Department of Commerce July 15, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Highly Migratory Species Management Team (HMSMT) and Highly Migratory Species Advisory Subpanel (HMSAS) will hold work sessions, which are open to the public.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announces the release of draft Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) Publication 200, Minimum Security Requirements for Federal Information and Information Systems for public comment. Draft FIPS Publication 200 is one of a series of security standards and guidelines that NIST is developing to help federal agencies implement their responsibilities under the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). The FISMA requires that all federal agencies develop, document and implement agency-wide information security programs to protect federal information and information systems. Draft FIPS Publication 200, which will be used with other publications already issued by NIST, specifies minimum security requirements for federal information and information systems and a risk-based process for selecting the security controls necessary to satisfy the minimum requirements. Prior to the submission of this proposed standard to the Secretary of Commerce for review and approval, it is essential that consideration be given to the needs and views of the general public, the information technology industry, and federal, state, and local government organizations. The purpose of this notice is to solicit such views.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) proposes to withdraw ten (10) Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) from the FIPS series. The standards proposed for withdrawal include FIPS 161-2, FIPS 183, FIPS 184, FIPS 192 and 192-1, which adopt voluntary industry standards for Federal government use. These FIPS are obsolete because they have not been updated to reference current or revised voluntary industry standards. In addition, FIPS 4-2, FIPS 5-2, FIPS 6-4, and FIPS 10-4, adopt specifications or data standards that are developed and maintained by other Federal government agencies or by voluntary industry standards organizations. These FIPS have not been updated to reflect the changes and modifications that have been made by the organizations that develop and maintain the specifications and data representations. FIPS 113, Computer Data Authentication, specifies an algorithm for generating and verifying a Message Authentication Code (MAC). Since the algorithm is based on the Data Encryption Standard, which has been recommended for withdrawal, NIST plans to recommend the use of newer techniques for data authentication based on more secure algorithms. Prior to the submission of this proposed withdrawal of FIPS to the Secretary of Commerce for review and approval, NIST invites comments from the public, users, the information technology industry, and Federal, State and local governments government organizations concerning the withdrawal of the FIPS.

Notice is hereby given that Dan Engelhaupt, P.O. Box 197, Picton, New Zealand has been issued a permit to conduct scientific research.

The NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) announces its intent to evaluate the performance of the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve. The National Estuarine Research Reserve evaluation will be conducted pursuant to sections 312 and 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, (CZMA) and regulations at 15 CFR part 921, subpart E and part 923, subpart L. The CZMA requires continuing review of the performance of states with respect to coastal program implementation. Evaluation of a National Estuarine Research Reserve requires findings concerning the extent to which a state has met the national objectives, adhered to its Reserve final management plan approved by the Secretary of Commerce, and adhered to the terms of financial assistance awards funded under the CZMA. The evaluation will include a site visit, consideration of public comments, and consultations with interested Federal, state and local agencies and members of the public. A public meeting will be held as part of the site visit. Notice is hereby given of the date of the site visit for the listed evaluation, and the date, local time, and location of the public meeting during the site visit. The Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve evaluation site visit will be held September 13-16, 2005. One public meeting will be held during the week. The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 14, 2005, at 7 p.m. at the Community Room, 825 Imperial Beach Boulevard, Imperial Beach, California. Copies of a state's most recent performance reports, as well as OCRM's evaluation notification and supplemental request letters to the state, are available upon request from OCRM. Written comments from interested parties regarding this Program are encouraged and will be accepted until 15 days after the public meeting. Please direct written comments to Ralph Cantral, Chief, National Policy and Evaluation Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, NOS/NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, 10th Floor, N/ORM7, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910. When the evaluation is completed, OCRM will place a notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of the Final Evaluation Findings. Notice is hereby given of the availability of the final evaluation findings for the Minnesota, Texas, and Alabama Coastal Management Programs (CMPs); and the Weeks Bay (Alabama), Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island), and Grand Bay (Mississippi) National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERRs). Sections 312 and 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (CZMA), as amended, require a continuing review of the performance of coastal states with respect to approval of CMPs and the operation and management of NERRs. The states of Minnesota, Texas, and Alabama were found to be implementing and enforcing their federally approved coastal management programs, addressing the national coastal management objectives identified in CZMA Section 303(2)(A)-(K), and adhering to the programmatic terms of their financial assistance awards. Weeks Bay (Alabama), Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island), and Grand Bay (Mississippi) NERRs were found to be adhering to programmatic requirements of the NERR System. Copies of these final evaluation findings may be obtained upon written request from: Ralph Cantral, Chief, National Policy and Evaluation Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, NOS/NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, 10th Floor, N/ORM7, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, or Ralph.Cantral@noaa.gov, (301) 713-3155, extension 118.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) maintains the Commerce Control List (CCL), which identifies items subject to Department of Commerce export controls. This final rule revises certain entries controlled for national security reasons in Categories 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Part I (telecommunications), 6, 7, 8, and 9, and Definitions to conform with changes in the Wassenaar Arrangement's List of Dual-Use Goods and Technologies and Statements of Understanding maintained and agreed to by governments participating in the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies (Wassenaar Arrangement). The Wassenaar Arrangement focuses on implementation of effective export controls on strategic items with the objective of improving regional and international security and stability. The purpose of this final rule is to make the necessary changes to the CCL, definitions of terms used in the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), and Wassenaar reporting requirements to implement Wassenaar List revisions that were agreed upon in the December 2004 Wassenaar Arrangement Plenary Meeting. In addition, this rule adds Slovenia to the list of Wassenaar member countries in the EAR. This rule also adds or expands unilateral U.S. controls on certain items consistent with the amendments made to implement the Wassenaar Arrangement's decisions.