CBP to Expand PGA Message Set Pilot to Include EPA Notices of Arrival

CBP will expand its test of the Participating Government Agency (PGA) Message Set in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) to include some additional electronic filings required by the Environmental Protection Agency, said CBP in a notice (here). CBP said the test will allow for electronic filings of EPA Notices of Arrival (NOA) of Pesticides and Devices. The new capability will satisfy the EPA requirements for formal and informal consumption entries, the agency said. The updated pilot will begin no earlier than April 15, it said.

Within the pilot, the electronic NOAs "will be filed once through the single window with both EPA and CBP for pre-arrival using the PGA Message Set," it said. "This will eliminate these separate paperwork filings to both agencies for participating importers and as a result, reduce the overall paperwork burden on the importer and port associated with these EPA regulated shipments. It will also significantly reduce the initial processing/review time for the NOAs (often from days to minutes), provide consistency of this review across all EPA regions, and eliminate the delivery service charges for the paper form." The test will only include entries from the ocean and rail environments, though truck and air will be included in later stages, it said. This modified test is expected to last about two years, the agency said. CBP announced the pilot in 2013 (see 13121219).

(Federal Register 2/4/15)