Department of Commerce 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On November 3, 2016, the Department of Commerce (the ``Department'') published its notice of initiation and preliminary results of a changed circumstances review of the antidumping duty (``AD'') order on crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into modules (``solar cells''), from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') (Preliminary Results). The Department preliminarily determined that Zhejiang ERA Solar Technology Co., Ltd. (``Zhejiang ERA'') is the successor-in-interest to Era Solar Co., Ltd. (``Era Solar'') for purposes of the AD order on solar cells from the PRC and, as such, is entitled to Era Solar's antidumping duty cash deposit rate with respect to entries of subject merchandise. We invited interested parties to comment on the Preliminary Results. As no parties submitted comments, and there is no other information or evidence on the record calling into question our Preliminary Results, the Department is making no changes to the Preliminary Results. For these final results, the Department continues to find that Zhejiang ERA is the successor-in-interest to Era Solar.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Ad Hoc Ecosystem Workgroup (EWG) will hold a webinar, which is open to the public.

Notice is hereby given that permits have been issued to the following entities: Permit No. 19225: James D. Darling, Ph.D., Whale Trust, P.O. Box 384, Tofino, BC V0R2Z0 Canada; Permit No. 19257: Ann M. Zoidis, Director, Cetos Research Organization, 11 Des Isle Avenue, Bar Harbor, ME 04609; Permit No. 19315: Center for Coastal Studies, Right Whale Ecology Program, 5 Holway Avenue, P.O. Box 1036, Provincetown, MA 02657 [Responsible Party: Richard Delaney]; Permit No. 19674: Scott Kraus, Ph.D., New England Aquarium, Edgerton Research Lab, Central Wharf, Boston MA 02110; and Permit No. 20599: NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division, La Jolla, California [Responsible Party: George Watters, Ph.D.].

NMFS is adjusting the Swordfish (SWO) General Commercial permit retention limits for the Northwest Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and U.S. Caribbean regions for January through June of the 2017 fishing year, unless otherwise later noticed. The SWO General Commercial permit retention limit in each of these regions is increased from the regulatory default limits to six swordfish per vessel per trip. The SWO General Commercial permit retention limit in the Florida SWO Management Area will remain unchanged at the default limit of zero swordfish per vessel per trip. These adjustments apply to SWO General Commercial permitted vessels and Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Charter/Headboat permitted vessels when on a non-for-hire trip. This action is based upon consideration of the applicable inseason regional retention limit adjustment criteria.

Notice is hereby given that the Stewardship Division, Office for Coastal Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce approves the Management Plan for the He`eia National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) located in Hawai'i. The National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) is a federal-state partnership administered by NOAA. The system protects more than 1.3 million acres of estuarine habitat for long-term research, monitoring, education and stewardship throughout the coastal United States. Established by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, each reserve is managed by a lead state agency or university, with input from local partners. NOAA provides funding and national programmatic guidance. The He'eia Reserve Management Plan addresses research, monitoring, education, and stewardship/cultural resources needs for the proposed reserve. The Management Plan has been organized with goals, objectives and strategies that are based on an adaptive management planning framework. These goals, focusing on the He`eia estuary, traditional knowledge, coastal resources, and management issues, closely link the NERRS program sectors of education, research and training, and stewardship. The goals of the Management Plan can be applied beyond the five-year timeframe of the Management Plan. On September 2, 2016, NOAA issued notice of a public hearing and a thirty-day public comment period for the He`eia Reserve Management Plan and a Draft Environmental Impact Statement associated with the Proposed Designation of the He'eia NERR (81 FR 60676). On October 13, 2016, NOAA announced a 13-day extension to the public comment period (81 FR 70666). Responses to the relevant written and oral comments on the Management Plan have been incorporated into Appendix D of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the He`eia National Estuarine Research Reserve. The final Management Plan and final EIS, including the Appendix D response to comments, are available at the regulations.gov Web site by searching for Docket Number NOAA-NOS-2016- 0114, and at https://coast.noaa.gov/czm/compliance/.

