Department of Commerce 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS announces that the spiny dogfish commercial quota available to the coastal states from Maine through Florida for the first semi-annual quota period, May 1, 2009 - October 31, 2009, has been harvested. Therefore, effective 0001 hours, September 26, 2009, federally permitted spiny dogfish vessels may not fish for, possess, transfer, or land spiny dogfish until November 1, 2009, when the Period 2 quota becomes available. Regulations governing the spiny dogfish fishery require publication of this notification to advise the coastal states from Maine through Florida that the quota has been harvested and to advise vessel permit holders and dealer permit holders that no Federal commercial quota is available for landing spiny dogfish in these states. This action is necessary to prevent the fishery from exceeding its Period 1 quota and to allow for effective management of this stock.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463 as amended by Pub. L. 94-409, Pub. L. 96-523, Pub. L. 97-375 and Pub. L. 105-153), we are announcing a meeting of the Bureau of Economic

On April 30, 2009, the Department of Commerce (``Department'') published a notice of initiation of changed circumstance review (``CCR'') of the antidumping duty order on certain activated carbon from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). See Certain Activated Carbon From the People's Republic of China: Notice of Initiation of Changed Circumstances Review, 74 FR 19934 (April 30, 2009) (``Initiation''). The Department is now rescinding this CCR because Hebei Foreign Trade and Advertising Corporation (``Hebei Foreign'') because the factual information upon which the Department relied in the initiation of this change circumstances review was later found to be false, and we find there was not a change in circumstances to warrant this review.

On March 24, 2009, in response to a request from interested parties, the Department of Commerce (the Department) published a notice of initiation of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain cut-to-length carbon-quality steel plate (CTL plate) from the Republic of Korea (Korea). The review covers four manufacturers/exporters. The period of review is February 1, 2008, through January 31, 2009. We have preliminarily determined that sales have been made below normal value by certain companies subject to this review. We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results. Parties who submit comments in this review are requested to submit with each argument a statement of the issue and a brief summary of the argument.

Notice is hereby given that the Whale Center of New England (WCNE), [Mason Weinrich, Principal Investigator], P.O. Box 159, Gloucester, MA 01930, has been issued an amendment to scientific research Permit No. 605-1904.

NMFS reopens for 6 days the comment period on the proposed rule to modify the requirements of the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank (GOM/ GB) Herring Midwater Trawl Gear Letter of Authorization (LOA) for midwater trawl vessels issued All Areas and/or Areas 2 and 3 Atlantic herring limited access permits fishing in Northeast (NE) multispecies Closed Area I (CA I).

The New England Fishery Management Council(s (Council) Habitat Committee and Habitat Advisory Panel will hold meetings to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific sardine off the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California. This action is necessary because the directed harvest allocation total for the third seasonal period (September 15- December 31) is projected to be reached by the effective date of the rule. From the effective date of this rule until December 31, 2009, Pacific sardine can only be harvested as part of the live bait fishery or incidental to other fisheries; the incidental harvest of Pacific sardine is limited to 20-percent by weight of all fish per trip. Fishing vessels must be at shore and in the process of offloading at 12:01 am Pacific Daylight Time on date of closure.

The Department of Commerce (``the Department'') has received requests to conduct administrative reviews of various antidumping and countervailing duty orders and findings with August anniversary dates. In accordance with the Department's regulations, we are initiating those administrative reviews. The Department also received a request to revoke one antidumping duty order in part.

The Advisory Committee on Earthquake Hazards Reduction (ACEHR or Committee), will meet Monday, November 23, 2009, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday, November 24, 2009, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The primary purpose of this meeting is to discuss and develop the 2010 Annual Report of the Effectiveness of the NEHRP Advisory Committee on Earthquake Hazard Reduction. The agenda may change to accommodate Committee business. The final agenda will be posted on the NEHRP Web site at https://nehrp.gov/.

This rule updates the Code of Federal Regulations legal authority citations for the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to include the citation to the President's Notice of August 13, 2009 Continuation of Emergency Regarding Export Control Regulations.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received three scientific research permit application requests relating to Pacific salmon. The proposed research is intended to increase knowledge of species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to help guide management and conservation efforts. The applications may be viewed online at: https:/ /apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/previewopenforcomment.cfm.

The Advisory Committee on Commercial Remote Sensing (ACCRES) will meet October 8, 2009.

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)).

Below is a listing of individuals who are eligible to serve on the Performance Review Board in accordance with the Economics and Statistics Administration's Senior Executive Service and Senior Professional Performance Management Systems:

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given that a Letter of Authorization (LOA) has been issued to the Port of Anchorage (POA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MAARD), to take four species of marine mammals incidental to the POA's Marine Terminal Redevelopment Project.

In response to a request from SNR Roulements S.A., the Department of Commerce is initiating a changed-circumstances review of the antidumping duty order on ball bearings and parts thereof from France.

The New England Fishery Management Council's (Council) Herring Oversight Committee along with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Herring Section will meet to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

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 United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has prepared interim examination instructions for evaluating patent subject matter eligibility under 35 U.S.C. 101 (Interim Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Examination Instructions) pending a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Bilski v. Kappos. The Interim Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Examination Instructions will be for use by USPTO personnel in their review of patent applications to determine whether the claims in a patent application are directed to patent eligible subject matter under 35 U.S.C. 101. The USPTO is requesting comments from the public regarding the Interim Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Examination Instructions.