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

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.

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.

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)).

This notice announces receipt of an application for an exempted fishing permit (EFP) from John Gauvin and John Gruver. If granted, this permit would be used to continue the development and testing of a salmon excluder device in the Bering Sea pollock trawl fishery. It is intended to promote the objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP) by developing a method for reducing salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock trawl fishery.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council announces its intention to hold scoping meetings to seek public comment on issues to be addressed when developing Amendment 1 to the Tilefish Fishery Management Plan pursuant to the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976, as amended. The purpose of these scoping meetings is to solicit input on management issues to be included in Amendment 1. It is anticipated that the following issues will be discussed at these meetings: the possible implementation of an individual fishing quota system; consideration of possible new methods to collect landings information for the commercial fishery; recreational management measures; a required minimum hook size and/or hook configuration in the commercial tilefish fishery; and, methods to allow new entrants into the commercial fishery as the stock recovers.

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)).

The Technology Administration invites representatives from the high technology industry in the United States to participate in a half- day workshop to discuss the latest advances in Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to include: the benefits of RFID, technology development efforts, current and future applications, and privacy and security considerations.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) invites interested parties to attend a pre-consortium meeting on July 14, 2005 to be held on the NIST campus. The goal of the one-day meeting is to evaluate industry interest in creating a NIST/industry consortium focused on the materials science of fire resistive materials for structural steel. The goals of such a consortium would include the development of measurement methods for the thermal and adhesion properties of fire resistive materials, tools for the characterization of their three-dimensional microstructure, and linkages between microstructure and the above-mentioned performance properties. The consortium would be supervised and administered by NIST. Consortium research and development would be conducted by NIST staff members along with at least one technical representative from each participating member company. It is estimated that membership fees for participation in the consortium would be on the order of Twenty-five Thousand ($25,000) per year. The initial term of the consortium is intended to be three years.

The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) invites and requests nominations of organizations for appointment to the 2010 Census Advisory Committee (2010 CAC). The SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for this notice provides information about the objectives and duties of the advisory committee and membership criteria.

NMFS issues this proposed rule to implement Amendment 15 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic (FMP). This proposed rule would establish a limited access system for the commercial fishery for Gulf and Atlantic migratory group king mackerel by capping participation at the current level. The proposed rule also would change the fishing year for Atlantic migratory group king and Spanish mackerel to be March through February. The intended effects of this proposed rule are to provide economic and social stability in the fishery by preventing speculative entry into the fishery and to mitigate adverse impacts associated with potential quota closures.

NMFS issues this final rule, correcting amendment to the regulations governing the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands crab fisheries. This action is necessary to correct Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control numbers for information collections previously approved under the Paperwork Reduction Act provided under an earlier rulemaking. This final rule in no way alters or amends those previously approved information collections. The sole purpose of this final rule is to display the appropriate control numbers for the approved information collections.

NMFS reduces the commercial trip limit of Atlantic group Spanish mackerel in or from the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the southern zone to 500 lb (227 kg) per day. This trip limit reduction is necessary to maximize the socioeconomic benefits of the quota.

NMFS issues an inseason adjustment opening directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 630 of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) for 12 hours effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 10, 2005, until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., March 10, 2005. This adjustment is necessary to allow the fishing industry opportunity to harvest pollock without exceeding the B season allowance of the 2005 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock specified for Statistical Area 630 of the GOA.

On February 14, 2005, the U.S. Department of Commerce (the Department) published the final results of its administrative review of the antidumping duty order on stainless steel sheet and strip in coils from Italy for the period July 1, 2002, through June 30, 2003. See Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils from Italy: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 70 FR 7472 (February 14, 2005) (Final Results) and accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum. We are amending our Final Results to correct a ministerial error alleged by Allegheny Ludlum, AK Steel Corporation, Butler Armco Independent Union, J&L Specialty Steel, Inc., North American Stainless, United Steelworkers of America, AFL-CIO/CLC, and Zanesville Armco Independent Organization (collectively, petitioners) pursuant to section 751(h) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act).

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.

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.

The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972, as amended, requires the Secretary of Commerce to prepare a conservation plan for any species or stock designated as depleted under that Act. The Cook Inlet stock of beluga whales was designated as depleted on May 31, 2000, and this Conservation Plan is being written to promote the conservation and recovery of these whales. The goal of this Conservation Plan (Plan) will be met when the Cook Inlet stock of beluga whales are no longer considered depleted under the MMPA.

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

The NOAA Science Advisory Board (SAB) was established by a Decision Memorandum dated September 25, 1997, and is the only Federal Advisory Committee with responsibility to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere on long- and short-range strategies for research, education, and application of science to resource management and environmental assessment and prediction. SAB activities and advice provide necessary input to ensure that science programs are of the highest quality and provide optimal support the NOAA mission. Time and Date: The meeting will be held Tuesday, March 22, 2005, from 10:15 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. and Wednesday, March 23, 2005, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. These times and the agenda topics described below may be subject to change. Refer to the Web page listed below for the most up- to-date meeting agenda. Place: The meeting will be held both days in the Staff Auditorium at the National Geographic Society Headquarters, 1145 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC. Status: The meeting will be open to public participation with a 30- minute time period set aside on Wednesday, March 23, 2005, for direct oral statements or questions from the public. The SAB expects that public statements presented at its meetings will not be repetitive of previously submitted oral or written statements. In general, each individual or group making an oral presentation will be limited to a total time of five (5) minutes. Approximately thirty (30) seats will be available for the public including five (5) seats reserved for the media. Seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Matters to be Considered: The meeting will include the following topics: (1) Status of NOAA Responses to SAB Actions and Recommendations Overview of NOAA Response to SAB/ Research Review Team Report; (2) Review NOAA's Draft Policy to Formalize the Transition of Research to Operations and Information Services; (3) Progress Reports: External Ecosystem Task Team and the Physical and Social Science Task Team; (4) Draft NOAA Cooperative Institute Policy; (5) Report on the Review of the National Sea Grant College Extension Program and a Call for Greater National Commitment to Engagement; (6) Administration Response to Ocean Commission Report; (7) NOAA's plans for the International Polar Year (IPY); (8) Briefing on the Integrated Surface Observing System (ISOS) Working Group; (9) Transitioning from the Integrated Ocean Observing System, NPOESS, GOES-R, NEXRAD, etc. to Integrated Earth Observing System (IEOS); (10) NOAA Role in Implementing the President's Executive Order on the Great Lakes; (11) Overview of Predictions/Monitoring of 2004 Hurricanes (12) TsunamisResearch and Observations; (13) Global Earth Observing Systems of Systems (GEOSS) Update; (14) 2006-2011 Strategic planning; (15) public statements.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels 60 feet (18.3 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) and longer using hook-and-line gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2005 first seasonal allowance of the Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) specified for catcher vessels using hook-and-line gear in the BSAI.