On August 12, 2016, the Department of Commerce (the Department) published the preliminary results of the antidumping duty administrative review of certain pasta (pasta) from Italy. The period of review (POR) is July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015. As a result of our analysis of the comments and information received, these final results differ from the Preliminary Results with respect to Industria Alimentare Colavita S.p.A. (Indalco) and Liguori Pastificio Dal 1820 (Liguori). For the final weighted-average dumping margins, see the ``Final Results of Review'' section below.

The Department of Commerce (``Department'') is extending the time limits for the final determination of the investigation of certain biaxial integral geogrid products (``geogrids'') from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). The period of investigation (``POI'') is July 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015.

On August 12, 2016, the Department of Commerce (``Department'') published the preliminary results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on lightweight thermal paper (``LWTP'') from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). The period of review (``POR'') is November 1, 2014, through October 31, 2015. The review covers two exporters of subject merchandise: Jaan Huey Co. Ltd. (``Jaan Huey'') and Shanghai Hanhong Paper Co., Ltd. and Hanhong Paper Co. Ltd (together, ``Hanhong''). We invited interested parties to comment on our preliminary results. No party provided comment. Accordingly, for the final results of review, we continue to find that because neither respondent participated in this review, Jaan Huey and Hanhong have not demonstrated eligibility for a separate rate in this segment of the proceeding, and therefore, we are treating both as part of the PRC-wide entity.

We are proposing to withdraw the alternative tow time restriction and require all skimmer trawls, pusher-head trawls, and wing nets (butterfly trawls) rigged for fishingwith the exception of vessels participating in the Biscayne Bay wing net fishery prosecuted in Miami-Dade County, Floridato use turtle excluder devices (TEDs) designed to exclude small turtles in their nets. The intent of this proposed rule is to reduce incidental bycatch and mortality of sea turtles in the southeastern U.S. shrimp fisheries, and to aid in the protection and recovery of listed sea turtle populations. We also are proposing to amend the definition of tow times to better clarify the intent and purpose of tow times to reduce sea turtle mortality, and to refine additional portions of the TED requirements to avoid potential confusion.

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 for the Alabama Trustee Implementation Group (Alabama TIG) have prepared a Draft Recreational Use Restoration Plan I and Draft Environmental Impact Statement: Provide and Enhance Recreational Opportunities (Draft RP/EIS). The Draft RP/EIS describes the restoration project alternatives considered by the Alabama TIG to compensate for recreational shoreline use lost as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Alabama TIG evaluated these alternatives under criteria set forth in the OPA natural resource damage assessment regulations and evaluated 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 Draft RP/EIS and to seek public comments on the document.

Notice is hereby given that the Confederated Colville Tribes have submitted a Tribal Resource Management Plan (Tribal Plan) to NMFS pursuant to the limitation on take prohibitions for actions conducted under Tribal Plans promulgated under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Tribal Plan specifies artificial propagation, harvest, and research and monitoring activities in the Okanogan River basin and portions of the upper Columbia River. This document serves to notify the public of the availability for comment of the proposed evaluation of the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) as to whether implementation of the Tribal Plan will appreciably reduce the likelihood of survival and recovery of ESA-listed Upper Columbia River Spring Chinook salmon and steelhead. This notice further advises the public of the availability for review of a draft Environmental Assessment of the effects of the NMFS determination on the subject Tribal Plan.

We, NMFS, published a notice of the availability of the draft 2016 Alaska, Atlantic, and Pacific regional marine mammal stock assessment reports (SARs) in the Federal Register on October 11, 2016. Subsequent to soliciting public comment on the draft 2016 SARs, we became aware that due to technical errors in converting between electronic formats, the draft Atlantic SARs contained incorrect information in some instances. We have corrected these errors and through this notice we announce the availability of revised draft Atlantic 2016 SARs for public comment through the end of the original 90-day comment period.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) determines that imports of large residential washers (LRWs) from the People's Republic of China (PRC) are being, or likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is April 1, 2015, through September 30, 2015. The final weighted-average dumping margins for this investigation are listed in the ``Final Determination Margins'' section of this notice.

