Department of Commerce November 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS announces its intent to issue Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs), Scientific Research Permits (SRPs), Display Permits, Letters of Acknowledgment (LOAs), and Chartering Permits for the collection of Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) in 2009. In general, EFPs and related permits would authorize collections of a limited number of tunas, swordfish, billfishes, and sharks from Federal waters in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico for the purposes of scientific data collection and public display. Chartering permits allow the collection of HMS in the high seas or in the Exclusive Economic Zone of other nations. Generally, these permits will be valid from the date of issuance through December 31, 2009, unless otherwise specified, subject to the terms and conditions of individual permits.

The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) is providing notification of final criteria and guidelines for American Indian Areas (AIAs) for the 2010 Census. Criteria are those rules and conditions that must be met when defining a geographic entity; guidelines are procedures and measures suggested by the Census Bureau to enhance the utility of statistical geographic areas for presentation and analysis of statistical data. AIAs are geographic entities within the United States defined for the collection, tabulation, and presentation of decennial census data for federally and/or state-recognized American Indian tribes. AIAs will be used to collect, tabulate, and present data for the 2010 Census, period estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS), and potentially other Census Bureau statistical data. More specifically, for the 2010 Census, AIAs consist of the following types of geographic entities: American Indian reservations (AIRs). Off-reservation trust lands (ORTLs). Oklahoma tribal statistical areas (OTSAs). Tribal-designated statistical areas (TDSAs). State-designated tribal statistical areas (SDTSAs). Tribal census tracts (tribal tracts). Tribal block groups. Tribal subdivisions on AIRs, ORTLs, and OTSAs. Census designated places (CDPs) on AIRs, ORTLs, and OTSAs. The geographic entities listed above include both legal and statistical geographic entities (see ``Definitions of Key Terms'' section). The Census Bureau is not proposing any new types of AIAs for the 2010 Census. In these final criteria, the Census Bureau announces the following changes for the 2010 Census: Change the term ``State-Designated American Indian Statistical Areas'' (SDAISAs) to ``State-Designated Tribal Statistical Areas'' or SDTSAs. Clarify the definition and purpose of OTSAs. In addition, because all former AIRs in Oklahoma were delineated as OTSAs for Census 2000, the Census Bureau is providing notification that no new OTSAs may be delineated for the 2010 Census, and to the extent possible, OTSA boundaries for the 2010 Census should be consistent with those defined for Census 2000. The Census Bureau also seeks to avoid defining joint use area OTSAs for the 2010 Census. Clarify the definition, purpose, and the criteria and guidelines for TDSAs and SDTSAs. Identify tribal tracts and tribal block groups as separate statistical geographic entities distinct from, and in addition to, ``standard'' county-based census tracts and block groups. The Census Bureau has three geographic partnership programs through which it collects updates to the inventory, boundaries, and attributes of AIAs for the 2010 Census: The annual Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS), the State Reservation Program, and the Tribal Statistical Areas Program (TSAP). Both the BAS and the State Reservation Program provide the process for reviewing and updating those AIAs that are legal geographic entities: AIRs and ORTLs under the governmental authority of federally recognized American Indian tribes, tribal subdivisions within these federally recognized AIRs and ORTLs, and AIRs for state- recognized American Indian tribes. The TSAP provides the process for reviewing and updating those AIAs that are statistical geographic entities: OTSAs, tribal subdivisions within OTSAs, TDSAs, SDTSAs, tribal tracts, tribal block groups, and CDPs. Each of these programs is discussed in more detail within the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this Federal Register Notice. This Notice announces the Census Bureau's final criteria and guidelines for AIAs for the 2010 Census. In addition, this Notice contains a summary of comments received in response to the April 1, 2008, Federal Register (73 FR 17303), as well as the Census Bureau's responses to these comments. The Census Bureau has considered all comments received regarding the new criteria and guidelines and will enact the proposed criteria and guidelines, unaltered from those presented in the Federal Register (73 FR 17303). For information regarding similar programs for Alaska Native Areas (ANAs), please refer to the Federal Register Notice titled ``Alaska Native Areas (ANAs) for the 2010 CensusFinal Criteria and Guidelines''.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a joint meeting of its Scientific and Statistical Committee, Law Enforcement Advisory Panel, Limited Access Privilege Program (LAPP) Committee, Personnel Committee (Closed Session), Advisory Panel Selection Committee (Closed Session), a meeting of its Standard Operating, Policy and Procedure (SOPPs) Committee, Joint Executive and Finance Committees, Spiny Lobster Committee, Mackerel Committee, Ecosystem-based Management Committee, Snapper Grouper Committee, Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) Steering Committee, and a meeting of the full Council. The Council will also hold a an informal public question and answer session and may hold a public comment session regarding Interim Rule measures to address overfishing of red snapper if the Council considers an Interim Rule request. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for additional details.

On November 6, 2006, the Department of Commerce (the Department) published a notice of preliminary results of the reconsideration of the sunset review of the antidumping duty order on large newspaper printing presses and components thereof, whether assembled or unassembled (LNPP), from Japan (71 FR 64927), following the requirements of section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). We provided interested parties an opportunity to comment on our preliminary results. We received case and rebuttal briefs from domestic and foreign interested parties, and we held a public hearing. As a result of this review, the Department finds that revocation of the order on LNPP from Japan after the original sunset review period of 1996-2001 would have likely led to the continuation or recurrence of dumping at the levels indicated in the ``Final Results of Review'' section of this notice.

