Lacey Act enforcement delayed

Furniture importers must comply in July

Heath E. Combs -- Furniture Today, October 9, 2008

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has postponed the date for enforcement of new Lacey Act import declarations that will include wood furniture items.

The Act, which prohibits trafficking in illegal wildlife, was amended earlier this year to protect a broader range of plant products, and specifically to help combat illegal logging.

The new law requires importers to declare the origin and species of wood products. It was scheduled to begin phasing in Dec. 15.

But enforcement for initial products affected by the amendments was postponed until April 1. Enforcement for wood furniture will begin on July 1.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection is developing a system to collect data that will be declared and hopes to complete the system by April 1.

Once the system is ready, enforcement will be phased-in. Penalties for violating the act can include fines, incarceration or forfeiture of products.

The Department of Agriculture will host a public meeting on implementation from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Oct. 14.

Russ Batson, vice president of government affairs for the American Home Furnishings Alliance, will attend the hearing and will voice questions and concerns from members of the industry trade group.

The Lacey Act, enacted in 1900 and significantly amended in 1981, is the United States' oldest wildlife protection statute.

The Environmental Investigation Agency, a non-profit Washington- and United Kingdom-based environmental watchdog group and one of the main sponsors of the amendments, told Furniture/Today earlier this year that it was most focused on illegal wood coming from several regions, including Russia and Indonesia.

Click here to read a Furniture/Today story on the act's adoption.