each month a form with
                                                                                                   the FDA form or copies of forms
                                           rule may have a significant economic                                                                          summary information and copies of the
                                                                                                   submitted to other Agencies. The full
                                           impact on a substantial number of small                                                                       reports or forms that relate to the
                                                                                                   analysis of economic impacts is
                                           entities.                                                                                                     tobacco products removed into domestic
                                                                                                   available as Ref. 1 in Docket No. FDA–
                                              Section 202(a) of the Unfunded                                                                             commerce.
                                                                                                   2012–N–0920 and at http://
                                           Mandates Reform Act of 1995 requires                    www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/                                   Description of Respondents: Domestic
                                           that Agencies prepare a written                         ReportsManualsForms/Reports/                          manufacturers and importers of newly
                                           statement, which includes an                            EconomicAnalyses/default.htm.                         deemed tobacco products.
                                           assessment of anticipated costs and                                                                             The information collection provisions
                                           benefits, before proposing ‘‘any rule that              VII. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995                  in this final rule have been submitted to
                                           includes any Federal mandate that may                     This final rule contains information                OMB for review as required by section
                                           result in the expenditure by State, local,              collection provisions that are subject to             3507(d) of the PRA. The requirements
                                           and tribal governments, in the aggregate,               review by the Office of Management and                were approved and assigned OMB
                                           or by the private sector, of $100,000,000               Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork                      control number 0910–0749. This
                                           or more (adjusted annually for inflation)               Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA) (44                   approval expires on July 31, 2017.
                                           in any one year.’’ The current threshold                U.S.C. 3501–3520). The title,                           An Agency may not conduct or
                                           after adjustment for inflation is $144                  description, and respondent description               sponsor, and a person is not required to
                                           million, using the most current (2014)                  of the information collection provisions              respond to, a collection of information
                                           Implicit Price Deflator for the Gross                   are shown in the following paragraphs                 unless it displays a currently valid OMB
                                           Domestic Product. FDA does not expect                   with an estimate of the annual reporting              control number.
ehiers on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES




                                      VerDate Sep<11>2014   15:17 May 09, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00026   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\10MYR1.SGM   10MYR1


                                                                      Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 90 / Tuesday, May 10, 2016 / Rules and Regulations                                                                                               28715

                                                                                                        TABLE 1—ESTIMATED ANNUAL REPORTING BURDEN 1
                                                                                                                                                                       No. of
                                                                                                                                           No. of                                             Total annual                 Hours per
                                                                          21 CFR section                                                                          responses per                                                                    Total hours
                                                                                                                                        respondents                                            responses                   response
                                                                                                                                                                    respondent

                                           1150.5(a), (b)(1), (b)(2), and FDA Form 3852 (Ref. 2)
                                             General identifying information provided by manufactur-
                                             ers and importers of FDA regulated tobacco products
                                             and Identification and removal information (monthly) ......                                                 135                          12                    1,620                             3           4,860
                                           1150.5(b)(3) Certified Copies (monthly) ..............................                                        135                          12                    1,620                             1           1,620
                                           1150.13 Submission of user fee information (Identifying in-
                                             formation, fee amount, etc. (quarterly) .............................                                      2 68                            4                      272                           1              272
                                           1150.15(a) Submission of user fee dispute (annually) ........                                                     1                          1                        1                          10               10
                                           1150.15(d) Submission of request for further review of dis-
                                             pute of user fee (annually) ...............................................                                     1                         1                           1                       10                10

                                                Total ..............................................................................   ........................   ........................   ........................   ........................          6,772
                                              1 There    are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of information.
                                              2 This   figure was rounded to the nearest tenth.


