(a) The Board's programs and expenses shall be paid by assessments on manufacturers for the U.S. market, other income of the Board, and other funds available to the Board.

(b) Subject to the exemptions specified in § 1217.53, each manufacturer for the U.S. market shall pay an assessment to the Board at the rate of $0.41 per thousand board feet of softwood lumber, except that no person shall pay an assessment on the first 15 million board feet of softwood lumber otherwise subject to assessment in a fiscal year. Domestic manufacturers shall pay assessments based on the volume of softwood lumber shipped within the United States and importers shall pay assessments based on the volume of softwood lumber imported to the United States.

(c) At least 24 months after the Order becomes effective and periodically thereafter, the Board shall review and may recommend to the Secretary, upon an affirmative vote by at least a majority of Board members plus two (exclusive of vacant seats), a change in the assessment rate. In no event may the rate be less than $0.35 per thousand board feet nor more than $0.50 per thousand board feet. A change in the assessment rate is subject to rulemaking by the Secretary.

(d) Domestic manufacturers shall remit to the Board the amount due no later than the 30th calendar day of the month following the end of the quarter in which the softwood lumber was shipped.

(e) Domestic product that cannot be categorized in the Harmomized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) numbers listed in paragraph (h) of this section if it were an import is not covered under this Order.

(f) Softwood lumber originating in the United States that is exported to another country and shipped back to the United States is covered under this Order, provided that it can be categorized in the HTSUS numbers listed in paragraph (h) of this section.

(g) Each importer of softwood lumber shall pay through Customs to the Board an assessment on softwood lumber imported into the United States as described in section 804(a) of Title VIII of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1202-1683g), provided that it can be categorized in the HTSUS numbers listed in paragraph (h) of this section.

(h) The HTSUS categories and assessment rates on imported softwood lumber are listed in the following table. The assessment rates are computed using the following conversion factors: One cubic meter (m3) equals 0.423776001 thousand board feet, and one square meter (m2) equals 0.010763104 thousand board feet. Accordingly, the assessment rate per cubic meter and square meter is as follows.

(i) In the event that any HTSUS number subject to assessment is changed and such change is merely a replacement of a previous number and has no impact on the description of the softwood lumber involved, assessments will continue to be collected based on the new number.

(j) If Customs does not collect an assessment from an importer, the importer is responsible for paying the assessment directly to the Board no later than the 30th calendar day of the month following the end of the quarter in which the softwood lumber was imported.

(k) Articles brought into the United States temporarily and for which an exemption is claimed under subchapter XIII of chapter 98 of the HTSUS are not covered under this Order. If assessments are collected by Customs for these products, the importer may apply to the Board for a refund of assessments.

(l) When a domestic manufacturer or importer fails to pay the assessment within 60 calendar days of the date it is due, the Board may impose a late payment charge and interest. The late payment charge and rate of interest shall be prescribed in regulations issued by the Secretary. All late assessments shall be subject to the specified late payment charge and interest. Persons failing to remit total assessments due in a timely manner may also be subject to actions under Federal debt collection procedures.

(m) The Board may accept advance payment of assessments from any manufacturer for the U.S. market that will be credited toward any amount for which that person may become liable. The Board may not pay interest on any advance payment.

(n) If the Board is not in place by the date the first assessments are to be collected, the Secretary shall receive assessments and shall pay such assessments and any interest earned to the Board when it is formed.