Department of Commerce December 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that the following applicants have applied in due form for modifications to their scientific research permits: the National Ocean Service Marine Forensic Lab (NOS Lab) [Responsible Party: Julie Carter], 219 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412 (Permit No. 13599-01), and the NOAA Fisheries Northeast Region, Protected Resources Division [Responsible Party: Mary Colligan], 1 Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930 (Permit No. 1614- 01).

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 Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Ad Hoc Groundfish Essential Fish Habitat Review Committee (EFHRC) will hold a work session to continue the periodic review of groundfish essential fish habitat (EFH).

NMFS issues regulations implementing Amendment 88 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA FMP). Amendment 88 is the Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Program (Rockfish Program). These regulations allocate exclusive harvest privileges to a specific group of license limitation program license holders who used trawl gear to target Pacific ocean perch, pelagic shelf rockfish, and northern rockfish during particular qualifying years. The Rockfish Program retains the conservation, management, safety, and economic gains realized under the Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Pilot Program (Pilot Program) and resolves identified issues in the management and viability of the rockfish fisheries. This action is necessary to replace particular Pilot Program regulations that are scheduled to expire at the end of 2011. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the GOA FMP, and other applicable law.

NMFS proposes 2012 and 2013 harvest specifications, apportionments, and Pacific halibut prohibited species catch limits for the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2012 and 2013 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska. The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the GOA in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

In response to requests for an administrative review, the Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on stainless steel butt-weld pipe fittings (SSBW pipe fittings) from Italy. The review involves the imports of subject merchandise of two respondent companies and covers the period February 1, 2010, through January 31, 2011. For these preliminary results, we found that one respondent made sales of subject merchandise at or above normal value while the other respondent had no shipments of subject merchandise during the period of review.

The Manufacturing Council will hold a meeting to hear updates from the Department of Commerce in addition to the Council's ex-officio members, the Secretaries of Energy, Labor, and the Treasury (or their designees) on the Government response to past Council recommendations regarding competitiveness, workforce development issues, energy policy, trade agreements and other issues affecting the U.S. manufacturing sector and to determine the Council's work plan for 2012.

On September 1, 2011, the Department of Commerce (the Department) initiated the third sunset review of the antidumping duty order on ferrovanadium and nitrided vanadium from the Russian Federation (Russia), pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). The Department has conducted an expedited (120-day) sunset review for this order pursuant to section 751(c)(3)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(e)(1)(ii)(C)(2). As a result of this sunset review, the Department finds that revocation of the antidumping duty order would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping.

As a result of the determinations by the Department of Commerce (the Department) and the International Trade Commission (ITC) that revocation of the antidumping duty orders on solid urea from the Russian Federation (Russia) and Ukraine would likely lead to a continuation or recurrence of dumping and material injury to an industry in the United States, the Department is publishing a notice of continuation of the antidumping duty orders.

We preliminarily determine that carbon and certain alloy steel wire rod (wire rod) with an actual diameter between 4.75 mm and 5.00 mm produced in Mexico and exported to the United States by Deacero S.A. de C.V. (Deacero) is circumventing the antidumping duty order on wire rod from Mexico (Wire Rod Order) within the meaning of section 781(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), and 19 CFR 351.225(i).\1\

We, NMFS, announce a 90-day finding for a petition to list the barndoor skate (Dipturus laevis), winter skate (Leucoraja ocellata) and smooth skate (Malacoraja senta) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We find that the petition does not present substantial scientific information indicating the petitioned actions may be warranted. Accordingly, we will not initiate a review of the status of these species at this time.

This notice informs the public that the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is extending for six (6) months beginning on January 5, 2012, its APMS direct-hire authority pilot. NIST will continue piloting direct-hire authority under Title 5, CFR, Part 337, Subpart B for all positions within NIST in the Scientific and Engineering (ZP) career path at the Pay Band III and above, for Nuclear Reactor Operator positions in the Scientific and Engineering (ZT) career path at Pay Band III and above, and for all occupations for which there is a special rate under the General Schedule pay system.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Monkfish Oversight Committee, in January, 2012, 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.

In response to a request from an interested party, the Department of Commerce (the Department) initiated an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain welded carbon steel standard pipes and tubes from India. The period of review is May 1, 2010, through April 30, 2011. As a result of the withdrawal of the request for review, the Department is rescinding this review.

On September 1, 2011, the Department of Commerce (``Department'') initiated the third five-year (``sunset'') review of the antidumping duty order on furfuryl alcohol from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (``the Act''). On the basis of a notice of intent to participate, and an adequate substantive response filed on behalf of the domestic interested party, as well as a lack of response from respondent interested parties, the Department conducted an expedited sunset review of the antidumping duty order, pursuant to section 751(c)(3)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(e)(1). As a result of the sunset review, the Department finds that revocation of the antidumping duty order on furfuryl alcohol from the PRC would be likely to lead to 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.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) implemented a pilot program (Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program) in which an applicant, under certain conditions, can request a twelve- month time period to pay the search fee, the examination fee, any excess claim fees, and the surcharge (for the late submission of the search fee and the examination fee) in a nonprovisional application. The Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program benefits applicants by permitting additional time to determine if patent protection should be soughtat a relatively low costand by permitting applicants to focus efforts on commercialization during this period. The Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program benefits the USPTO and the public by adding publications to the body of prior art, and by removing from the USPTO's workload those nonprovisional applications for which applicants later decide not to pursue examination. The USPTO is extending the Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program until December 31, 2012, to better gauge whether the Extended Missing Parts Program offers sufficient benefits to the patent community for it to be made permanent.

We, NMFS, announce our intent to conduct public scoping necessary to gather information to prepare General Conservation Plans (GCPs) for the Penobscot Bay, Merrymeeting Bay, and Downeast Coastal Salmon Habitat Recovery Units (SHRUs) and Environmental Assessments (EAs) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The GCPs will provide a streamlined process by which dam owners that are not regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) can obtain an incidental take permit (ITP) by conforming to specific measures in their respective GCP that minimize and mitigate impacts to Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment (GOM DPS) of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). The GCP will be implemented cooperatively by participating dam owners and NMFS. The EAs will analyze the environmental effects of the proposed issuance of ITPs under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), as amended. We provide this notice to announce the initiation of a public scoping period, during which other Federal and State agencies, Tribes, and the public can provide suggestions and information on the scope of issues and range of alternatives to be addressed in the GCPs and EAs.

On May 2, 2011, the Department of Commerce (the Department) initiated the third sunset review of the antidumping duty order on gray portland cement and clinker from Japan, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). See Initiation of Five- Year (``Sunset'') Review, 76 FR 24459 (May 2, 2011) (Notice of Initiation). As a result of the determination by the Department and the International Trade Commission (ITC) that revocation of the antidumping duty order on gray portland cement and clinker from Japan would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping and material injury to an industry in the United States, the Department is publishing a notice of continuation of this antidumping duty order.