On October 31, 2016, the Department of Commerce (the Department) initiated, and published the preliminary results of, the changed circumstances review of the antidumping duty order on certain frozen warmwater shrimp (shrimp) from India. In that notice, we preliminarily determined that Avanti Frozen Foods Private Limited (Avanti Frozen) is the successor-in-interest to Avanti Feeds Limited (Avanti Feeds) for purposes of determining antidumping duty cash deposits and liabilities. No interested party submitted comments on our preliminary results. Therefore, for these final results, the Department continues to find that Avanti Frozen is the successor-in-interest to Avanti Feeds.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces the adoption of a Final Endangered Species Act (ESA) recovery plan (Plan) for the Oregon Coast Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) evolutionarily significant unit (ESU) which is listed as threatened under the ESA. The geographic area covered by the Plan is the Pacific Ocean and freshwater habitat (rivers, streams and lakes) from the Necanicum River near Seaside, Oregon, on the northern end to the Sixes River near Port Orford, Oregon on the south. The objective of the Plan is to provide a guidance framework for restoring the threatened Oregon Coast Coho Salmon ESU to the point where it no longer needs the protections of the ESA. As required under the ESA, the Plan contains objective, measurable delisting criteria, site-specific management actions necessary to achieve the Plan's goals, and estimates of the time and costs required to implement recovery actions. The Plan is now available.

Notice is hereby given that Randall Wells, Ph.D., Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236 has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) for scientific research.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council) and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) have jointly submitted Amendment 26 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region (FMP) for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. Amendment 26 would adjust the management boundary for the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and Atlantic migratory groups of king mackerel; revise management reference points, stock and sector annual catch limits (ACLs), commercial quotas, and recreational annual catch targets (ACTs) for Atlantic migratory group king mackerel; allow limited retention and sale of Atlantic migratory group king mackerel incidentally caught in the shark gillnet fishery; establish a commercial split season for Atlantic migratory group king mackerel in the Atlantic southern zone; establish a commercial trip limit system for Atlantic migratory group king mackerel in the Atlantic southern zone; revise reference points and stock and sector ACLs for Gulf migratory group king mackerel; revise commercial zone quotas for Gulf migratory group king mackerel; and modify the recreational bag limit for Gulf migratory group king mackerel. The purpose of Amendment 26 is to ensure that king mackerel management is based on the best scientific information available, while increasing the social and economic benefits of the fishery.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) plans to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in fiscal year 2017 (FY17), subject to the availability of appropriated funding, to competitively fund grants and/or cooperative agreements (hereinafter referred to as awards) to existing Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Centers to add capabilities to the MEP program, including the development and conduct of projects to solve new or emerging manufacturing problems. This notice is not the NOFO; 15 U.S.C. 287k(f), the statute under which NIST expects to conduct the future award program, requires the NIST Director to consult with small and mid-sized manufacturers regarding their needs and, in turn, for NIST to use the information provided to develop one or more themes for future NOFOs, which will be disseminated through www.grants.gov. Through this notice, NIST requests information from small- and medium-sized U.S. manufacturers related to the needs of such manufacturers in four areas: (1) Critical manufacturing technologies; (2) supply chain requirements; (3) potential business services, including information services; and (4) other technologies or services that would enhance global competition. In addition, NIST requests responses related to other critical issues that NIST should consider in its strategic planning for potential future NOFOs to be conducted pursuant to the authority contained in 15 U.S.C. 278k(f).

The Department of Commerce (the ``Department'') is conducting the fifth administrative review of the antidumping duty order on seamless refined copper pipe and tube from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''), covering the period November 1, 2014 through October 31, 2015. The Department preliminarily finds that, during the period of review (``POR''), the Hailiang Single Entity sold subject merchandise in the United States at less than normal value. Additionally, the Department preliminarily finds that the GD Single Entity did not sell subject merchandise in the United States at less than normal value. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a meeting of the Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee (ETTAC).