SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Delegations of Authority

Pursuant to Treasury Order 120-01 (formerly 221), dated June 6, 1972, the Secretary of the Treasury delegated to the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the authority to enforce, among other laws, the provisions of chapter 52 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (IRC). The Director has subsequently redelegated certain of these authorities to appropriate subordinate officers by way of various means, including by regulation, ATF delegation orders, regional directives, or similar delegation documents. As a result, to ascertain what particular officer is authorized to perform a particular function under such provisions, each of these various delegation instruments must be consulted. Similarly, each time a delegation of authority is revoked or redelegated, each of the delegation documents must be reviewed and amended as necessary.

ATF has determined that this multiplicity of delegation instruments complicates and hinders the task of determining which ATF officer is authorized to perform a particular function. ATF also believes these multiple delegation instruments exacerbate the administrative burden associated with maintaining up-to-date delegations, resulting in an undue delay in reflecting current authorities.

Accordingly, this final rule rescinds all authorities of the Director in part 44 that were previously delegated and places those authorities with the “appropriate ATF officer.” Most of the authorities of the Director that were not previously delegated are also placed with the “appropriate ATF officer.” Along with this final rule, ATF is publishing ATF Order 1130.31, Delegation of the Director's Authorities in 27 CFR part 44, which delegates certain of these authorities to the appropriate organizational level. The effect of these changes is to consolidate all delegations of authority in part 44 into one delegation instrument. This action both simplifies the process for determining what ATF officer is authorized to perform a particular function and facilitates the updating of delegations in the future. As a result, delegations of authority will be reflected in a more timely and user-friendly manner.

In addition, this final rule also eliminates all references in the regulations that identify the ATF officer with whom an ATF form is filed. This is because ATF forms will indicate the officer with whom they must be filed. Similarly, this final rule also amends part 44 to provide that the submission of documents other than ATF forms (such as letterhead applications, notices and reports) must be filed with the “appropriate ATF officer” identified in ATF Order 1130.31. These changes will facilitate the identification of the officer with whom forms and other required submissions are filed.

This final rule also makes various technical amendments to Subpart A—Scope of Regulations of 27 CFR part 44. Specifically, § 44.3 is added to recognize the authority of the Director to delegate regulatory authorities for all of part 44 and identifies ATF Order 1130.31 as the instrument reflecting such delegations. Also, § 44.2 is amended to provide that the instructions for an ATF form identify the ATF officer with whom it must be filed.

ATF has made or will make similar changes in delegations to all other parts of Title 27 of the Code of Federal Regulations through separate rulemakings.

Inventory Provisions

This final rule eliminates all references to an ATF region, which were comprised of certain States for ATF administrative purposes. As a result, we have eliminated § 44.110 and part of § 44.146 which required an export warehouse proprietor to take an inventory of tobacco products when a factory moves from one region to another. Besides the fact that ATF is no longer organized by regions, ATF may require a manufacturer to take an inventory of tobacco products at any time under the provisions of § 44.145. Such times may include any change in the location of a factory. Consequently, ATF does not believe that such a specific requirement is presently needed to protect the revenue.

Corrections And Miscellaneous Changes

Throughout 27 CFR part 44, we have revised the numbers relating to ATF forms to reflect the correct numbers as shown on the following table:

In § 44.143(a) we have removed what an export warehouse proprietor must report on ATF Form 5220.3 and with whom it must be filed. This ATF form specifies what an export warehouse proprietor must report and contains instructions for filing.

In § 44.243 we have removed the last sentence. This sentence referred to bond form 2100 which no longer exists and to a regulation that was eliminated over 40 years ago.

We have amended §§ 44.222 and 44.224 to remove references to stamps denoting the payment of tax. Since 1959 (Treasury Decision 6832, 24 FR 4225), we have not required the use of such stamps on tobacco products. In the past, the use of such stamps on tobacco products evidenced the payment of Federal excise tax under section 5701 Title 26 of the United States Code. These two sections involved the destruction of the stamps when a claim for allowance of drawback was filed.

Paperwork Reduction Act

The provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35, and its implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 1320, do not apply to this final rule because there are no new or revised recordkeeping or reporting requirements.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

Because no notice of proposed rulemaking is required for this rule, the provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) do not apply. A copy of this final rule was submitted to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration in accordance with 26 U.S.C. 7805(f). No comments were received.