                                              Table 1 describes the annual reporting                                 respondents reflects an average number                                         1. Regulatory Impact Analysis. Available
                                           burden of 6,772 hours as a result of the                                  of domestic manufacturers and                                               at: http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/
                                           provisions set forth in this proposed                                     importers who may be subject to fees                                        ReportsManualsForms/Reports/
                                                                                                                     each fiscal quarter. FDA assumes half                                       EconomicAnalyses/default.htm.
                                           rule. Our estimated number of 135
                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Form FDA 3852.
                                           newly deemed respondents (335 total                                       the number of respondents will submit
                                           tobacco entities) is based on 2013                                        quarterly payments to the Agency.                                           List of Subjects in 21 CFR Part 1150
                                           summary information obtained from the                                     Based on our experience with the                                              Tobacco products, User fees.
                                           Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade                                         assessment of user fees for other FDA-
                                                                                                                                                                                                   Therefore, under the Federal Food,
                                           Bureau (TTB) regarding the number of                                      regulated products, we estimate that
                                                                                                                                                                                                 Drug, and Cosmetic Act and under
                                           permitted manufacturers and importers.                                    approximately one respondent might
                                                                                                                                                                                                 authority delegated to the Commissioner
                                           As referenced previously, the PRA                                         appeal an assessment, and one
                                                                                                                                                                                                 of Food and Drugs, 21 CFR part 1150 is
                                           burden for currently regulated products                                   respondent will request for further
                                                                                                                                                                                                 amended to read as follows:
                                           was previously approved by OMB. The                                       review of their dispute.
                                           burden analysis for that collection                                                                                                                   PART 1150—USER FEES
                                                                                                                     VIII. Federalism
                                           assumed 200 respondents would submit
                                           user fees. Therefore given our updated                                       FDA has analyzed this final rule in                                      ■  1. The authority citation for part 1150
                                           estimate of 335 entities, the total                                       accordance with the principles set forth                                    is revised to read as follows:
                                           number of new deemed tobacco entities                                     in Executive Order 13132. FDA has                                             Authority: 21 U.S.C. 371, 387a, 387b, 387i,
                                           is 135 (335 ¥ 200 = 135). FDA estimates                                   determined that the rule does not                                           387s, 21 CFR 1100.1.
                                           that there are 113 cigar manufacturers                                    contain policies that would have                                            ■ 2. In § 1150.3, revise the definition for
                                           and 74 pipe tobacco manufacturers, as                                     substantial direct effects on the States,                                   ‘‘Units of product’’ to read as follows:
                                           well as 216 importers of cigars and 43                                    on the relationship between the
                                           importers of pipe tobacco. However,                                       National Government and the States, or                                      § 1150.3         Definitions.
                                           these estimates from TTB reflect that in                                  on the distribution of power and                                            *     *     *    *    *
                                           2013 there were 135 total permitted                                       responsibilities among the various                                            Units of product means:
                                           manufacturers and 200 permitted                                           levels of government. Accordingly, the                                        (1) The number of sticks for cigarettes
                                           importers over all tobacco product types                                  Agency has concluded that the rule does                                     and cigars, or
                                           for which TTB collects excise taxes                                       not contain policies that have                                                (2) The weight (measured in pounds)
                                           (including cigarettes, cigars, snuff,                                     federalism implications as defined in                                       for snuff, chewing tobacco, pipe
                                           chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, and roll-                                  the Executive order and, consequently,                                      tobacco, and roll-your-own tobacco.
                                           you-own tobacco, excluding electronic                                     a federalism summary impact statement                                       *     *     *    *    *
                                           nicotine delivery systems). This total is                                 is not required.
                                           less than the sum across all tobacco                                                                                                                  § 1150.5         [Amended]
                                                                                                                     IX. References
                                           product types because some                                                                                                                            ■ 3. Amend § 1150.5 by:
                                           manufacturers and importers produce or                                      The following references have been                                        ■ a. Removing from the first sentence of
                                           import more than one type of tobacco                                      placed on display in the Division of                                        paragraph (a) the phrases ‘‘that is
                                           product (we subsequently refer to these                                   Dockets Management (HFA–305), Food                                          subject to regulation under chapter IX of
                                           entities as polymanufacturers and                                         and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers                                       the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
                                           polyimporters). As the number of cigar                                    Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852,                                        Act’’ and ‘‘beginning October 2014’’.
                                           and pipe tobacco manufacturers cannot                                     and may be seen by interested persons                                       ■ b. Adding paragraphs (c) and (d) to
                                           exceed the number of permitted entities,                                  between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday                                           read as follows:
                                           we use 335 as an upper bound estimate                                     through Friday, and are available
ehiers on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES




                                           of the number of affected entities. The                                   electronically at http://                                                   § 1150.5         Required Information.
                                           estimate of 135 respondents reflects                                      www.regulations.gov. FDA has verified                                       *     *      *    *      *
                                           both reports of no removal into                                           the Web site address, as of the date this                                     (c) First report for cigars. Domestic
                                           domestic commerce and reports of                                          document publishes in the Federal                                           manufacturers and importers of cigars
                                           removal of tobacco product into                                           Register, but Web sites are subject to                                      must submit the information described
                                           domestic commerce. The estimate of 68                                     change over time.                                                           in this section beginning no later than


