Department of Commerce September 20, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery; Charter/Party Fishery Control Date
Document Number: 2010-23444
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2010-09-20
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS and the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) announce that they are seeking public comment on the reaffirmation of the current control date of March 30, 2006, in anticipation of developing a limited access program for the NE multispecies open access charter and party boat (charter/party) fishery. This component of the fishery includes vessels with open access charter/party permits, as well as limited access NE multispecies permits, while not on a NE multispecies day-at-sea (DAS) or fishing under the sector management program. The Council has not made a determination that limiting the number of participants in this fishery is necessary, but reaffirming the current control date keeps the stakeholders informed of possible future consideration of the issue and promotes awareness of potential eligibility criteria for future access so as to discourage speculative entry into the fishery, while the Council considers whether and how access to the charter/party fishery should be controlled. By this notification, NMFS reaffirms, on behalf of the Council, that March 30, 2006, may be used as a ``control date'' to establish eligibility criteria for determining levels of future access to the fishery.
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; 2011 Commercial Fishing Season and Adaptive Management Measures for the Atlantic Shark Fishery
Document Number: 2010-23443
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2010-09-20
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
This proposed rule would establish opening dates and adjust quotas for the 2011 fishing season for sandbar sharks, non-sandbar large coastal sharks (LCS), small coastal sharks (SCS), and pelagic sharks. Quotas will be adjusted based on the framework established in Amendment 2 to the 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan, which requires adjustments for any over- and/or underharvests experienced during the 2009 and 2010 Atlantic commercial shark fishing seasons. In addition to establishing opening dates and adjusting annual quotas, this proposed rule analyzes adaptive management measures, such as various opening dates for the fishing season as well as allowing adjustments through inseason actions in the allowable number of fish that can be taken via trip limits, to provide flexibility in management in furtherance of equitable fishing opportunities to the extent practicable for commercial shark fishermen in all regions and areas. The proposed measures could affect fishing opportunities for commercial shark fishermen in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Shark Management Measures; 2011 Research Fishery
Document Number: 2010-23442
Type: Notice
Date: 2010-09-20
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS announces its request for applications for the 2011 shark research fishery from commercial shark fishermen with a directed or incidental limited access permit. The shark research fishery allows for the collection of fishery-dependent data for future stock assessments while also allowing NMFS and commercial fishermen to conduct cooperative research to meet the shark research objectives for the Agency. The only commercial vessels authorized to land sandbar sharks are those participating in the shark research fishery. Shark research fishery permittees may also land non-sandbar large coastal sharks (LCS), small coastal sharks (SCS), and pelagic sharks. Commercial vessels not participating in the shark research fishery may only land only non-sandbar LCS, SCS, and pelagic sharks. Commercial shark fishermen who are interested in participating in the shark research fishery need to submit a completed Shark Research Fishery Permit Application in order to be considered.
New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils; Amendment 5 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan
Document Number: 2010-23441
Type: Notice
Date: 2010-09-20
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
This supplemental notice is to alert the interested public of the New England Fishery Management Council's (Council) intent to change the level of NEPA analysis for Amendment 5 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) from an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to an EA and to provide for public comment on this course of action. The primary purpose of Amendment 5 is to address the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requirements for annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability measures (AMs), to set multi-year specifications of days-at-sea (DAS) and trip limits, and to make other adjustments to measures in the FMP.
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Shark Management Measures
Document Number: 2010-23438
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2010-09-20
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS issues this advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to provide background information and request public comment on potential adjustments to the regulations governing the U.S. Atlantic shark fishery to address several specific issues currently affecting management of the shark fishery and to identify specific goals for management of fishery in the future. NMFS is requesting public comment regarding the potential implementation of changes to the quota and/or permit structure that are currently in place for the Atlantic shark fishery. NMFS is also requesting comments on the implementation of programs such as catch shares, limited access privilege programs (LAPPs), individual fishing quotas (IFQs), and/or sectors for the Atlantic shark fishery.