Executive Order 12866

It has been determined that this rule is not a significant regulatory action because it will not: (1) Have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more or adversely affect in a material way the economy, a sector of the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the environment, public health or safety, or State, local or tribal governments or communities; (2) create ( printed page 30801) a serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with an action taken or planned by another agency; (3) materially alter the budgetary impact of entitlements, grants, user fees, or loan programs or the rights and obligations of recipients thereof; or (4) raise novel legal or policy issues arising out of legal mandates, the President's priorities, or the principles set forth in Executive Order 12866.

Administrative Procedure Act

Because this final rule merely makes technical amendments and conforming changes to improve the clarity of the regulations, it is unnecessary to issue this final rule with notice and public procedure under 5 U.S.C. 553(b). Similarly it is unnecessary to subject this final rule to the effective date limitation of 5 U.S.C. 553(d).

Drafting Information

The principal author of this document is Robert Ruhf, Regulations Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Authority and Issuance

For the reasons set forth in the preamble, title 27, Code of Federal Regulations is amended as follows:

Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 44 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 26 U.S.C. 5142, 5143, 5146, 5701, 5703-5705, 5711-5713, 5721-5723, 5731, 5741, 5751, 5753, 5754, 6061, 6065, 6151, 6402, 6404, 6806, 7011, 7212, 7342, 7606, 7805, 31 U.S.C. 9301, 9303, 9304, 9306.

Par. 2. Amend § 44.2 by:

a. Removing the word “Director” and adding, in substitution, the words “appropriate ATF officer” in the first sentence of paragraph (a).

b. Adding a sentence at the end of paragraph (a) and revising paragraph (b) to read as follows:

Par. 3. Add § 44.3 to read as follows:

Par. 4. Amend § 44.11 by:

a. Removing the definitions of “Associate Director (Compliance Operations)”, “ATF officer”, “Region”, and “Regional Director (compliance)''; and

b. Adding the definition of “Appropriate ATF officer” to read as follows:

Par. 5. Add the word “appropriate” before the words “ATF officer” or “ATF officers” each place they appear in the following places:

a. Section 44.35(c);

b. The heading and text of § 44.70;

c. Section 44.71;

d. The last sentence of § 44.142(e);

e. Section 44.143(b);

f. Section 44.145;

g. The last sentence of § 44.147;

h. Section 44.150;

i. The second sentence of § 44.199;

j. The last sentence of § 44.201;

k. Section 44.225;

l. The second sentence of § 44.257;

m. The last sentence of § 44.266; and

n. The last sentence of § 44.267.

Par. 6. In the sixth sentence of § 44.62 remove the words “regional director (compliance) for the region from which the articles were shipped” and add, in substitution, the words “appropriate ATF officer”.

Par. 7. Remove the first sentence of § 44.66 and add, in substitution, two sentences to read as follows:

Par. 8. Remove the words “Director” and add, in substitution, the words “appropriate ATF officer” each place they appear in the following places:

a. The introductory text of § 44.72 and the fifth, sixth and seventh sentences of § 44.72(c);

b. The introductory text of § 44.73 and the fourth and last sentence of § 44.73(c); and

c. Section 44.184.

Par. 9. Remove the words “do so, in triplicate, to the regional director (compliance) for transmittal to the Director” and add, in substitution, the words “the appropriate ATF officer” in the following places:

a. The third sentence of § 44.72(c); and

b. The fifth sentence of § 44.73(c).

Par. 10. Revise the first sentence of § 44.82 to read as follows:

Par. 11. Remove the words “same regional director (compliance)” each place they appear and add, in substitution, the words “appropriate ATF officer” in the following places:

a. The last sentence of § 44.83; and

b. The last sentence of § 44.84.

Par. 12. In the first sentence of § 44.86 add the numbers and parentheses “(5220.5)” after the numbers “2103”.

Par. 13. In the last sentence of § 44.87 remove the number and the words “1534 and furnished to the regional director (compliance) and add, in substitution, the number and words “5000.8 in accordance with its instructions.”

