Department of Commerce July 22, 2010 – 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 an antidumping duty order on certain potassium phosphate salts from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'').

NMFS has received a complete and adequate application from the Exploratorium for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to pile driving during the Exploratorium's relocation project. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is proposing to issue an IHA to the Exploratorium to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, four species of marine mammals during the specified activity within a specific geographic area and is requesting comments on its proposal.

In response to requests from the M&B Metal Products Co., Inc. (``Petitioner''), the Department of Commerce (``Department'') is initiating an anti-circumvention inquiry to determine whether certain imports of steel wire garment hangers from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (``Vietnam'') are circumventing the antidumping duty order on steel wire garment hangers (``hangers'') from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). See Notice of Antidumping Duty Order: Steel Wire Garment Hangers from the People's Republic of China, 73 FR 58111 (October 6, 2008) (``Hangers Order'').

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 second seasonal period (July 1 - September 14) is projected to be reached by the effective date of this rule. From the effective date of this rule until September 15, 2010, 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 30-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, 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.

NMFS announces a 5-year review of the Baiji/Chinese River Dolphin/Yangtze River Dolphin (Lipotes vexillifer) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). A 5-year review is a periodic process conducted to ensure that the listing classification of a species is accurate and it is based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review; therefore, we are requesting submission of any such information on the Baiji/Chinese River Dolphin/Yangtze River Dolphin that has become available. Based on the results of this 5-year review, we will make the requisite finding under the ESA.