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.

In accordance with section 304(e) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, as amended (NMSA), NOAA is holding scoping meetings to: 1. Solicit public comments and identify issues on the continued management of the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary; and 2. Help determine the scope of issues to be addressed in the preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), if warranted.

This notice announces a public meeting of the Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (Committee). The Committee provides advice to the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information on spectrum management matters.

NMFS issues this temporary rule for a period of 30 days, to allow shrimp fishermen to use limited tow times as an alternative to Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in state waters off of Texas (extending offshore 9 nautical miles from the Texas/Louisiana boundary southward to the boundary shared by Matagorda and Brazoria Counties; approximately 95[deg] 32' W. long.). The previous 30-day variance of the TED requirements was from October 8 through November 7, 2008. This action is necessary because environmental conditions resulting from Hurricane Ike persist on the fishing grounds, preventing some fishermen from using TEDs effectively.

This notice announces a second public review and comment period for Draft Federal Information Processing Standard 186-3, Digital Signature Standard. The draft standard, designated ``Draft FIPS 186- 3,'' is proposed to revise and supersede FIPS 186-2. Draft FIPS 186-3 is a revision of FIPS 186-2, the Digital Signature Standard. The Draft FIPS specifies three techniques for the generation and verification of digital signatures that can be used for the protection of data: the Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA), the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) and the Rivest-Shamir-Adelman (RSA) algorithm. Although all three of these algorithms were approved in FIPS 186-2, this revision increases the key sizes allowed for DSA, provides additional requirements for the use of RSA and ECDSA, and includes requirements for obtaining the assurances necessary for valid digital signatures. FIPS 186-2 contained specifications for random number generators (RNGs); this revision does not include such specifications, but refers to NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-90 for obtaining random numbers. Prior to the submission of this proposed standard to the Secretary of Commerce for review and approval, it is essential that consideration is given to the needs and views of the public, users, the information technology industry, and Federal, State and local government organizations. The purpose of this notice is to solicit such views.

In response to requests from respondent Akzo Nobel Functional Chemicals, B.V. (``Akzo Nobel'') and Aqualon Company (``Petitioner''), the Department of Commerce (``Department'') initiated an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on purified carboxymethylcellulose (``CMC'') from the Netherlands. See Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews, 73 FR 50308 (August 26, 2008) (``Initiation Notice''). This administrative review covers the period July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2008. Due to the withdrawal of the requests for the administrative review by both parties, we are rescinding this review with respect to Akzo Nobel.

Notice is hereby given of a meeting of the Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee (Committee) in Monterey, California.

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) regulations, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to the Scripps Institute of Oceanography (SIO), for the take of marine mammals, by Level B harassment only, incidental to conducting a marine seismic survey in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, during November 2008.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for groundfish by vessels using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), except for directed fishing for pollock by vessels using pelagic trawl gear in those portions of the GOA open to directed fishing for pollock. This closure also does not apply to fishing by vessels participating in the cooperative fishery in the Rockfish Pilot Program for the Central GOA. This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2008 Pacific halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) limit specified for vessels using trawl gear in the GOA.

On May 5, 2008, the Department of Commerce (the Department) published the preliminary results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain steel concrete reinforcing bars (rebar) from Turkey. This review covers four producers/exporters of the subject merchandise to the United States. The period of review (POR) is April 1, 2006, through March 31, 2007. Based on our analysis of the comments received and on our verification findings, we have made certain changes in the margin calculations. 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.'' Finally, we have determined to revoke the antidumping duty order with respect to Turkish rebar produced and exported by Habas Sinai ve Tibbi Gazlar Istihsal Endustrisi A.S. (Habas).

The Department of Commerce (``Department'') is conducting an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on honey from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''), covering the period of review (``POR'') of December 1, 2006, through November 30, 2007. As discussed below, we preliminarily determine that certain respondents in this review made sales in the United States at prices below normal value (``NV''). If these preliminary results are adopted in our final results of review, we will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (``CBP'') to assess antidumping duties on entries of subject merchandise during the POR for which importer-specific assessment rates are above de minimis.

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 U.S. Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily determines that certain circular welded carbon quality steel line pipe (welded line pipe) from the Republic of Korea (Korea) is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV), as provided in section 733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). The estimated margins of sales at LTFV are listed in the ``Suspension of Liquidation'' section of this notice. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination in accordance with the time frame explained in the ``Public Comment'' section of this notice.

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 (``Department'') has determined, pursuant to section 751(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (``the Act''), that India Steel Works Limited (``India Steel'') is the successor-in-interest to Isibars Limited (``Isibars''). As a result, India Steel will be accorded the same treatment previously accorded to Isibars with regard to the antidumping duty order on stainless steel bar (``SSB'') from India as of the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) has determined, pursuant to section 751(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), that India Steel Works Limited (India Steel) is the successor-in- interest to Isibars Limited (Isibars). As a result, India Steel will be accorded the same treatment previously accorded to Isibars with regard to the antidumping duty order on stainless steel wire rods from India as of the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

On July 1, 2008, the Department of Commerce (the Department) initiated the second sunset review of the antidumping duty order on freshwater crawfish tail meat from the People's Republic of China (PRC) pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). The Department conducted an expedited (120-day) sunset review of this order. As a result of this sunset review, the Department finds that revocation of the antidumping duty order would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping.