Department of Commerce January 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2017, from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled ``Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,'' published in the Federal Register on January 24, 2017 (the Memorandum), this action stays the final rule NMFS published on December 30, 2016 in order to delay its effective date.

In accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2017, from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled ``Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,'' published in the Federal Register on January 24, 2017 (the Memorandum), this action stays the final rule NMFS published on December 29, 2016, in order to delay its effective date.

In accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2017, from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled ``Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,'' published in the Federal Register on January 24, 2017 (the Memorandum), this action temporarily delays the effective date of the Final Rule entitled ``Regional Innovation Program'' (Final Rule or Rule) published in the Federal Register on January 11, 2017. The Final Rule implements the Regional Innovation Program of the Economic Development Administration (EDA or the Agency), U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) and specifically focuses on outlining the regulatory structure of its centerpiece grant program, the Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) Program.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting a new shipper review (NSR) of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on passenger vehicle and light truck tires (passenger tires) from the People's Republic of China (the PRC). The NSR covers one exporter/ producer of subject merchandise, Shandong Xinghongyuan Tire Co., Ltd. (SXT). The period of review (POR) is December 1, 2014, through January 31, 2016. The Department preliminarily determines that SXT did not satisfy the regulatory requirements to request an NSR, and, therefore, we are preliminarily rescinding this NSR. Interested parties are invited to comment on the preliminary results of this review.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 610 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2017 total allowable catch of pollock for Statistical Area 610 in the GOA.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) determines that imports of truck and bus tires from the People's Republic of China (the PRC) are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is July 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015. The final dumping margins of sales at LTFV are listed in the ``Final Determination'' section of this notice.

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the Ocean Exploration Advisory Board (OEAB). OEAB members will discuss and provide advice on Federal ocean exploration programs, with a particular emphasis on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER) activities; the use of ships and other platforms in ocean exploration, including by non-for-profit organizations and the private sector; and other matters as described in the agenda found on the OEAB Web site at https://oeab.noaa.gov.

The United States Investment Advisory Council (Council) will hold a meeting on Friday, February 17, 2017. The Council was chartered on April 6, 2016, to advise the Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to the promotion and retention of foreign direct investment in the United States. At the meeting, members will be provided substantive briefings on key Administration priorities moving forward and deliberate and vote on a letter to the Secretary of Commerce, aimed at communicating the value of FDI to continued economic growth and job- creation. The agenda may change to accommodate Council business. The final agenda will be posted on the Department of Commerce Web site for the Council at https://trade.gov/IAC, at least one week in advance of the meeting.

The Department of Commerce (the ``Department'') determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of certain carbon and alloy steel cut-to-length plate (``CTL plate'') from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). For information on the estimated subsidy rates, see the ``Final Determination'' section of this notice.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (``the Department'') determines that ammonium sulfate from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (``LTFV''). The period of investigation is October 1, 2015, through March 31, 2016. The final dumping margin of sales at LTFV is listed below in the ``Final Determination'' section of this notice.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of certain amorphous silica fabric (silica fabric) from the People's Republic of China (the PRC). For information on the estimated subsidy rates, see the ``Final Determination and Suspension of Liquidation'' section of this notice.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) is amending the final results of the antidumping duty administrative review of certain pasta (pasta) from Italy to correct a ministerial error. The period of review (POR) is July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015.

NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) for Atlantic migratory group cobia that are not sold (recreational) in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Atlantic. In 2015 and 2016, recreational landings of Atlantic migratory group cobia (Atlantic cobia) exceeded the stock annual catch limit (ACL), and therefore, AMs for the recreational sector are triggered for 2017. NMFS closes the recreational sector for Atlantic cobia in Federal waters on January 24, 2017, and it will remain closed for the remainder of the fishing year through December 31, 2017. This closure is necessary to protect the resource of Atlantic cobia.

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the NOAA Science Advisory Board. The members will discuss and provide advice on issues outlined in the section on Matters to be considered.

On November 18, 2016, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved, under the Paperwork Reduction Act, changes to the collection-of-information under Control Number 0648-0335 necessary to require observer statements to support shipments of tuna harvested in fisheries with regular and significant mortality and serious injury of marine mammals. With notice of this approval, the new requirements for observer statements described in the Federal Register notice published on September 28, 2016, are hereby effective.

The National Weather Service on behalf of the National Science and Technology Council; Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Sustainability; Space Weather Operations, Research, and Mitigation Subcommittee announces the availability of and requests public comments on the draft 2017 Space Weather Phase 1 Benchmarks (Draft Benchmarks).

We, NMFS, are issuing a final rule to remove the Puget Sound/ Georgia Basin canary rockfish (Sebastes pinniger) Distinct Population Segment (DPS) from the Federal List of Threatened and Endangered Species and remove its critical habitat designation. We proposed these actions based on newly obtained samples and genetic analysis that demonstrates that the Puget Sound/Georgia Basin canary rockfish population does not meet the DPS criteria and therefore does not qualify for listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Following public and peer review of the proposed rule and supporting scientific information, this final rule implements the changes to the listing and critical habitat for canary rockfish. We also update and amend the listing description for the Puget Sound/Georgia Basin yelloweye rockfish (S. ruberrimus) DPS based on a geographic description to include fish within specified boundaries. Further, although the current listing description is not based on boundaries, with this final rule we are also correcting a descriptive boundary for the DPS depicted on maps to include an area in the northern Johnstone Strait and Queen Charlotte Channel in waters of Canada consistent with newly obtained genetic information on yelloweye rockfish population grouping. We also update and amend the listing description for the bocaccio DPS based on a geographic description and to include fish within specified boundaries.