Direct Investment Surveys: BE-11, Annual Survey of U.S. Direct Investment Abroad
Document Number: 2010-23428
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2010-09-20
Agency: Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Economic Analysis Bureau
This proposed rule would amend regulations of the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) to set forth the reporting requirements for the BE-11, Annual Survey of U.S. Direct Investment Abroad. The survey is conducted annually and is a sample survey that obtains financial and operating data covering the overall operations of U.S. parent companies and their foreign affiliates. BEA proposes to amend the BE-11 forms and instructions to bring them into conformity with the 2009 BE-10, Benchmark Survey of U.S. Direct Investment Abroad. These amendments include changes in form design and reporting thresholds, as well as changes in the data items collected. The proposed changes also include a change in the reporting criteria for foreign affiliates with U.S. Parent (U.S. Reporter) ownership between 10 and 20 percent.
Certain Magnesia Carbon Bricks From Mexico and the People's Republic of China: Antidumping Duty Orders
Document Number: 2010-23427
Type: Notice
Date: 2010-09-20
Agency: Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration
Based on affirmative final determinations by the Department of Commerce (the Department) and the International Trade Commission (the ITC), the Department is issuing antidumping duty orders on certain magnesia carbon bricks (MCB) from Mexico and the People's Republic of China (PRC). On September 8, 2010, the ITC notified the Department of its affirmative determinations of material injury to a U.S. industry. See Certain Magnesia Carbon Bricks from China and Mexico (Investigation Nos. 701-TA-468 and 731-TA-1166-1167 (Final), USITC Publication 4182, September 2010).
Request for Comments on Incentivizing Humanitarian Technologies and Licensing Through the Intellectual Property System
Document Number: 2010-23395
Type: Notice
Date: 2010-09-20
Agency: Department of Commerce, United States Patent and Trademark Office, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is considering pro-business strategies for incentivizing the development and widespread distribution of technologies that address humanitarian needs. One proposal being considered is a fast-track ex parte reexamination voucher pilot program to create incentives for technologies and licensing behavior that address humanitarian needs. Because patents under reexamination are often the most commercially significant patents, a fast-track reexamination proceeding would allow patent owners to more readily and less expensively affirm the validity of their patents. Therefore, the opportunity to utilize a voucher for a fast-track reexamination proceeding could provide a valuable incentive for entities to pursue humanitarian technologies or licensing. The USPTO is requesting comments from the public regarding this proposal as well as other incentive proposals set forth in this notice.
American Community Survey 5-Year Data Product Plans
Document Number: 2010-23373
Type: Notice
Date: 2010-09-20
Agency: Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Census Bureau
The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) currently releases American Community Survey (ACS) data products in the form of 1-year estimates and 3-year estimates. Most recently, the 2008 ACS 1-year estimates were released in September 2009, and the 2006-2008 ACS 3-year estimates were released in October 2009. By this notice, the Census Bureau announces plans for the release of ACS 5-year data products covering the period of 2005-2009. The release of the ACS 5-year estimates will achieve a goal of the ACS to provide small-area data similar to the data published after Census 2000, based on the long-form sample. This notice provides general information on the Census Bureau's modifications to its current line of ACS data products to accommodate the 5-year estimates.
New Policy Announcing That Traditional Horizontal Survey Projects Performed With Terrestrial Survey Techniques Will No Longer Be Accepted for Processing or Loading Into NGS Databases
Document Number: 2010-23356
Type: Notice
Date: 2010-09-20
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Beginning January 1, 2011 the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) will cease accepting data, all orders and classes, from triangulation and traverse geodetic surveys as they are described in the Federal Geodetic Control Committee September 1984 ``Standards and Specifications for Geodetic Control Networks'' for inclusion into the NGS Integrated Data Base (NGSIDB).
Solicitation of Nominations for Membership on the Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory Committee
Document Number: 2010-23353
Type: Notice
Date: 2010-09-20
Agency: Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration
The Department of Commerce is currently seeking nominations for membership on the Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory Committee (CINTAC). The purpose of the CINTAC is to advise the Secretary regarding the development and administration of programs to expand United States exports of civil nuclear goods and services in accordance with applicable United States regulations.
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
Document Number: 2010-23338
Type: Notice
Date: 2010-09-20
Agency: Department of Commerce
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