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

NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the recreational sector of greater amberjack in the South Atlantic exclusive economic zone (EEZ) through this temporary rule. NMFS estimates that recreational landings have reached the recreational annual catch limit (ACL) for greater amberjack in the South Atlantic. Therefore, NMFS closes the recreational sector for greater amberjack in the South Atlantic EEZ for the remainder of the current fishing year (see DATES). This closure is necessary to protect the greater amberjack resource in the South Atlantic.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily determines that carbon and alloy steel wire rod (wire rod) from Spain is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2016.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily determines that carbon and alloy steel wire rod (wire rod) from Ukraine is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2016.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily determines that Carbon and Alloy Steel Wire Rod (wire rod) from the Republic of Korea (Korea) is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2016.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) is rescinding the administrative review of the antidumping duty (AD) order on polyethylene terephthalate resin (PET resin) from the Sultanate of Oman (Oman) for the period of review (POR), i.e., October 15, 2015, through April 30, 2017.

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) has received petitions for certification of eligibility to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance from the firms listed below. Accordingly, EDA has initiated investigations to determine whether increased imports into the United States of articles like or directly competitive with those produced by each of these firms contributed importantly to the total or partial separation of the firm's workers, or threat thereof, and to a decrease in sales or production of each petitioning firm.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily determines that biodiesel from Argentina is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value. The period of investigation is January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2016.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Herring Committee to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (MAFMC's) Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Advisory Panel will hold a public meeting via webinar, jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (ASMFC's) Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Advisory Panel.

NMFS' Fisheries Finance Program (FFP) provides long-term financing to the commercial fishing and aquaculture industries for fishing vessels, fisheries facilities, aquaculture facilities, and certain designated individual fishing quota (IFQ). Section 302 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015 (Pub. L. 114-120) included new authority to finance the purchase of harvesting rights in a fishery that is federally managed under a limited access system. The FFP proposes to add a new section to the existing FFP regulations to implement this statutory change. The net effect of this proposed change to the regulations will be to provide additional authority for the program to lend, while leaving the original IFQ authority to Fishery Management Councils to use as needed.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) conducted two separate Collaborative Search Pilot Programs (CSPs) during the period of 2015 through 2017. One of these programs was conducted with the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and the other with the Korean Intellectual Patent Office (KIPO). Improvements in patent quality and examination pendency were identified as positive outcomes from these two original CSPs. Building on the success of these two programs, the USPTO is participating in a new, expanded CSP (Expanded CSP) in which applicants may request that multiple partnering Intellectual Property (IP) offices exchange search results for their counterpart applications prior to formulating and issuing their office actions. In Expanded CSP, each designated partner IP office will independently conduct a prior art search for its corresponding counterpart application. The search results will then be exchanged between the designated partner IP office(s) and the USPTO before any IP office issues an office action. By this exchange of search results, the examiners in all designated partner IP offices will have a more comprehensive set of prior art references to consider when making initial patentability determinations. In addition to changing the number of IP offices that may be providing search results to the USPTO, Expanded CSP provides applicants with more flexibility by not requiring that applicants follow the procedures of the First Action Interview Pilot Program (FAI). Expanded CSP will allow the USPTO to study the impact on examination processes resulting from exchanges of search results between the USPTO and multiple partner IP offices prior to formulating and issuing office actions.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2017 total allowable catch of Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

Notice is hereby given that Gregory Bossart, V.M.D., Ph.D., Georgia Aquarium, 225 Baker Street Northwest, Atlanta, GA 30313, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

NMFS proposes annual catch limits (ACLs) for Pacific Island crustacean, precious coral, and territorial bottomfish fisheries, and accountability measures (AMs) to correct or mitigate any overages of catch limits. The proposed ACLs and AMs would be effective for fishing year 2017. The proposed ACLs and AMs support the long-term sustainability of fishery resources of the U.S. Pacific Islands.

This proposed temporary rule would implement interim measures to reduce overfishing of golden tilefish in Federal waters of the South Atlantic. Beginning in 2018, this temporary rule would reduce the total annual catch limit (ACL), the commercial and recreational sector ACLs, and the quotas for the hook-and-line and longline components of the commercial sector. This proposed temporary rule would be effective for 180 days, although NMFS may extend the temporary rule's effectiveness for a maximum of an additional 186 days. The intended effect of this proposed temporary rule is to reduce overfishing of golden tilefish while the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council develops long-term management measures.

The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS (Assistant Regional Administrator), has made a preliminary determination that an exempted fishing permit application contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. This permit would allow Coonamessett Farm Foundation to test the selectivity of alternate gillnet configurations for targeting haddock on Georges Bank while reducing catch of other groundfish species. Up to five commercial fishing vessels would target haddock using alternate gillnet gears on Georges Bank, including Closed Area I, and temporarily retain undersized catch for measurement and data collection. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed exempted fishing permits.

The First Responder Network Authority (``FirstNet'') announces the availability of the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the East Region (``Final PEIS''). The Final PEIS evaluates the potential environmental impacts of the proposed nationwide public safety broadband network in the East Region (Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia).

NMFS is exchanging unused flathead sole and rock sole Community Development Quota (CDQ) for yellowfin sole CDQ acceptable biological catch (ABC) reserves in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area. This action is necessary to allow the 2017 total allowable catch of yellowfin sole in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area to be harvested.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Groundfish Plan Team will meet November 13 through November 17, 2017.

The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (Act) requires a Governor of a State to notify the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of a State's decision to opt-out of participation in the deployment of the nationwide public safety broadband network (NPSBN) as proposed by FirstNet and to conduct its own deployment of a Radio Access Network in the State. This Notice provides instructions for such ``opt-out'' notices to NTIA.