82 FR 30807 - Extension of Port Limits of Savannah, GA

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 126 (July 3, 2017)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is proposing to extend the geographical limits of the port of entry of Savannah, Georgia. The proposed extension will make the boundaries more easily identifiable to the public and will allow for uniform and continuous service to the extended area of Savannah, Georgia. The proposed change is part of CBP's continuing program to use its personnel, facilities, and resources more efficiently and to provide better service to carriers, importers, and the general public.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 126 (Monday, July 3, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 30807-30808]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13983]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

19 CFR Part 101

[Docket No. USCBP-2017-0017]


Extension of Port Limits of Savannah, GA

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland 
Security.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is proposing to 
extend the geographical limits of the port of entry of Savannah, 
Georgia. The proposed extension will make the boundaries more easily 
identifiable to the public and will allow for uniform and continuous 
service to the extended area of Savannah, Georgia. The proposed change 
is part of CBP's continuing program to use its personnel, facilities, 
and resources more efficiently and to provide better service to 
carriers, importers, and the general public.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 1, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Please submit comments, identified by docket number, by one 
of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments via docket number 
USCBP-2017-0017.
     Mail: Trade and Commercial Regulations Branch, Office of 
Trade, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 90 K Street NE., 10th Floor, 
Washington, DC 20229-1177.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number for this rulemaking. All comments received will be 
posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov. Submitted comments 
may be inspected during regular business days between the hours of 9 
a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Trade and Commercial Regulations Branch, 
Regulations and Rulings, Office of Trade, Customs and Border 
Protection, 90 K Street NE., 10th Floor, Washington, DC 20229-1177. 
Arrangements to inspect submitted comments should be made in advance by 
calling Mr. Joseph Clark at (202) 325-0118.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roger Kaplan, Office of Field 
Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, (202) 325-4543, or by 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Public Participation

    Interested persons are invited to participate in this rulemaking by 
submitting written data, views, or arguments on all aspects of the 
proposed rule. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) also invites 
comments that relate to the economic, environmental, or federalism 
effects that might result from this proposed rule. Comments that will 
provide the most assistance to CBP will reference a specific portion of 
the proposed rule, explain the reason for any recommended change, and 
include data, information, or authority that support such recommended 
change.

II. Background

    As part of its continuing efforts to use CBP's personnel, 
facilities, and resources more efficiently, and to provide better 
service to carriers, importers, and the general public, CBP is 
proposing to extend the limits of the Savannah, Georgia port of entry. 
The CBP ports of entry are locations where CBP officers and employees 
are assigned to accept entries of merchandise, clear passengers, 
collect duties, and enforce the various provisions of customs, 
immigration, agriculture, and related U.S. laws at the border. The term 
``port of entry'' is used in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) in 
title 8 for immigration purposes and in title 19 for customs purposes. 
For immigration purposes, Savannah, Georgia port of entry is classified 
as a Class A port in District 26 under 8 CFR 100.4(a).\1\ For customs 
purposes, CBP regulations list designated CBP ports of entry and the 
limits of each port in 19 CFR 101.3(b)(1).
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    \1\ Ports of entry for immigration purposes are currently listed 
at 8 CFR 100.4.
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    Savannah, Georgia was designated as a customs port of entry by the 
President's message of March 3, 1913, concerning a reorganization of 
the U.S. Customs Service pursuant to the Act of August 24, 1912 (37 
Stat. 434; 19 U.S.C. 1). Executive Order 8367, dated March 5, 1940, 
established specific geographical boundaries for the port of entry of 
Savannah, Georgia.
    The current boundaries of the Savannah port of entry begin at the 
intersection of US Highway 17 and Little Back River on the line between 
South Carolina and Georgia; thence in a general southeasterly direction 
through the Little Back River, Back River, Savannah River and South 
Channel to the mouth of St. Augustine Creek, a distance of 11.6 miles; 
thence in a straight line in a southwesterly direction to the 
intersection of Moore Avenue and DeRenne Avenue, a distance of 5.8 
miles; thence in a straight line in a westerly direction to the 
intersection of Middle Ground Road and DeRenne Avenue, a distance of 
2.7 miles; thence in a straight line in a westerly direction to the 
intersection of Garrard Avenue and Ogeechee Road, a distance of 2.4 
miles; thence in a straight line in a northwesterly direction to the 
intersection of Louisville Road and Bourne Avenue, a distance of 6.2 
miles; thence in a straight line in a northeasterly direction to the 
intersection of Augusta Road and Augustine Creek, a distance of 4.8 
miles; thence in a general easterly direction along Augustine Creek to 
the Savannah River, a distance of 2.4 miles; thence in a straight line 
in an easterly direction to the Chatham County line on Coastal Highway 
and Little Back River (the point of the beginning), a distance of 1.4 
miles. CBP has included a map of the current port limits in the docket 
as ``Attachment: Port of Entry of Savannah (blue lines).''
    Travel modes, trade volume, and transportation infrastructure have 
expanded greatly since 1940. For example, much of Savannah-Hilton Head 
International Airport is located beyond the current port limits, 
including the site of the proposed replacement Federal Inspection 
Service facility for arriving international travelers. Similarly, 
distribution centers and cold storage agricultural facilities that 
support the seaport are located outside existing port limits. As a 
result, the greater Savannah area's trade and travel communities do not 
know with certainty if they will be able to receive CBP services if 
they build facilities on the region's remaining undeveloped properties, 
almost all outside the boundaries of the port of entry.
    To address these concerns regarding the geographic limits of the 
port, CBP is proposing to amend 19 CFR 101.3(b)(1) to extend the 
boundaries of the port of entry of Savannah, Georgia, to include the 
majority of Chatham County, Georgia, as well as a small portion of 
Jasper County, South Carolina. The

