Department of Commerce January 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On October 2, 2006, the Department of Commerce (the Department) initiated the second sunset review of the antidumping duty order on clad steel plate from Japan pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). On the basis of a notice of intent to participate and a complete substantive response filed on behalf of the domestic interested parties, and no response from respondent interested parties, the Department conducted an expedited sunset review of the antidumping duty order pursuant to section 751(c)(3)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(e)(1)(ii)(B). As a result of this sunset review, the Department finds that revocation of the order would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping at the levels indicated in the ``Final Results of Review'' section of this notice.

NMFS issues final specifications for the 2007 Atlantic bluefish fishery, including state-by-state commercial quotas, a recreational harvest limit, and recreational possession limits for Atlantic bluefish off the east coast of the United States. The intent of these specifications is to establish the allowable 2007 harvest levels and possession limits to attain the target fishing mortality rate (F), consistent with the stock rebuilding program contained in Amendment 1 to the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan (FMP), as well as ensuring compliance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). This action will publish final specifications that are modified from those contained in the proposed rule.

On April 10, 2006, the Department of Commerce (the Department) published the preliminary results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on stainless steel sheet and strip in coils (SSSSC) from the Republic of Korea (Korea) (71 FR 18074). This review covers five producers/exporters of the subject merchandise to the United States. The period of review (POR) is July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2005. We are rescinding the review with respect to eight companies because they had no shipments of subject merchandise to the United States during the POR. Based on our analysis of the comments received, we have made changes in the margin calculation for DaiYang Metal Co., Ltd. (DMC), a respondent in this review. Therefore, the final results differ from the preliminary results. The final weighted-average dumping margins for the reviewed firms are listed below in the section entitled ``Final Results of Review.''

The Department of Commerce (DOC) is announcing the first meeting of the Measuring Innovation in the 21st Century Economy Advisory Committee. The meeting is open to the public. Seating at the meeting will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested parties may register on the Advisory Committee Web site: https:// www.innovationmetrics.gov.

NMFS issues a proposed rule to amend text in the regulations governing closures of the drift gillnet fishery in the Pacific Loggerhead Conservation Area during El Nino events under the Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species (HMS FMP). The regulation is necessary to avoid jeopardizing loggerhead sea turtles, which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, by clarifying the time period in which the area is to be closed and the methods that NMFS will use to determine if an El Nino event is occurring or forecast to occur. NMFS also proposes to correct an inaccurate cross-reference in the regulations governing special requirements for fishing activities to protect endangered sea turtles under the HMS FMP.

This action implements 2007 specifications and management measures for Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish (MSB) and modifies existing management measures. Specifically, it implements trimester quota allocations for the Loligo squid fishery and establishes the protocol for an inseason adjustment to increase the mackerel harvest, if landings approach harvest limits. Lastly, this final rule clarifies, updates, and corrects existing regulatory language that is misleading or incorrect. This action promotes the utilization and conservation of the MSB resource.

The 94th meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council's (Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will convene Tuesday, February 20, 2007, through Thursday February 22, 2007. The meeting will be held between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific times, dates, and agenda items.

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 Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council), its Bycatch/Limited Access Privilege Program (LAPP) Committee, its Ecosystem Committee, its Tilefish Committee, its Executive Committee, and its Law Enforcement Committee will hold public meetings.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), in Subchapter C, to remove an outdated reference to another agency's schedule that is no longer used by that other agency; to remove an outdated reference to another department's regulations and replace it with the department name and regulatory reference that is currently in use; to correct two references in the EAR that inadvertently directed the public to the wrong sections of the EAR for further information; and to correct contact information listed in the EAR for one (1) telephone number; one (1) fax number; one (1) e-mail address; and two (2) addresses to this rule adds an e-mail address, fax number, and address to clarify for the public where de minimis reports should be sent, when required by the EAR. BIS is also correcting a typographical error in a final rule published in the Federal Register on July 13, 2006 (71 FR 39526) that made administrative and technical corrections to the Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) Regulation (15 CFR part 700).

On January 22, 2007, ThyssenKrupp Mexinox S.A. filed a First Request for Panel Review with the United States Section of the NAFTA Secretariat pursuant to Article 1904 of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Panel review was requested of the Notice of Final Results of the 2004/2005 Administrative Review made by the International Trade Administration, respecting Stainless Sheet and Strip in Coils from Mexico. This determination was published in the Federal Register (71 FR 76978) on December 22, 2006. The NAFTA Secretariat has assigned Case Number USA-MEX-2007-1904-01 to this request.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announces that the following programs are soliciting applications for financial assistance for FY 2007: (1) The Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory Grants Program; (2) the Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory Grants Program; (3) the Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory Grants Program; (4) the Physics Laboratory Grants Program; (5) the Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory Grants Program; (6) the Building Research Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program; (7) the Fire Research Grants Program; (8) the Information Technology Laboratory Grants Program; and (9) the NIST Center for Neutron Research Grants Program. Each program will only consider applications that are within the scientific scope of the program as described in this notice and in the detailed program descriptions found in the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) announcement for these programs. Prior to preparation of a proposal, it is strongly suggested that potential applicants contact the Program Manager for the appropriate field of research, as specified in the FFO announcement found at https://www.grants.gov, for clarification of the program objectives and to determine whether their proposal is responsive to this notice.

