Department of Commerce January 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Based on affirmative final determinations by the Department of Commerce (the Department) and the International Trade Commission (ITC), the Department is issuing a countervailing duty order on certain circular welded carbon quality steel line pipe (line pipe) from the People's Republic of China (PRC). On January 7, 2009, the ITC notified the Department of its affirmative determination of material injury to a U.S. industry. See Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Line Pipe from China, USITC Pub. 4055, Inv. Nos. 701-TA-455 (Final) (January 2009).

On July 17, 2008, the Department of Commerce (``Department'') published its preliminary results in the antidumping duty administrative review of tapered roller bearings (``TRBs'') from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). The period of review (``POR'') for the administrative review is June 1, 2006, through May 31, 2007. In the administrative review, we have determined that Peer Bearing Company Changshan (``respondent'' or ``CPZ'') made sales in the United States at prices below normal value. We invited interested parties to comment on our preliminary results in these reviews. Based on our analysis of the comments we received in the administrative review, we made certain changes to our calculations for all mandatory respondents. The final dumping margins for this review are listed in the ``Final Results Margins'' section below.

This Notice announces a decision by the Federal Geographic Data Committee's Federal Geodetic Control Subcommittee, in accordance with the Office of Management and Budget, Circular A-16 (https:// www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a016/a016.html), to affirm the Guam Vertical Datum of 2004 (GUVD 04) as the official civilian vertical datum for surveying and mapping activities for the island of Guam performed or financed by the Federal Government, and to the extent practicable, legally allowable and feasible, require that all Federal agencies, with the exception of those with specific military related applications, using or producing vertical height information undertake an orderly transition to GUVD 04.

This Notice announces a decision by the Federal Geographic Data Committee's Federal Geodetic Control Subcommittee, in accordance with the Office of Management and Budget, Circular A-16 (https:// www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a016/a016.html), to affirm the Northern Marianas Vertical Datum of 2003 (NMVD 03) as the official civilian vertical datum for surveying and mapping activities for the islands of Rota, Saipan and Tinian of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, and to the extent practicable, legally allowable and feasible, require that all Federal agencies, with the exception of those with specific military related applications, using or producing vertical height information undertake an orderly transition to NMVD 03.

NMFS issues a regulatory amendment to exempt fishermen using dinglebar fishing gear in federal waters of the Gulf of Alaska from the requirement to carry a vessel monitoring system (VMS). This action is necessary because the risk of damage posed to protected corals in the Gulf of Alaska by the dinglebar gear fishery is minor and insufficient to justify the costs of VMS. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska, and other applicable law.

In response to a request from Allied Tube & Conduit Corporation, a domestic interested party, the Department of Commerce (the Department) initiated an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain circular welded carbon steel pipes and tubes from Taiwan. This review covers one firm, Yieh Hsing Enterprise Co., Ltd. (Yieh Hsing), for the period May 1, 2007, through April 30, 2008. The Department intends to rescind this review after determining that Yieh Hsing did not have entries during the period of review (POR) upon which to assess antidumping duties.

The Department of Commerce (``Department'') published its preliminary results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on folding metal tables and chairs (``FMTCs'') from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') on July 14, 2008.\1\ The period of review (``POR'') is June 1, 2006, through May 31, 2007. We invited interested parties to comment on our preliminary results. Based on our analysis of the comments received, we have made changes to our margin calculations. Therefore, the final results differ from the preliminary results. The final dumping margins for this review are listed in the ``Final Results of Review'' section below.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Scientific and Statistical Committee on February 6, 2009 to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

We, NMFS and USFWS, announce the availability of the revised Recovery Plan for the Northwest Atlantic Population of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta). The revised recovery plan includes specific recovery objectives and criteria to be met in order to delist this species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act).