Par. 14. Remove the words “regional director (compliance)” and add, in substitution, the words “appropriate ATF officer” each place they appear in the following places:

a. Section 44.91;

b. Section 44.92;

c. The last sentence of § 40.104;

d. Section 44.105;

e. Section 44.106;

f. Section 44.112;

g. Section 44.121(b);

h. Section 44.123;

i. Section 44.124;

j. Section 44.125;

k. Section 44.127;

l. Section 44.129(a);

m. The second sentence of § 44.153;

n. The first sentence of § 44.154;

o. Section 44.161;

p. Section 44.162;

q. Section 44.210;

r. The first sentence of § 44.213;

s. Section 44.223;

t. The last sentence of § 44.226;

u. Section 44.228;

v. The last sentence of § 44.230;

w. Section 44.231;

x. Section 44.232;

y. Section 44.242;

z. Section 44.244;

aa. Section 44.245; and

bb. Section 44.246.

Par. 15. Revise § 44.93 to read as follows:

Par. 16. Add the numbers and parentheses “(5200.16)” after the number “2098” each place they appear in the following places:

a. Section 44.101;

b. Section 44.102;

c. Section 44.103;

d. Section 44.108;

e. Section 44.109; and

f. Section 44.111.

Par. 17. Section 44.108 is amended by:

a. Revising the heading to read as set forth above; and

b. Removing the words “within the same region” and the words and punctuation “, to the regional director (compliance)”.

Par. 18. Remove and reserve § 44.110.

Par. 19. In the first sentence of § 44.124 remove the word “administrator”.

Par. 20. In § 44.126, add the numbers and parentheses “(5000.7)” after the number “2105”.

Par. 21. In § 44.143, remove the last sentence of paragraph (a) and remove paragraphs (a)(1) and (2).

Par. 22. In § 44.144, remove the words “as indicated thereon by the regional director (compliance)”.

Par. 23. In § 44.146, remove the words and punctuation “, changes his location to another region,”.

Par. 24. In the first sentence of § 44.147, remove the words and punctuation “, to the regional director (compliance),”.

Par. 25. Amend § 44.152 by:

a. In the second sentence removing the words “regional director (compliance) for the region in which the warehouse is located” and adding, in substitution, the words “appropriate ATF officer”; and

b. Revising the third and remaining sentences to read as follows:

Par. 26. Remove the words “with the regional director (compliance)” in each of the following places:

a.The first sentence of § 44.153; and

b.The first sentence of § 44.243.

Par. 27. Revise the third sentence of § 44.154 to read as follows:

Par. 28. In the first sentence of § 44.199 remove the words “regional director (compliance) for the region in which is located the factory or warehouse from which the shipment is removed” and add, in substitution, the words “appropriate ATF officer”.

Par. 29. Remove the words “his regional director (compliance)” and add, in substitution, the words “the appropriate ATF officer” each place it occurs in the following places:

a. The second sentence of § 44.200;

b. The second sentence of § 44.201;

c. The last sentence of § 44.202;

d. The last sentence of § 44.203;

e. The last sentence of § 44.204;

f. Section 44.205(b)(3);

g. The last sentence of § 44.206;

h. The third sentence of § 44.207;

i. The last sentence of § 44.207a;

j. The last sentence of § 44.208;

k. The first sentence of § 44.209;

l. The last sentence of § 44.212; and

m. The last sentence of § 44.213.

Par. 30. In the last sentence of § 44.212 remove the word “he” and add, in substitution, the words “such officer”.

Par. 31. Remove the words “an ATF officer” or “the ATF officer” and add, ( printed page 30803) in substitution, the words “an appropriate ATF officer” or “the appropriate ATF officer”, respectively, each place they appear in the following places:

a. In the first and third sentences of § 44.213;

b. In the second sentence of § 44.226.

Par. 32. Revise § 44.222 to read as follows:

Par. 33. In the first sentence of § 44.223 add the numbers and parentheses “(5200.17)” after the numbers “2148”.

Par. 34. Revise § 40.224 to read as follows:

a. In the first sentence of § 44.243 add the numbers and parentheses “(5200.15) after the numbers “2104”; and

b. Removing the last sentence.

a. The last sentence of § 44.258;

b. The last sentence of § 44.259;

c. The last sentence of § 44.260;

d. The last sentence of § 44.261;

e. The last sentence of § 44.262;

f. The third sentence of § 44.263;

g. The last sentence of § 44.264;

h. The last sentence of § 44.264a;

i. The last sentence of § 44.265; and

j. The first sentence of § 44.267.

Par. 41. In the last sentence of § 44.264 remove the number “2149” and add, in substitution, the number “5200.14”.