On December 27, 2006, the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') published a modification concerning the calculation of the weighted-average dumping margin in antidumping investigations (71 FR 77722). On January 16, 2007, the Department delayed the effective date of the modification until January 23, 2007 (72 FR 1704). The Department is again delaying the effective date of the modification until February 22, 2007.

The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Northeast Region, NMFS (Assistant Regional Administrator) has made a preliminary determination that the subject Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application from the University of New Hampshire (UNH) for an exemption from Gulf of Maine (GOM) Rolling Closure Areas III and IV and the days-at-sea (DAS) requirements of the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP), for the purpose of testing the ability of specific fish traps to catch haddock, contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. The EFP is intended to facilitate research that would lead to the development of a viable alternative to traditional fishing gear for landing Atlantic haddock of a size and condition for use in the live fish market. The Assistant Regional Administrator has also made a preliminary determination that the activities authorized under the EFP would be consistent with the goals and objectives of the FMP. However, further review and consultation may be necessary before a final determination is made to issue the EFP. Therefore, NMFS announces that the Assistant Regional Administrator proposes to issue an EFP that would allow vessels to conduct fishing operations that are otherwise restricted by the regulations governing the fisheries of the Northeastern United States. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed EFPs.

In accordance with recent United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions and the foreign policy interests of the United States, the United States Government is imposing restrictions on exports and reexports of luxury goods to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and is continuing to restrict exports and reexports of nuclear or missile-related items and other items included on the Commerce Control List (CCL). To this end, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to impose license requirements for the export and reexport of virtually all items subject to the EAR to North Korea, except food and medicines not listed on the CCL. BIS will generally deny applications to export and reexport luxury goods, e.g., luxury automobiles; yachts; gems; jewelry; other fashion accessories; cosmetics; perfumes; furs; designer clothing; luxury watches; rugs and tapestries; electronic entertainment software and equipment; recreational sports equipment; tobacco; wine and other alcoholic beverages; musical instruments; art; and antiques and collectible items including but not limited to rare coins and stamps. BIS will continue to generally deny applications to export and reexport arms and related materiel controlled on the CCL and items controlled under the multilateral export control regimes (the Missile Technology Control Regime, the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Australia Group, and the Wassenaar Arrangement). This includes items specified in UN documents S/2006/814, S/2006/815 and S/2006/853. BIS will also generally deny applications to export and reexport other items that the UN determines could contribute to North Korea's nuclear-related, ballistic missile-related, or other weapons of mass destruction-related programs. BIS will also generally approve applications to export or reexport: non-food, non-medical humanitarian items (e.g., blankets, basic footwear, heating oil, and other items meeting subsistence needs) intended for the benefit of the North Korean people; items in support of United Nations humanitarian efforts; and agricultural commodities and medical devices that are determined not to be luxury goods. BIS will review on a case-by-case basis applications to export and reexport all other items subject to the EAR.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for the A season allowance of the 2007 Pacific cod sideboard limits apportioned to non-American Fisheries Act (AFA) crab vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2007 Pacific cod sideboard limits apportioned to non-AFA crab vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

NMFS announces the availability of and seeks public comment on the draft (2007) Strategic Plan for Fisheries Research. The Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires the Secretary of Commerce to develop, triennially, a strategic plan for fisheries research for the subsequent years. Any written comments on the draft plan will be considered by NMFS in the development of the final 2007 Strategic Plan for Fisheries Research.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037-1508 has been issued a permit to take leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles for purposes of scientific research.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a certificate under 35 U.S.C. 156(d)(5) for a second one-year interim extension of the term of U.S. Patent No. 4,650,787.

NMFS increases the trip limit in the commercial hook-and-line fishery for king mackerel in the Florida east coast subzone to 75 fish per day in or from the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This trip limit increase is necessary to maximize the socioeconomic benefits of the quota.

We, NMFS, have received a petition to list copper rockfish (Sebastes caurinus) and quillback rockfish (S. maliger) in Puget Sound (Washington) as threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We find that the petition does not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned actions may be warranted.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a three-day Council meeting on February 6-8, 2007, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The New England Fishery Management Council's (Council) Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS)/Enforcement Committee will meet to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).