CLA-2-85:OT:RR:NC:N1:112
Michael Caseley
President
Seajet Express Inc.
24 Cokesbury Rd.
Suite 20
Lebanon, NJ 08833
RE: The tariff classification of water blocking tracer wire from an unspecified country of origin
Dear Mr. Caseley:
In your letter dated October 26, 2012, you requested a tariff classification ruling.
The item concerned is called “Trace-Safe” which is the brand name for a water blocking tracer wire. This tracer wire is an insulated electric conductor. It consists of a tinned copper wire within a polyethylene jacket that is surrounded by water blocking yarns and a high tenacity woven polyester strength elements. This entire assembly is then incased within a 30 mil abrasion resistant HDPE outer jacket. The outer jacket is color coded for use in different situations. This tracer wire has a 300 volt rating.
This wire has been designed and color coded to mark the underground location of gas, water, sewer, telecommunication lines, etc. In use this wire would be buried along side the various underground pipes or lines. If in the future it became necessary to dig or excavate in the area where the buried pipes/lines were located it would be extremely important to be able to determine the exact location of the buried pipes/lines. In order to avoid hitting those lines/pipes when digging or excavating a site, the user would be able to run a voltage through the tracer wire, then using a special detector the user could follow the path of the buried lines/pipes.
The applicable subheading for the “Trace-Safe” water blocking tracer wire will be 8544.49.3080, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), which provides for “Insulated wire…: Other electric conductors, for a voltage not exceeding 1,000 V: Other: Other: Of copper: Other”. The general rate of duty is 5.3%.
Duty rates are provided for your convenience and are subject to change. The text of the most recent HTSUS and the accompanying duty rates are provided on World Wide Web at http://www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/.
This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Part 177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177).
A copy of the ruling or the control number indicated above should be provided with the entry documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If you have any questions regarding the ruling, contact National Import Specialist Steven Pollichino at (646) 733-3008.
Sincerely,
Thomas J. Russo
Director
National Commodity Specialist Division