Department of Commerce March 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On March 1, 2005, the Department of Commerce (the ``Department'') published a notice in the Federal Register (70 FR 9916) announcing the formation of the Strengthening America's Communities Advisory Committee (the ``Committee'') and soliciting nominations for persons to serve on the Committee. The March 1, 2005 notice provides that all nominations of potential members must be received by the Department no later than 4 p.m. (EST) on March 11, 2005. The March 1, 2005 notice also provides additional information concerning the Committee and membership on the Committee. On March 11, 2005, the Department published a notice in the Federal Register (70 FR 12180) extending the deadline for submitting nominations of potential members until 4 p.m. (EST) on March 25, 2005. This notice reopens the nomination period from 4:01 p.m. (EST) on March 25, 2005 until 4 p.m. (EST) on April 1, 2005, in order to provide the public with a final opportunity to submit nominations. Other than extending the deadline for submitting nominations, the evaluation criteria for selecting members and the specific instructions for submitting nominations contained in the March 1, 2005 notice shall continue to apply.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, NMFS announces the availability of a Record of Decision (ROD) regarding a final environmental impact statement(FEIS) that was prepared to determine whether future action is needed to minimize to the extent practicable possible adverse effects of fishing, that are more than minimal and not temporary in nature, on Atlantic herring essential fish habitat (EFH) and of Atlantic herring fishing on the EFH of other managed species. The FEIS was prepared to address EFH requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). This ROD documents the decision by NMFS that No Action is required at this time to minimize potential adverse effects of fishing on EFH.

On November 26, 2004, the Department of Commerce (the Department) published the preliminary results of the changed circumstances review and intent to reinstate the Tianjin Chemicals Import and Export Corporation (Tianjin) in the antidumping duty order on exports of sebacic acid from the People's Republic of China (PRC). See Sebacic Acid From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of Changed Circumstances Review and Intent to Reinstate the Antidumping Duty Order, 69 FR 68879 (November 26, 2004) (Preliminary Results). This review covers subject merchandise exported by Tianjin. The products covered by this order are all grades of sebacic acid which include, but are not limited to, CP Grade, Purified Grade, and Nylon Grade (see ``Scope of the Review'' section below). The period of review (POR) is July 1, 2002, through June 30, 2003. Based on our analysis of the comments received, we have made changes in the margin calculation. Therefore, the final results differ from the preliminary results. We determine that Tianjin sold subject merchandise at less than normal value (NV) during the referenced period, and hereby reinstate Tianjin in the order. The final weighted-average dumping margin is listed below in the section entitled ``Final Results of Review.''

NMFS announces changes to management measures in the commercial and recreational Pacific Coast groundfish fisheries. These actions, which are authorized by the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP), will allow fisheries to access more abundant groundfish stocks while protecting overfished and depleted stocks. This action also contains corrections to the Pacific Coast groundfish management measures.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2005 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock specified for the West Yakutat District of the GOA.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

On January 31, 2005, the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') published in the Federal Register (70 FR 4818) a notice announcing the initiation of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on honey from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). The period of review (``POR'') is December 1, 2003, to November 30, 2004. This review is now being rescinded for Kunshan Foreign Trading Company, High Hope International Group Jiangsu Foodstuffs Import & Export Corp., Henan Native Produce Import & Export Corporation, Shanghai Xiuwei International Trading Co., Ltd., Shanghai Shinomiel International Trade Corporation, Foodworld International Club, Ltd., and Inner Mongolia Youth Trade Development Co., Ltd., because the only requesting party withdrew its request in a timely manner.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Habitat Advisory Panel in April 2005. Recommendations from the panel will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

NMFS proposes to allow any agent or employee of NMFS, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the U.S. Coast Guard, or any other Federal land or water management agency, or any agent or employee of a state agency responsible for fish and wildlife who, when acting in the course of his or her official duties, is a member of the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN), to take endangered sea turtles encountered in the marine environment if such taking is necessary to aid a stranded endangered sea turtle, or dispose a dead endangered sea turtle, or salvage a dead endangered sea turtle that may be useful for scientific and educational purposes. This action is necessary to provide equal conservation and protection measures to stranded endangered sea turtles as is afforded for threatened sea turtles under 50 CFR 223.206.

NMFS is reopening directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to utilize the remaining amount of the 2005 first seasonal allowance of the Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) specified for catcher vessels using trawl gear in the BSAI.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is reviewing the recommendations contained in the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General Report entitled ``Deemed Export Controls May Not Stop the Transfer of Sensitive Technology to Foreign Nationals in the U.S.'' (Final Inspection Report No. IPE-16176-March 2004). Certain of these recommendations would require regulatory changes that would affect existing requirements and policies for deemed export licenses. BIS is seeking comments on how these revisions would affect industry, the academic community, and U.S. government agencies involved in research.

Notice is hereby given that the NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO), 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Ste. 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814, has been issued a permit to take green (Chelonia mydas), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles for purposes of scientific research.

On September 1, 2004, the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') initiated a sunset review of the countervailing duty finding on sugar from the European Community (``the Community'') pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (``the Act''). See Notice of Initiation of Five-Year (``Sunset'') Review, 69 FR 53408 (September 1, 2004). On the basis of a notice of intent to participate filed on behalf of the domestic interested parties and adequate substantive comments filed on behalf of the domestic interested parties and the Community, the Department is conducting a full sunset review of the countervailing duty finding on sugar from the Community. As a result of this sunset review, the Department preliminarily finds that revocation of the countervailing duty finding would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of countervailable subsidies. The net countervailabe subsidy rate and the nature of the subsidy are identified in the ``Preliminary Results of Review'' section of this notice.

On September 27, 2004, NMFS announced that the Assistant Regional Administrator, Northeast Region, NOAA Fisheries (Assistant Regional Administrator) was proposing to issue Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs) in response to an application submitted by the University of Rhode Island, Department of Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Science (URI). These EFPs would allow three commercial fishing vessels to conduct a bycatch reduction study in the directed haddock bottom trawl fishery, using side-by-side tows to compare the control net with one experimental large-mesh net. The Federal Register notification announcing these EFPs had an incorrect end date of November 2005. This notice is intended to inform the public that the corrected end date is December 2005.

The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) is requesting nominations of individuals to serve on the Census Advisory Committee on the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Populations. The Census Bureau will consider nominations received in response to this notice as well as from other sources. The SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice provides Committee and membership criteria.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).