Department of Commerce 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS announces a meeting of the Permanent Advisory Committee (PAC) to advise the U.S. Commissioners to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) on October 25October 26, 2012. Meeting topics are provided under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

In accordance with the regulations implementing the individual fishing quota (IFQ) programs for the commercial red snapper and grouper/tilefish components of the reef fish fishery in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf), the Regional Administrator, Southeast Region, NMFS (RA) has determined that catastrophic conditions exist in the following Louisiana Parishes: Lafourche, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, and Jefferson, as a result of Hurricane Isaac. Consistent with those regulations, the RA has authorized IFQ participants within this affected area to temporarily use paper-based forms, if necessary, for basic required IFQ administrative functions, e.g., landing transactions. This temporary rule announcing the determination of catastrophic conditions and allowance of alternative methods for completing required IFQ administrative functions is intended to facilitate continuation of IFQ operations during the period of catastrophic conditions.

This notice sets forth the schedule of a forthcoming meeting of the DoC NOAA National Climate Assessment and Development Advisory Committee (NCADAC).

On May 10, 2012, the U.S. Department of Commerce (the Department) published the preliminary results of the 20102011 administrative review of the antidumping duty order on floor-standing, metal-top ironing tables and certain parts thereof from the People's Republic of China (PRC).\1\ This review covers one exporter, Foshan Shunde Yongjian Housewares & Hardwares Co., Ltd. (Foshan Shunde) which we have determined to be part of the PRC-wide entity because it failed to respond to the Department's questionnaire. The period of review (POR) is August 1, 2010, through July 31, 2011. We invited interested parties to comment on the Preliminary Results. We received no comments. The Final Results are unchanged from the Preliminary Results.

On July 10, 2012, the Department of Commerce (the Department) published a notice of initiation of an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on circular welded carbon steel pipes and tubes from Taiwan. The review covers four respondents. Based on a withdrawal of the requests for review of certain companies from United States Steel Corporation (Petitioner), we are now rescinding this administrative review with respect to three of those respondents.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announces that the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Advisory Board will hold an open, on-line meeting via webcast on Wednesday, September 26, 2012, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The on- line meeting will focus on 1) any follow-up from the MEP Advisory Board preparatory meeting held on August 29, 2012, 2) an update on the NIST MEP FY 2013 budget, and 3) updates on changes to NIST MEP's evaluation system and metrics. Interested members of the public will be able to participate in the meeting from remote locations by calling into a central phone number.

The SEDAR 30 assessments of the Caribbean blue tang and queen triggerfish will consist of a series of workshops and webinars: This notice is for a webinar associated with the Assessment portion of the SEDAR process. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). This action is necessary to fully use the 2012 total allowable catch of Pacific cod allocated to catcher vessels less than 60 feet LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the BSAI.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office or USPTO) is revising the rules of practice to implement the provisions of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) that create a new derivation proceeding to be conducted before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (Board). These provisions of the AIA will take effect on March 16, 2013, eighteen months after the date of enactment, and apply to applications for patent, and any patent issuing thereon, that are subject to first-inventor-to-file provisions of the AIA.

NOAA Fisheries announces 11 inseason actions in the ocean salmon fisheries. These inseason actions modified the commercial and recreational fisheries in the area from the U.S./Canada Border to the Oregon/California Border.

The Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, has made a preliminary determination that the subject exempted fishing permit (EFP) application submitted by Limuli Laboratories of Cape May Court House, NJ, contains all the required information and warrants further consideration. The proposed EFP would allow the harvest of up to 10,000 horseshoe crabs from the Carl N. Shuster Jr. Horseshoe Crab Reserve (Reserve) for biomedical purposes and require, as a condition of the EFP, the collection of data related to the status of horseshoe crabs within the reserve. The Deputy Director has also made a preliminary determination that the activities authorized under the EFP would be consistent with the goals and objectives of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (Commission) Horseshoe Crab Interstate Fisheries Management Plan (FMP). However, further review and consultation may be necessary before a final determination is made to issue the EFP. Therefore, NMFS announces that the Deputy Director proposes to recommend that an EFP be issued that would allow up to two commercial fishing vessels to conduct fishing operations that are otherwise restricted by the regulations promulgated under the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (Atlantic Coastal Act). The EFP would allow for an exemption from the Reserve. Regulations under the Atlantic Coastal Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed EFPs.

Notice is hereby given that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G; Responsible Party: Robert Small), 1255 West 8th Street, Juneau, AK 99811, has applied in due form for a permit to import, export, collect, and receive marine mammal parts for scientific research.

We, NMFS, announce a 90-day finding on a petition to delist the Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast (SONCC) Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We find that the petition does not present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted.

NMFS issues this notice to inform interested parties that the California Dungeness crab sub-loan in the fishing capacity reduction program for the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery has been repaid. Therefore, buyback fee collections on California Dungeness crab will cease for all landings after June 30, 2012.

Notice is hereby given that Entergy Nuclear Operations Inc., 450 Broadway, Suite 3, Buchanan, NY 10511 [Responsible Party: John Ventosa], has been issued a permit to take shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) and Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) for purposes of scientific research.

In response to requests for an administrative review by two respondent parties, Maquilacero S.A. de C.V. (Maquilacero) and Regiomontana de Perfiles y Tubos S.A. de C.V. (Regiopytsa), the Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on light-walled rectangular pipe and tube (LWR pipe and tube) from Mexico. For these preliminary results, we have found that neither company sold subject merchandise at less than normal value during the period of review, which covers August 1, 2010, through July 31, 2011. If these preliminary results are adopted in our final results of administrative review, we will issue appropriate assessment instructions to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a three-day meeting on September 25-27, 2012 to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (CS) is publishing this supplement to the Notice of the Executive-Led Indonesia Vietnam Infrastructure Business Development Mission Statement, 77 FR, No. 131, July 9, 2012, to amend the Notice to revise the dates of the application deadline from August 31, 2012 to the new deadline of September 21, 2012.

The National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship will hold a meeting on Tuesday, September 11, 2012. The open meeting will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and will be open to the public via conference call. The meeting will take place at the U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230. The Council was chartered on November 10, 2009 to advise the Secretary of Commerce on matter related to innovation and entrepreneurship in the United States.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is requesting public comments on the effectiveness of its licensing procedures as defined in the Export Administration Regulations for the export of agricultural commodities to Cuba. BIS will include a description of these comments in its biennial report to the Congress, as required by the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7201 et seq.), as amended.

On May 1, 2012, the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') initiated the first five-year (``sunset'') review of the antidumping duty order on certain polyester staple fiber 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)(ii)(C)(2). As a result of this sunset review, the Department finds that revocation of the antidumping duty order on certain polyester staple fiber 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.