Department of Commerce April 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On December 22, 2011, the Department of Commerce published the preliminary results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on stainless steel butt-weld pipe fittings (SSBW pipe fittings) from Italy.\1\ This review covers two respondent companies and the period of review is from February 1, 2010, through January 31, 2011. We invited interested parties to comment on the preliminary results but received no comments. Therefore, our final results remain unchanged from the preliminary results of review.

NMFS is implementing final specifications, which consist of catch levels and management measures, for the 2012 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries. The specifications are necessary to ensure the three species are not overfished or subject to overfishing in 2012. This final rule makes no changes to the interim specifications implemented on January 1, 2012, which were established using the best available scientific information.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the deep-water species fishery by vessels using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the second seasonal apportionment of the Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the deep-water species fishery in the GOA has been reached.

This action corrects an omission in the regulatory text in the final rule for 2012 Specifications for the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish fisheries.

NMFS proposes to modify certain boundaries of the large fishing vessel prohibited area around Tutuila, the Manua Islands, and Rose Atoll in American Samoa to align with the boundaries of the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument. The proposed action would simplify enforcement and administration of the management area.

On February 1, 2011, the Department of Commerce (the Department) initiated a sunset review of the antidumping duty order on certain orange juice (OJ) from Brazil.\1\ On April 13, 2012, the International Trade Commission (ITC) determined that revocation of this order would not be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury to an industry in the United States within a reasonably foreseeable time, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act).\2\ Therefore, pursuant to section 751(d)(2) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.222(i)(1)(iii), the Department is revoking the antidumping duty order on OJ from Brazil.

The Social and Economic Sub-Committee of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will meet with the Council's Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Advisory Panel (AP). The purpose of the meeting is to develop Fishery Performance Reports for the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish fisheries in preparation for setting specifications for 2013.

The SEDAR Steering Committee will meet via webinar to discuss the SEDAR process and assessment schedule. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

As a result of determinations by the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') and the International Trade Commission (``ITC'') that revocation of the antidumping duty order on silicon metal from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping and of material injury to an industry in the United States, respectively, the Department is publishing notice of the continuation of the antidumping duty order.

NMFS has completed a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for 10(a)(1)(A), Enhancement of the Species Permit Application for the collection and transport of Spring-Run Chinook for the San Joaquin River Restoration Program.

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 National System of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) provides a mechanism for MPAs managed by diverse government agencies to work together on common conservation priorities. In July 2011, NOAA and the Department of the Interior (DOI) invited federal, state, commonwealth, territorial and tribal MPA programs with potentially eligible existing MPAs to nominate their sites to the National System of MPAs (national system). A total of 58 nominations were received, including three from the American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, 40 from the Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archaeological Resources, three from the National Park Service, one from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, five from the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, two from the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, one from the Virgin Islands Department Of Planning and Natural Resources and three from the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Following a 45-day public review period, two public comments were received by the National Marine Protected Areas Center (MPA Center). Both comments were supportive of the Fort Pulaski National Monument, which was nominated by the National Park Service. The managing agencies listed above were asked to make a final determination of sites to nominate to the national system. Finding them to be eligible for the national system, the MPA Center has accepted the nominations for 58 sites and placed them on the List of National System MPAs. The national system and the nomination process are described in the Framework for the National System of Marine Protected Areas of the United States of America (Framework), developed in response to Executive Order 13158 on Marine Protected Areas. The final Framework was published on November 19,2008, and provides guidance for collaborative efforts among federal, state, commonwealth, territorial, tribal and local governments and stakeholders to develop a national system that includes existing MPAs meeting national system criteria as well as new sites that may be established by managing agencies to fill key conservation gaps in important ocean areas.

This rule amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding three persons to the Entity List. The persons who are added to the Entity List have been determined by the U.S. Government to be acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. These persons will be listed on the Entity List under the following two destinations: Canada and Jordan. The Entity List provides notice to the public that certain exports, reexports, and transfers (in-country) to entities identified on the Entity List require a license from the Bureau of Industry and Security and that availability of license exceptions in such transactions is limited.

The Department of Commerce (``Department'') has determined that C. P. Vietnam Corporation is the successor-in-interest to C. P. Vietnam Livestock Corporation, and shall be accorded the same antidumping duty treatment as the original company for purposes of the antidumping duty order on certain frozen warmwater shrimp (``shrimp'') from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (``Vietnam'').

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the B season allowance of the 2012 Pacific cod total allowable catch allocated to trawl catcher vessels in the BSAI.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) invites all interested parties, including U.S.-based manufacturers, U.S. industry and trade associations and federal government agencies, to submit recommendations and suggestions for workshops covering specific sectors and targeted countries or regions of the world where training in the U.S. approaches to development and use of standards, including assessment of conformity to standards, may facilitate trade, increase U.S. exports, and/or benefit U.S. industry. Standards in Trade (SIT) workshops are designed to introduce U.S. stakeholders to emerging standards and conformity assessment issues in other countries and regions; identify regulatory information and market access issues; and provide timely information to foreign officials on U.S. practices in standards, metrology and conformity assessment. Interested parties must consider Administration priorities outlined in the current National Export Strategy. NIST will offer a limited number of workshops each year. Most workshops will be scheduled for a 3 to 5 day period at NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland. NIST will evaluate all recommendations and may use the suggested topics in planning its workshops, subject to the availability of resources. Additional guidance is available on the NIST Standards in Trade (SIT) workshop program Web page. This notice is not an invitation for proposals to fund grants, contracts or cooperative agreements of any kind.

NOAA Fisheries announces 3 inseason actions in the ocean salmon fisheries. These inseason actions modified the commercial and recreational fisheries in the area from Cape Falcon, Oregon to Point Arena, California.

NMFS, in consultation with the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), announces its intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) on Steller sea lion protection measures for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) groundfish fisheries, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The proposed action would restrict groundfish fishing in the BSAI to ensure the groundfish fisheries are not likely to result in jeopardy of continued existence or adverse modification or destruction of designated critical habitat (JAM) for the western distinct population segment (DPS) of Steller sea lions. The western DPS of Steller sea lions is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and NMFS must ensure that the groundfish fisheries are not likely to result in JAM for this DPS. NMFS intends to work with stakeholders to develop fisheries restrictions that avoid the likelihood of JAM and minimize the potential economic impact on the fishing industry to the extent practicable while meeting the requirements of the ESA. The analysis in the EIS will determine the impacts to the human environment resulting from this proposed action and the alternatives. In scoping for the EIS, NMFS will accept written comments from the public to determine the issues of concern; the appropriate range of management alternatives; and the direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts. NMFS, in coordination with the Council, will conduct a public meeting at the October 2012 Council meeting to inform the public of this proposed action and alternatives, present issues and potential impacts, and gather public comment.