[[Page 30808]]

update will also provide uniform and continuous service to the extended 
area of Savannah, Georgia, and respond to the needs of the trade and 
travel communities. Further, the extension of the boundaries will 
include all of Savannah-Hilton Head Airport, the distribution centers 
and cold storage agricultural facilities, as well as the site of the 
proposed replacement Federal Inspection Service facility for arriving 
international travelers, and any other projected new facilities. 
However, the proposed change in the boundaries of the port of Savannah, 
Georgia, will not result in a change in the service that is provided to 
the public by the port and will not require a change in the staffing or 
workload at the port.

III. Proposed Port Limits of Savannah, Georgia

    The new port limits of Savannah, Georgia, are proposed as follows:
    From 32[deg]14.588' N.--081[deg]08.455' W. (where Federal 
Interstate Highway 95 crosses the South Carolina-Georgia state line) 
and extending in a straight line to 32[deg]04.903' N.--080[deg]04.998' 
W. (where Walls Cut meets Wright River and Turtle Island); then 
proceeding in a straight line to 31[deg]52.651' N.--081[deg]03.331' W. 
(where Adams Creek meets Green Island South); then proceeding northwest 
in a straight line to 32[deg]00.280' N.--081[deg]17.00' W. (where 
Highway 204 intersects Federal Interstate Highway 95); then proceeding 
along the length of Federal Interstate Highway 95 to the point of 
beginning at the state line. CBP has included a map of the proposed 
port limits in the docket as ``Attachment: Port of Entry of Savannah 
(red lines).''

IV. Inapplicability of Notice and Public Procedure Requirements

    CBP routinely establishes, expands, and consolidates ports of entry 
throughout the United States to accommodate the volume of CBP-related 
activity in various parts of the country. This proposed amendment is 
not subject to the notice and public procedure requirements of 5 U.S.C. 
553 because it relates to agency management and organization (5 U.S.C. 
553(a)(2) and 553(b)(3)(A)). Notwithstanding the above, CBP generally 
provides the public with an opportunity to comment on the 
establishment, expansion and consolidation of ports of entry.

V. Statutory and Regulatory Reviews

A. Executive Orders 12866, 13563 and 13771

    Executive Orders 12866 (``Regulatory Planning and Review'') and 
13563 (``Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review'') direct agencies 
to assess the costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives 
and, if regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that 
maximize net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, 
public health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity). 
Executive Order 13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both 
costs and benefits, of reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of 
promoting flexibility. Executive Order 13771 (``Reducing Regulation and 
Controlling Regulatory Costs'') directs agencies to reduce regulation 
and control regulatory costs and provides that ``for every one new 
regulation issued, at least two prior regulations be identified for 
elimination, and that the cost of planned regulations be prudently 
managed and controlled through a budgeting process.''
    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has not designated this 
rule a significant regulatory action under section 3(f) of Executive 
Order 12866. Accordingly, OMB has not reviewed it. As this rule is not 
a significant regulatory action, this rule is exempt from the 
requirements of Executive Order 13771. See OMB's Memorandum ``Guidance 
Implementing Executive Order 13771, Titled `Reducing Regulation and 
Controlling Regulatory Costs''' (April 5, 2017).
    The proposed change is intended to expand the geographical 
boundaries of the Savannah, Georgia, port of entry, and make the 
boundaries more easily identifiable to the public. There are no new 
costs to the public associated with this rule.

B. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et. seq.), as amended 
by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement and Fairness Act of 1996, 
requires agencies to assess the impact of regulations on small 
entities. A small entity may be a small business (defined as any 
independently owned and operated business not dominant in its field 
that qualifies as a small business per the Small Business Act); a small 
not-for-profit organization; or a small governmental jurisdiction 
(locality with fewer than 50,000 people).
    This proposed rule merely expands the limits of an existing port of 
entry and does not impose any new costs on the public. Accordingly, we 
certify that this rule would not have a significant economic impact on 
a substantial number of small entities.

C. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995

    This rule will not result in the expenditure by State, local, and 
tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100 
million or more in any one year, and it will not significantly or 
uniquely affect small governments. Therefore, no actions are necessary 
under the provisions of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995.

D. Executive Order 13132

    The rule will not 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. Therefore, in accordance with section 6 of Executive 
Order 13132, this rule does not have sufficient federalism implications 
to warrant the preparation of a federalism summary impact statement.

E. Signing Authority

    The signing authority for this document falls under 19 CFR 0.2(a) 
because the extension of port limits is not within the bounds of those 
regulations for which the Secretary of the Treasury has retained sole 
authority. Accordingly, this notice of proposed rulemaking may be 
signed by the Secretary of Homeland Security (or his delegate).

VI. Authority

    This change is proposed under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 301; 6 
U.S.C. 101, et seq.; 19 U.S.C. 2, 66, 1202 (General Note 3(i), 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States), 1623, 1624, 1646a.

VII. Proposed Amendment to the Regulations

    If the proposed port limits for Savannah, Georgia, are adopted, CBP 
will amend 19 CFR 101.3(b)(1) as necessary to reflect the new port 
limits.

    Dated: June 27, 2017.
Elaine C. Duke,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-13983 Filed 6-30-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9111-14-P