The Mexican Embassy announced that Agustin Carstens, Mexico’s Secretary of Finance; and Samuel Bodman, U.S. Secretary of Energy; have signed a Memorandum of Understanding by which the U.S. Energy Department will provide technical and material assistance to Mexico Customs to install nuclear and radioactive detection technology in Mexico’s Customs Ports.

    In recent years, Mexico Customs has invested substantial financial resources in the installation of x ray and gamma ray equipment in those Customs Ports with the highest volumes of operation. This non-intrusive inspection equipment is used to examine inbound and outbound shipments without the need to open containers, railcars or trucks; hence, it allows Mexico Customs to achieve higher levels of effectiveness and efficiency in its clearance processes.

    As a result of the implementation of this agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy, Mexico Customs will be able to install the most advanced nuclear and radioactive detection technology, allowing Mexico’s Customs Ports to be among the world’s most secured and efficient.

    During the signing ceremony, Carstens stated that “with this agreement, Mexico Customs will not only increase its security and efficiency levels, which are among its main responsibilities, but also, and undoubtedly, Mexico will enhance its competitiveness level. He added that “this agreement shows the strong spirit of cooperation between Mexico and the United States, and it underscores the importance assigned to the North American Security and Prosperity Partnership initiatives.”

    Juan José Bravo, Mexico Customs Administrator General, stated that “the first set of equipment will be deployed at Mexico’s four busiest seaports, namely Manzanillo and Lázaro Cárdenas on the Pacific seashore, and Altamira and Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico. He added that, “as of today, 92 percent of Mexico’s maritime trade is cleared through these four Customs seaports and in the future similar equipment could be deployed at other seaports, land ports and airports.”

    Also, in addition to the systems and equipment being donated by the U.S. Department of Energy, Mexico Customs personnel will be trained by U.S. experts.

    Mexico Customs officials, jointly with their U.S. counterparts, are developing North American standardized operational procedures to respond to emergencies and to unusual levels of radiation readings. Such procedures will be tested in Mexico once the equipment, subject of this agreement, is installed. It is expected that the first set of equipment will be deployed and operational by the end of this year.

El Paso port of entry

    A $26.6 million project to add nine new pedestrian inspection lanes and two additional vehicular inspection lanes at the Paso Del Norte port of entry was announced in El Paso, Texas recently. U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, General Services Administration officials, and the mayors of El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, Chih. joined U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials for the announcement and formal ground breaking ceremony.

    The project also will remodel and substantially increase the size of existing structures at the port, add new office space, and replace existing kennel facilities. The 900-day construction project is to be completed in June 2009.

    The most visible past of the project for the traveling public will the addition of numerous inspection lanes. When the project is completed, the port will have 14 pedestrian inspection lanes (up from 5) and 11 vehicular inspection lanes (up from 9). Approximately 16,700 northbound pedestrians and 9,200 northbound cars are now processed at the facility on a daily basis.

    General construction, the removal of the existing head house and the addition of new inspection lanes will require the closing of some vehicular lanes during the project. A minimum of four lanes will be available to northbound traffic during the duration of the project and additional lanes will be made available for use as soon as construction allows. CBP officials plan to utilize various traffic management principles to keep traffic flowing as quickly as possible during the project while maintaining their anti-terror mission.

    In addition to the new lanes, the project will upgrade and almost double in size the existing 30,309 square foot administration building by providing 25,955 square feet of additions to the building. Plans also call for a new 14,311 square foot dog kennel to house 60-canines at the northeast end of the facility. The existing dog kennel building will be renovated to create office space for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Other changes include the construction of a bus lane next to the administration building, a new TABC kiosk and booth, and enhanced parking and access.

More El Paso updates

    Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Michael C. Kostelnik, assistant commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine office, has appointed Michael H. Wimberly as director of CBP’s air operations branch in El Paso.

    Wimberly is a second-generation Border Patrol agent with 24 years of service. He graduated from the U.S. Border Patrol Academy in August 1983 with Class 155 and began his career in El Centro, Calif. Most recently, Wimberly served as acting deputy assistant commissioner, CBP Air and Marine, at CBP Air and Marine Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

    Wimberly is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and is a commercial and instrument-rated airplane pilot and a helicopter pilot.

    In May 2006, during Wimberly’s tour of duty at headquarters, Commissioner Basham selected him for the position of director of CBP El Paso Air Operations Branch. The El Paso Air Branch area of responsibility includes west Texas and New Mexico with operational CBP Air Unit detachments at El Paso, Albuquerque and Deming.

e-Manifest

    Truck carriers entering the United States through all land border ports of entry in California, New Mexico, and Texas are now required to transmit advance electronic truck cargo information or e-manifest through U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s truck manifest system. This expansion means that e-manifest will be required at all southern land border ports.

    “The implementation of a mandatory e-manifest policy is just one of many steps CBP is taking to fulfill its twin goals of ensuring border security and facilitating legitimate trade,” said Lou Samenfink, executive director for CBP’s Cargo Systems Program Office. “With advance access to truck cargo information, CBP officers are able to pre-screen trucks and shipments, and dedicate more time to inspecting suspicious cargo without delaying the border crossings of legitimate carriers.”

    CBP intends to exercise enforcement discretion in the form of informed compliance notices to carriers who arrive without submitting or attempting to submit an e-manifest. This enforcement discretion will be followed by enforcement action against carriers who fail to participate. These actions will take the form of a denial of permission to proceed into the United States or monetary penalties of up to $10,000 for violation of the Trade Act of 2002.

    CBP intends, for a short period of time during this first enforcement phase, to continue to exercise limited enforcement discretion for those carriers attempting to file e-manifests. Following this period of transition, CBP will begin enforced compliance.