Department of Commerce February 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding eight persons under eight entries to the Entity List. The eight 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 eight persons will be listed on the Entity List under the destination of the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.). This final rule also removes nine persons from the Entity List, as the result of a request for removal submitted by these persons, a review of information provided in the removal request in accordance with the procedure for requesting removal or modification of an Entity List entity and further review conducted by the End-User Review Committee (ERC). Finally, this rule is also revising six existing entries in the Entity List. One entry under Iran is modified to correct the entry by updating the Federal Register citation. Five entries on the Entity List under the destinations of Armenia, Greece, India, Pakistan and the United Kingdom (U.K.) are modified to reflect a removal from the Entity List.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using pot gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2016 Pacific cod total allowable catch apportioned to vessels using pot gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of its Hawaii Archipelago Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) Advisory Panel (AP) and American Samoa Archipelago FEP AP Advisory Panel to discuss and make recommendations on fishery management issues in the Western Pacific Region.

The purpose of this notice is to notify the public that NOAA/ NMFS has finalized revisions to the NOAA policy and procedures for complying with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in the context of Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) fishery management actions. This notice provides a summary of the public comments received and the agency's responses. The final revised and updated NEPA procedures for MSA actions are available online at https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/msa2007/ nepa.htm.

NMFS has received a request from the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to Russian River estuary management activities. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to SCWA to incidentally take marine mammals, by Level B harassment only, during the specified activity.

NMFS issues a proposed rule that would modify regulations governing the Crab Rationalization (CR) Program. This proposed rule is comprised of three actions. Under the first action, this proposed rule would modify regulations to create an exemption for participants in the Western Aleutian Islands golden king crab (WAG) fishery from the prohibition against resuming fishing before all CR Program crab have been fully offloaded from a vessel. This action is intended to allow participants in the WAG fishery to offload live crab to remote ports near the fishing grounds to supply live crab markets. Under the second action, this proposed rule would amend CR Program regulations to clarify current document submission requirements for persons applying to receive captain and crew crab quota share, called C shares, by transfer. Under the third action, this proposed rule would amend License Limitation Program (LLP) regulations to remove the requirement for endorsements on crab LLP licenses for specific crab fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands that are no longer managed under the LLP. This proposed rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs, and other applicable laws.

We, NMFS, announce a 5-year review of the Indus River dolphin (Platanista gangetica minor) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). The purpose of these reviews is to ensure that the listing classification of a species is accurate. The 5-year review will be based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review; therefore, we request submission of any such information on Indus River dolphins that has become available since their original listing as endangered in January 1991. Based on the results of this 5-year review, we will make the requisite determination under the ESA.

The U.S. Department of Commerce announces the imminent establishment of the United States-Mexico Energy Business Council (the ``Council'') with U.S. Department of Energy, the Ministry of Economy of the United Mexican States, and the Ministry of Energy of the United Mexican States, and is soliciting nominations for U.S. private sector members. The Council is expected to have as its objective bringing together representatives of the respective energy industries of the United States and Mexico to discuss issues of mutual interest, particularly ways to strengthen the economic and commercial ties between energy industries in the two countries, and communicating actionable, non-binding recommendations to the U.S. and Mexican governments.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (Council) Tilefish Monitoring Committee will hold a public meeting.

The Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service announce an interagency policy to clarify the role of State agencies in activities undertaken by the Services under authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, and associated regulations. The policy, which is a revision of a policy issued in 1994, reflects a renewed commitment by the Services and State fish and wildlife agencies to work together in conserving America's imperiled wildlife.

The National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE) will hold a public meeting on Thursday, March 3, 2016, 2:00-2:45 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) and Friday, March 4, 2016, 8:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m. ET. During this time, members will continue to work on various Council initiatives which include: Innovation, entrepreneurship and workforce talent.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold meetings of the: Protected Resources Committee; Joint Dolphin Wahoo and Snapper Grouper Committees; Advisory Panel Selection Committee (Partially Closed Session); Southeast Data, Assessment and Review (SEDAR) Committee (Partially Closed Session); Law Enforcement Committee; Snapper Grouper Committee; King and Spanish Mackerel Committee; Data Collection Committee; Executive Finance Committee; and a meeting of the Full Council. The Council will also hold a meeting of its Law Enforcement Advisory Panel. The Council will also hold a formal public comment session. The Council will take action as necessary.

NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the Community Development Quota pollock directed fishing allowance from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea. This action is necessary to provide opportunity for harvest of the 2016 total allowable catch of pollock, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area.

In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Deepwater Horizon Federal and State natural resource trustee agencies (Trustees) have prepared a Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Final PDARP/PEIS). As required by OPA, in this Final PDARP/PEIS, the Trustees present the assessment of impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on natural resources in the Gulf of Mexico and on the services those resources provide, and determine the restoration needed to compensate the public for these impacts. The Final PDARP/PEIS describes the Trustees' programmatic alternatives considered to restore natural resources, ecological services, and recreational use services injured or lost as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Trustees evaluate these alternatives under criteria set forth in the OPA natural resource damage assessment regulations, and also evaluate the environmental consequences of the restoration alternatives in accordance with NEPA. The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the availability of the Final PDARP/PEIS.

NMFS proposes to approve changes to the Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan (Plan) and codified regulations for the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC or Commission) regulatory Area 2A off Washington, Oregon, and California (Area 2A). In addition, NMFS proposes to implement the portions of the Plan and management measures that are not implemented through the IPHC. These measures include the sport fishery allocations and management measures for Area 2A. These actions are intended to conserve Pacific halibut, provide angler opportunity where available, and minimize bycatch of overfished groundfish species.

In response to a request from Nucor Corporation and SSAB Enterprises LLC (collectively ``Domestic Producers''), the Department of Commerce (``Department'') is initiating a circumvention inquiry, pursuant to section 781(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the ``Act''), to determine whether certain imports of certain cut-to-length carbon steel plate (``CTL plate'') are circumventing the antidumping duty order on CTL plate from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'').\1\

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting of its Standing and Special Shrimp Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC).

NMFS will hold a 3-day Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Advisory Panel (AP) meeting in March 2016. The intent of the meeting is to consider options for the conservation and management of Atlantic HMS. The meeting is open to the public.

NMFS' Office of Protected Resources has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to conducting waterfront construction, over the course of five years from the date of issuance. Pursuant to regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing receipt of the Navy's request for the development and implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals. NMFS invites the public to provide information, suggestions, and comments on the Navy's application and request.

The Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) will hold a meeting that will be open to the public. Information about the HSRP and the full meeting agenda will be posted at http: // www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/ocs/hsrp/meetings_galveston2016.h tm.

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.