Department of Commerce March 11, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Commerce has made a final determination that countervailable subsidies are not being provided to producers or exporters of live swine from Canada.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a three-day Council meeting on March 29-31, 2005, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Department of Commerce publishes this interim final rule to implement a Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis (SIMA) System, originally outlined in the President's March 5, 2002, Proclamation on Steel Safeguards.\1\ SIMA, as fully implemented by this interim final rule, contains modifications made in light of comments received in response to an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) published on August 25, 2004.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will host, in conjunction with the American National Standards Institute, a public workshop from 9 a.m. to noon on April 15, 2005, at the Department of Commerce, Herbert C. Hoover Building, 14th Street and Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The purpose of the workshop is to raise awareness of the effort currently underway to complete the United States Standards Strategy; to engage stakeholders in a dialogue of its principles, strategic initiatives and tactics; and to invite public comment. The results of the workshop discussions will be included in a compilation of public comments and considered in a final draft of the U.S. Standards Strategy. There is no charge for the workshop, but pre-registration is required. To register electronically, please send an e-mail message containing the attendee's name, title, organization, telephone, telefax and e-mail address to nancy.evans@nist.gov or call 301-975-4000.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. app. 2, notice is hereby given that the Advanced Technology Program Advisory Committee, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), will meet Tuesday, March 22, 2005, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Advanced Technology Program Advisory Committee is composed of nine members appointed by the Director of NIST; who are eminent in such fields as business, research, new product development, engineering, education, and management consulting. The purpose of this meeting is to review and make recommendations regarding general policy for the Advanced Technology Program (ATP), its organization, its budget, and its programs within the framework of applicable national policies as set forth by the President and the Congress. The agenda will include presentations on Insights from the Task Force on Innovation; Science and Technology in Austria: Small County, Great Expectations; Survey of ATP Applicants 2002; and Insights from ``Innovate America: National Innovation Initiative Report. A discussion scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and to end at 3 p.m. on March 22, 2005, on ATP budget issues will be closed. Agenda may change to accommodate Committee business. All visitors to the National Institute of Standards and Technology site will have to pre-register to be admitted. Please submit your name, time of arrival, e-mail address and phone number to Donna Paul no later than Friday, March 18 and she will provide you with instructions for admittance. Ms. Paul's e-mail address is donna.paul@nist.gov and her phone number is 301/975-2162.

NMFS has evaluated the joint resource management plan (RMP) for harvest of Puget Sound chinook salmon provided by the Puget Sound Treaty Tribes and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) pursuant to the protective regulations promulgated for Puget Sound chinook salmon under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The RMP specifies the management of commercial, recreational and tribal salmon fisheries and steelhead net fisheries that potentially affect listed Puget Sound chinook salmon from May 1, 2004, through April 30, 2010. The co-managers propose that the resource management plan be in effect for six years, from May 1, 2004, through April 30, 2010. However, a biological opinion issued by NMFS on June 10, 2004, titled ``Effects of Programs Administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs supporting tribal salmon fisheries management in Puget Sound and Puget Sound salmon fishing activities authorized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services during the 2004 fishing season'', is effective through April 30, 2005. Therefore, NMFS' evaluation and determination under the ESA 4(d) rule will only address May 1, 2005 to April 30, 2010, of the proposed duration of the RMP. This document serves to notify the public that NMFS, by delegated authority from the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), has determined pursuant to the Tribal Rule and the government-to-government processes therein that implementing and enforcing the RMP from May 1, 2005, to April 30, 2010, will not appreciably reduce the likelihood of survival and recovery of the Puget Sound chinook salmon Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU).

The NMFS publishes this notice to extend the application deadline for the Western Pacific Demonstration Projects initiative. The original solicitation was published in the Federal Register on February 1, 2005. NOAA extends the application deadline for this initiative from March 15, 2005, to April 4, 2005, to provide the public more time to submit proposals. All other requirements for this solicitation remain the same.