NMFS issues a proposed rule that would revise the seabird avoidance requirements for the hook-and-line groundfish and halibut fisheries in International Pacific Halibut Commission Area 4E. The proposed rule would eliminate seabird avoidance requirements for hook- and-line vessels less than or equal to 55 ft (16.8 m) length overall in portions of Area 4E in the eastern Bering Sea. This action is necessary to revise seabird avoidance measures based on the latest scientific information and to reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens and associated costs.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for the A season allowance of the 2009 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 2009 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 proposes a temporary Secretarial interim action under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson- Stevens Act) to implement measures intended to immediately reduce overfishing in the Northeast (NE) multispecies fishery, while addressing the need to help sustain fishing communities, without compromising rebuilding objectives. Measures proposed for the commercial fishery include the following: A differential days-at-sea (DAS) area north of 41[deg]30' N. lat., whereby a vessel would be charged 2 days for every day fished; a large Southern New England (SNE) Closure Area; and modified groundfish trip limits. This action does not change the scheduled DAS reduction in the NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which would result in an approximate 18-percent reduction in DAS. For private recreational vessels fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and for federally permitted charter/party vessels, this action would extend in time a seasonal prohibition on the possession of Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod, and prohibit the possession of SNE winter flounder. For federally permitted charter/party vessels, this action would implement a trip limit for Georges Bank (GB) cod. In addition, this action proposes to mitigate some of the negative short- term economic impacts of the FMP by making modifications to the DAS Leasing Program, the Regular B DAS Program, and the DAS Transfer Program; continuing the Eastern U.S./Canada Haddock Special Access Program (SAP); and implementing a reduction in the haddock minimum size to 18 inches (45 cm). Finally, this action would specify management measures for the U.S./Canada Management Area for fishing year (FY) 2009.

This final action amends the guidelines for National Standard 1 (NS1) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). This action is necessary to provide guidance on how to comply with new annual catch limit (ACL) and accountability measure (AM) requirements for ending overfishing of fisheries managed by Federal fishery management plans (FMPs). It also clarifies the relationship between ACLs, acceptable biological catch (ABC), maximum sustainable yield (MSY), optimum yield (OY), and other applicable reference points. This action is necessary to facilitate compliance with requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act to end and prevent overfishing, rebuild overfished stocks and achieve OY.

In accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), as amended, and the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act (IFA), NMFS (on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce) proposes regulations to govern the requests for determinations of fishery resource disasters as a basis for acquiring potential disaster assistance. The regulations would establish definitions, and characteristics of commercial fishery failures, fishery resource disasters, serious disruptions affecting future production, and harm incurred by fishermen, as well as requirements for initiating a review by NMFS, and the administrative process it will follow in processing such applications. The intended result of these procedures and requirements is to clarify and interpret the fishery disaster assistance provisions of the MSA and the IFA through rulemaking and thereby ensure consistency and facilitate the processing of requests.

On September 9, 2008, the Department of Commerce published the preliminary results of the 2006/2007 administrative review of the antidumping duty order on polyethylene retail carrier bags from Thailand. We gave interested parties an opportunity to comment on the preliminary results. Based on our analysis of the comments received and an examination of our calculations, we have made certain changes for the final results. The final weighted-average dumping margins for the respondents are listed below in the ``Final Results of the Review'' section of this notice.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) has determined that small diameter graphite electrodes from the People's Republic of China (PRC) are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV) as provided in section 735 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). The final dumping margins for this investigation are listed in the ``Final Determination Margins'' section below. The period covered by the investigation is July 1, 2007, through December 31, 2007 (the POI).

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) publishes this notice to announce the effective date of an amendment to a Privacy Act System of Records entitled COMMERCE/NTIA-1, Applications Related to Coupons for Digital-to-Analog Converter Boxes. NTIA is amending this system of records for applications related to coupons for the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box program to allow for the collection of additional personally identifiable information, namely the collection of the name of the nursing home facility. 47 C.F.R. Sec. 301; see also 73 Fed. Reg. 54,325 (Sept. 19, 2008).

The Department of Commerce (the Department) received a request from Awaji Materia (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (AMT), for initiation of a changed-circumstances review of the antidumping duty order on certain carbon steel butt-weld pipe fittings (pipe fittings) from Thailand. After reviewing this request, we preliminarily determine that AMT is the successor-in-interest to Awaji Sangyo (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (AST), and, as a result, should be accorded the same treatment previously accorded to AST with respect to the antidumping duty order on pipe fittings from Thailand. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.

This notice responds to Section 209 of the Sea Grant Program Improvement Act of 1976 (Pub. L. 94-461, 33 U.S.C. 1128), which requires the Secretary of Commerce to solicit nominations at least once a year for membership on the Sea Grant Advisory Board, and advisory committee provides advice on the implementation of the National Sea Grant College Program. This notice also sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the Sea Grant Advisory Board.