Department of Commerce January 15, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) Secure Exchange of Electronic Health Information Demonstration Project
Document Number: 2013-00724
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-01-15
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) invites organizations to provide products and technical expertise to support and demonstrate security platforms for exchange of electronic health care information by healthcare providers. This notice is the initial step for the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) in the Secure Exchange of Electronic Health Information project. Participation in the project is open to all interested organizations.
Endangered and Threatened Species: Designation of a Nonessential Experimental Population for Middle Columbia River Steelhead above the Pelton Round Butte Hydroelectric Project in the Deschutes River Basin, OR
Document Number: 2013-00700
Type: Rule
Date: 2013-01-15
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), are issuing a final rule to authorize the continued release of Middle Columbia River (MCR) steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) that are currently being reintroduced as part of an ongoing reintroduction effort into the upper Deschutes River basin in portions of Jefferson, Crook, and Deschutes Counties, Oregon, and designate them as a nonessential experimental population (NEP) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973. The geographic boundaries of the NEP extend upstream from Round Butte Dam on the Deschutes River (about river mile (RM) 110, river kilometer (rkm) 177) and all accessible reaches of the Deschutes River and its tributary Whychus Creek; on the Crooked River from its confluence with the Deschutes River upstream to Bowman Dam (RM 70, rkm 113) and all accessible tributaries between these points; and on the Metolius River from its confluence with the Deschutes River upstream to all accessible tributaries between these points. This NEP designation will have an expiration date 12 years from the effective date of this final rule. We anticipate providing a notice in the Federal Register about 1 year before the NEP designation is set to expire to provide adequate notice to the public.
Request for Comments on Preparation of Patent Applications
Document Number: 2013-00690
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-01-15
Agency: Department of Commerce, United States Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is seeking to improve the quality of issued patents. In this notice, the USPTO is focusing on potential practices that applicants can employ at the drafting stage of a patent application in order to facilitate examination and bring more certainty to the scope of issued patents. To that end, the USPTO is requesting input from interested members of the public on the specific practices set forth in the ``Topics for Public Comment'' section below. While this notice is directed to potential practices that applicants can employ, the USPTO also plans to issue a separate notice building on internal initiatives and further identifying potential practices the Office can employ to also facilitate examination and bring more certainty to the scope of issued patents. The USPTO intends to publish the separate notice subsequent to its review of comments received responsive to the present notice. On January 3, 2013, the USPTO published a notice announcing the formation of a partnership with the software community to enhance the quality of software-related patents (Software Partnership). See Request for Comments and Notice of Roundtable Events for Partnership for Enhancement of Quality of Software-Related Patents, 78 FR 292 (Jan. 3, 2013). The Software Partnership notice seeks public comment on specific topics related to enhancing the quality of software-related patents, and announces two roundtable events, which will not only offer participants an opportunity to provide oral comments on the topics presented in the Software Partnership notice but also on the topics set forth in the present notice, to the extent they apply to software- related patents. Comment Deadline: To be assured of consideration, written comments must be received on or before March 15, 2013. No public hearing will be held.
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee
Document Number: 2013-00668
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-01-15
Agency: Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration
The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee (RE&EEAC) will hold its inaugural meeting under its second charter. During the course of this charter term, which began in June 2012, the Committee is expected to develop recommendations on improving the competitiveness of U.S. renewable energy and energy efficiency exports. The meeting is open to the public and the room is disabled-accessible. Public seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Marine Mammals; File Nos. 14451, 14353, and 13846
Document Number: 2013-00612
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-01-15
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Notice is hereby given that Joseph Mobley, Jr., University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2528 McCarthy Mall, Honolulu, HI 96816; Ann Zoidis, Cetos Research Organization, 33 Echo Ave., Suite 5, Oakland, CA 94611; and Jim Darling, Ph.D., Whale Trust, P.O. Box 384, Tofino, BC V0R2Z0, Canada, have applied for amendments to Scientific Research Permit Nos. 14451, 14353, and 13846, respectively.
Marine Mammals; File No. 17005
Document Number: 2013-00611
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-01-15
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Notice is hereby given that Peter Rogers, Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology, Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Atlanta, GA 30332, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on cetacean species not listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council)-Public Meetings
Document Number: 2013-00601
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-01-15
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) will hold a series of scoping meetings and public hearings pertaining to Amendment 5 to the Dolphin Wahoo Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and Amendment 27 to the Snapper Grouper FMP.
Availability of Seats for the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council
Document Number: 2013-00536
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-01-15
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The ONMS is seeking applications for the following vacant seats on the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council: recreational fishing, research, education, and conservation. Applicants are chosen based upon their particular expertise and experience in relation to the seat for which they are applying; community and professional affiliations; philosophy regarding the protection and management of marine resources; and possibly the length of residence in the area affected by the sanctuary. Applicants who are chosen as members should expect to serve 3-year terms, pursuant to the council's charter.
Notice of Applicability of Special Use Permit Requirements to Certain Categories of Activities Conducted Within the National Marine Sanctuary System
Document Number: 2013-00535
Type: Notice
Date: 2013-01-15
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
In accordance with a requirement of Public Law 106-513 (16 U.S.C. 1441(b)), NOAA hereby gives public notice of the applicability of the special use permit requirements of Section 310 of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to certain categories of activities conducted within the National Marine Sanctuary System. In addition, NOAA is seeking public comment on the subject of special use permits.
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