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

On May 30, 2007, the Department of Commerce (``Department'') initiated the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on automotive replacement glass windshields from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') covering the period of review from April 1, 2006, through March 31, 2007 (``POR''). See Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews and Request for Revocation in Part, 72 FR 29968 (May 30, 2007) (``Initiation Notice''). On June 5, 2007, the request for administrative review received by the Department was withdrawn. Therefore, the Department is rescinding this administrative review of automotive replacement glass windshields from the PRC.

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

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will begin its plenary session and its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold public meetings in Anchorage, AK.

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Navy for an authorization under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting operations of Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) Low Frequency Active (LFA) sonar from August 16, 2007, through August 15, 2012. By this document, NMFS is proposing regulations to govern that take. In order to issue Letters of Authorization (LOAs) and final regulations governing the take, NMFS must determine that the taking will have a negligible impact on the affected species or stocks of marine mammals. NMFS regulations must set forth the permissible methods of take and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on the affected species or stocks of marine mammals and their habitat. NMFS invites comment on the proposed regulations and findings.

On November 27, 2006, the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') initiated an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on carbon and alloy steel wire rod (``wire rod'') from Trinidad and Tobago for the period of review (``POR'') October 1, 2005, through September 30, 2006. We preliminarily determine that during the POR, Mittal Steel Point Lisas Limited (``MSPL'') and its affiliates Mittal Steel North America Inc. (``MSNA'') and Mittal Walker Wire Inc. (collectively ``Mittal'') did not make sales of subject merchandise at less than normal value (``NV'') (i.e., sales were made at de minimis dumping margins). If these preliminary results are adopted in the final results of this administrative review, we will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (``CBP'') to liquidate appropriate entries without regard to antidumping duties. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results. The Department will issue the final results within 120 days after publication of the preliminary results.

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) is soliciting applications for FY 2007 National Technical Assistance, Training, Research and Evaluation program (NTA Program) funding. Through this notice, EDA solicits applications for funding that address one or more of the following four research projects: (1) Rural economic development policy; (2) business incubators; (3) 21st century regionalism; and (4) private sector community investment. EDA's mission is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing American regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. Through its NTA Program, EDA works towards fulfilling its mission by funding research and technical assistance projects to promote competitiveness and innovation in rural and urban regions throughout the United States and its territories. By working in conjunction with its research partners, EDA will help States, local governments and community-based organizations to achieve their highest economic potential.

On May 30, 2007, the United States Court of International Trade (``Court'') sustained the final remand determination made by the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') pursuant to the Court's remand of the final determination of sales at less than fair value of polyvinyl alcohol from the People's Republic of China. See Sinopec Sichuan Vinylon Works v. United States, Court No. 03-00791, Slip Op. 07-88 (CIT May 30, 2007) (``Sinopec IV''). This case arises out of the Department's Notice of Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: Polyvinyl Alcohol from the People's Republic of China 68 FR 47538 (Aug. 11, 2003)(``Final Determination''), as amended by Notice of Amended Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: Polyvinyl Alcohol From the People's Republic of China 68 FR 52183 (Sept. 2, 2003) (``Amended Final Determination''). The final judgment in this case was not in harmony with the Department's Final Determination and Amended Final Determination.

Notice is hereby given of a public meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. The meeting will be held in Pago Pago, American Samoa. This meeting, the 18th bi-annual meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, provides a forum for coordinated planning and action among federal agencies, state and territorial governments, and nongovernmental partners. Please register in advance by visiting the Web site listed below. This meeting has time allotted for public comment and provides exhibit space. All public comment must be submitted in written format. A written summary of the meeting will be posted on the Web site within two months of its occurrence.

Notice is hereby given that Permit No. 881-1890 for conduct of research on Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in Alaska, held by The Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC), Seward, AK, has been amended.

This rule amends the Department of Commerce's (Department) Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations by changing the official authorized to deny requests for records under the Freedom of Information Act, and requests for correction or amendment under the Privacy Act (PA), for the Bureau of the Census.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene its SSC via conference call to discuss planning of an amendment.

This final rule announces inseason changes to management measures in the commercial Pacific Coast groundfish fishery. These actions, which are authorized by the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP), are intended to allow fisheries to access more abundant groundfish stocks while protecting overfished and depleted stocks.

On April 6, 2007, notice was published in the Federal Register that NMFS and the Minerals Management Service had released for public comment a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Draft PEIS) for Seismic Surveys in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, Alaska. Based on a written request, the comment period on this document has been extended.

Notice is hereby given that Andrew Read, Ph.D., Duke University Marine Laboratory, 135 Pivers Island Road, Beaufort, North Carolina 28516 and Mark Baumgartner, Ph.D., MS 33, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 02543 have been issued permits to conduct research on humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis), and Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis).

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) regulations, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to Scripps Institute of Oceanography (SIO) for the take of marine mammals, by Level B harassment only, incidental to conducting a low-energy marine seismic survey in the northeastern Indian Ocean during summer 2007.

The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), United States Department of Commerce, is amending the regulations found at 15 CFR Part 285 pertaining to the operation of the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) to reflect changes in the information for obtaining and inspecting applicable ISO/IEC documents. This action is editorial in nature and is intended to improve the accuracy of the agency's regulations and communication with its stakeholders.

In response to requests from respondent Ta Chen Stainless Pipe Co., Ltd. (Ta Chen) and from Flowline Division of Markovitz Enterprises, Inc. (Flowline Division), Gerlin, Inc., Shaw Alloy Piping Products, Inc., and Taylor Forge Stainless, Inc., (collectively, petitioners), the Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain stainless steel butt-weld pipe fittings (pipe fittings) from Taiwan. Petitioners requested that the Department conduct the administrative review for Ta Chen, Liang Feng Stainless Steel Fitting Co., Ltd. (Liang Feng), Tru-Flow Industrial Co., Ltd. (Tru-Flow), Censor International Corporation (Censor), and PFP Taiwan Co., Ltd. (PFP). With regard to Ta Chen, we preliminarily determine that sales have been made below normal value (NV). On September 28, 2006, Tru-Flow, Liang Feng, Censor, and PFP certified that they had no sales or shipments of subject merchandise to the United States during the period of review (POR). Based on Tru-Flow's, Liang Feng's, Censor's, and PFP's certified statements and on information from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicating that these companies had no shipments to the United States of the subject merchandise during the POR, we hereby give notice that we intend to rescind the review regarding these four companies. For a full discussion of the intent to rescind with respect to Liang Feng, Tru-Flow, Censor and PFP, see the ``Notice of Intent to Rescind in Part'' section of this notice. If these preliminary results of review of Ta Chen's sales are adopted in the final results, we will instruct CBP to assess antidumping duties on appropriate entries based on the difference between the constructed export price (CEP) and the NV. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results. Parties who submit comments in this proceeding are requested to submit with the argument: 1) a statement of the issues, 2) a brief summary of the argument, and 3) a table of authorities.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration publishes this notice to provide the general public with a consolidated source of program and application information related to its competitive grant and cooperative agreement (CA) award offerings for fiscal year (FY) 2008. This Omnibus notice is designed to replace the multiple Federal Register notices that traditionally advertised the availability of NOAA's discretionary funds for its various programs. It should be noted that additional program initiatives unanticipated at the time of the publication of this notice may be announced through subsequent Federal Register notices. All announcements will also be available through the Grants.gov Web site.