                                      VerDate Sep<11>2014       15:17 May 09, 2016          Jkt 238001       PO 00000       Frm 00027       Fmt 4700        Sfmt 4700      E:\FR\FM\10MYR1.SGM                10MYR1


                                           28716               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 90 / Tuesday, May 10, 2016 / Rules and Regulations

                                           the 20th day of August, 2016. Domestic                  domestic manufacturers and importers                  II. Background Information and
                                           manufacturers and importers of cigars                   paid for the class for the prior fiscal               Regulatory History
                                           must submit the information described                   year.                                                    The Snake Creek Bridge in
                                           in this section for each of the prior                   *     *    *      *     *                             Islamorada, Florida, has a vertical
                                           months of fiscal year 2016 as their first                                                                     clearance of 27 feet in the closed
                                                                                                     Dated: May 3, 2016.
                                           monthly submission. The previous                                                                              position. The normal operating schedule
                                           sentence only applies for the first report              Leslie Kux,
                                                                                                   Associate Commissioner for Policy.                    as published in 33 CFR 117.331 is on
                                           in fiscal year 2016.                                                                                          demand except that from 8 a.m. to 4
                                             (d) First report for pipe tobacco.                    [FR Doc. 2016–10688 Filed 5–5–16; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                                                                         p.m., the draw need open only on the
                                           Domestic manufacturers and importers                    BILLING CODE 4164–01–P
                                                                                                                                                         hour and half-hour. This schedule has
                                           of pipe tobacco must submit the                                                                               been in effect since 2001.
                                           information described in this section                                                                            On March 27, 2015, we published a
                                           beginning no later than the 20th day of                 DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND                                test deviation entitled Drawbridge
                                           August, 2016.                                           SECURITY                                              Operation Regulations; Snake Creek;
                                           *     *     *      *    *                                                                                     Islamorada, FL, in the Federal Register
                                                                                                   Coast Guard
                                           ■ 4. In § 1150.7, revise paragraph (a)(1)                                                                     (80 FR 16280). We received 63
                                           and add paragraph (a)(2) to read as                     33 CFR Part 117                                       comments on the test deviation. No
                                           follows:                                                                                                      public meeting was requested, and none
                                                                                                   Docket No. USCG–2015–0046                             was held.
                                           § 1150.7   Yearly class allocation.
                                                                                                   RIN 1625–AA09                                            On September 18, 2015, we published
                                           *       *    *     *     *                                                                                    a temporary interim rule and request for
                                              (a) * * *                                            Drawbridge Operation Regulation;                      comments entitled Drawbridge
                                              (1) Except for cigars, FDA will                      Snake Creek; Islamorada, FL                           Operation Regulations; Snake Creek;
                                           multiply the units of product removed                                                                         Islamorada, FL, in the Federal Register
                                           and not tax exempt for the most recent                  AGENCY:    Coast Guard, DHS.                          (80 FR 56381). We received 98
                                           full calendar year by the 2003 maximum                  ACTION:   Final rule.                                 comments on the temporary interim
                                           Federal excise tax rate for that class                                                                        rule. No public meeting was requested,
                                           (class dollar figure).                                  SUMMARY:   The Coast Guard is modifying               and none was held.
                                              (2) For cigars, FDA will:                            the operating schedule that governs the
                                              (i) Multiply the units of small cigars               Snake Creek Bridge across Snake Creek,                III. Legal Authority and Need for Rule
                                           removed and not tax exempt for the                      at Islamorada, FL. This final rule                       The Coast Guard is issuing this rule
                                           most recent full calendar year by the                   changes the drawbridge operating                      under authority 33 U.S.C. 499.
                                           2003 maximum Federal excise tax rate                    schedule for the Snake Creek Bridge by                   Based on the following input, the
                                           for small cigars (small cigar subclass                  requiring it to open once an hour                     Coast Guard initiated a test of a new
                                           dollar figure).                                         between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. The Bridge                  schedule for the Snake Creek Bridge on
                                              (ii) Multiply the units of large cigars              Owner, Florida Department of                          May 27, 2015:
                                           removed and not tax exempt for the                      Transportation and Local officials                       1. As reported by village and city
                                           most recent full calendar year by the                   requested this action to assist in                    councils, vehicle traffic caused by
                                           2003 maximum Federal excise tax rate                    reducing vehicle traffic backups caused               frequent openings of the Snake Creek
                                           for large cigars (large cigar subclass                  by bridge openings.                                   Bridge negatively impacted Islamorada
                                           dollar figure).                                         DATES: This rule is effective June 9,                 and surrounding communities. The
                                              (iii) Add the small cigar subclass                   2016.                                                 temporary deviation successfully tested
                                           dollar figure and the large cigar subclass                                                                    a new bridge operation schedule that
                                                                                                   ADDRESSES:   To view documents
                                           dollar figure (cigar class dollar figure).                                                                    reduced vehicle traffic caused by bridge
                                                                                                   mentioned in this preamble as being
                                           *       *    *     *     *                              available in the docket, go to http://                openings.
                                           ■ 5. In § 1150.9, revise paragraph (a)(1)               www.regulations.gov, type ‘‘USCG–                        2. On January 8–10, 2013, the Florida
                                           and add paragraph (a)(2) to read as                     2015–0046’’ in the ‘‘SEARCH’’ box and                 Department of Transportation
                                           follows:                                                click ‘‘SEARCH.’’ Click on Open Docket                conducted a traffic monitoring study
                                                                                                   Folder on the line associated with this               1400 feet south of the Snake Creek
                                           § 1150.9 Domestic manufacturer or                                                                             Bridge on US–1. The study found peak
                                           importer assessment.
                                                                                                   rulemaking.
                                                                                                                                                         traffic volumes occurring around 08:45
                                                                                                   FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If
                                           *     *     *     *     *                                                                                     a.m. and between 12:15 p.m. and 3:15
                                             (a) * * *                                             you have questions on this rule, call or
                                                                                                                                                         p.m. These peak traffic times were used
                                             (1) For each class of tobacco products                email Coast Guard Sector Key West
                                                                                                                                                         to determine when the Snake Creek
                                           except cigars, FDA will calculate the                   Waterways Management Division;
                                                                                                                                                         Bridge opening schedule could be
                                           percentage share for each domestic                      telephone 305–292–8772, email D07-
                                                                                                                                                         limited to reduce traffic.
                                           manufacturer and importer by dividing                   DG-SECKW-WaterwaysManagement@
                                                                                                                                                            3. The Coast Guard’s review found
                                           the Federal excise taxes that it paid for               uscg.mil.
                                                                                                                                                         that the types of vessels navigating
                                           the class for the prior quarter by the                  SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                            Snake Creek include sport fishing
                                           total excise taxes that all domestic                    I. Table of Abbreviations                             vessels and catamaran sailboats. Many
                                           manufacturers and importers paid for                                                                          of these vessels are able to safely transit
                                           the class for that same quarter.                        CFR Code of Federal Regulations                       under the Bridge in the closed position.
ehiers on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES




                                             (2) For the cigar class, FDA will                     DHS Department of Homeland Security
                                                                                                   E.O. Executive order                                  IV. Discussion of Comments, Changes
                                           calculate the percentage share for each                 FR Federal Register
                                           domestic manufacturer and importer by                                                                         and the Final Rule
                                                                                                   NPRM Notice of proposed rulemaking
                                           dividing the Federal excise taxes that it               Pub. L. Public Law                                      During the comment periods for the
                                           paid for the class for the prior fiscal year            § Section                                             temporary deviation and the temporary
                                           by the total excise taxes that all                      U.S.C. United States Code                             interim rule 161 comments were


                                      VerDate Sep<11>2014   15:17 May 09, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00028   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\10MYR1.SGM   10MYR1



Document Created: 2016-05-10 05:19:35
Document Modified: 2016-05-10 05:19:35
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionRules and Regulations
ActionFinal rule.
DatesThis rule is effective August 8, 2016. Domestic manufacturers and importers of cigars and pipe tobacco must begin submitting data required by Sec. 1150.5 (21 CFR 1150.5) to FDA no later than the 20th day of August, 2016.
ContactPaul Hart, Food and Drug Administration, Center for Tobacco Products, Document Control Center, Bldg. 71, Rm. G335, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20993- 0002; 1-877-287-1373, [email protected]
FR Citation81 FR 28707 
RIN Number0910-AG81
CFR AssociatedTobacco Products and User Fees

2025 Federal Register | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
USC | CFR | eCFR