Department of Commerce 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces receipt of an exempted fishing permit (EFP) application from the International Halibut Commission (IPHC). If granted, this EFP would allow crew members on a selected hook-and-line vessel targeting Pacific cod in the western Aleutian Islands in winter to collect biological samples from incidentally caught halibut and release those fish back to the water in a timely manner to increase survivability. Biological samples collected would include a fork length measurement and a small tissue sample from the caudal fin for genetic analysis. A NMFS-trained fishery observer would assign a viability category for each sampled halibut as per existing IPHC/NMFS protocols. The objective of the EFP application is to confirm or reject results of a previous genetic stock structure study which indicated that Pacific halibut in the western Aleutian Islands are genetically distinct from the remainder of the eastern Pacific population. This experiment has the potential to promote the objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act.

On June 8, 2017, the Department of Commerc

This action proposes revised implementing regulations for the 911 Grant Program, as a result of the enactment of the Next Generation 911 (NG911) Advancement Act of 2012. The 911 Grant Program provides grants to improve 911 services, E-911 services, and NG911 services and applications. NTIA and NHTSA (the Agencies) request comments on this proposed rule.

On April 19, 2017, the Census Bureau revised the Foreign Trade Regulations (FTR). The revisions to the FTR reflected the implementation of the International Trade Data System, in accordance with the Executive Order 13659, Streamlining the Export/Import Process for American Businesses. In the Final Rule, the Census Bureau also amended the appendices section. Appendices B, C, E, and F were removed and appendix D was revised and redesignated as the new appendix B. With the revisions to the appendices section, there are a few sections of the FTR that were inadvertently not updated to reflect these changes. This document corrects the final regulations.

The Groundfish Subcommittee of the Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council's) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold a meeting via webinar to review analyses informing 2019 and 2020 groundfish harvest specifications and other matters that will be considered at the November 14-20, 2017 Pacific Council meetings in Costa Mesa, California. The webinar meeting is open to the public.

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.

In this final rule, NMFS removes a regulatory exemption that allowed certain large U.S. longline vessels to fish in portions of the American Samoa Large Vessel Prohibited Area (LVPA). The intent is to comply with a U.S. District Court Final Judgment and Order that vacated and set aside that rule.

Notice is hereby given that the following entities have applied in due form for a permit to receive, import, and/or export marine mammal parts for scientific research: File No. 21217: Aaron Roberts, Ph.D., University of North Texas, Biological Sciences, 1155 Union Circle, #310559, Denton, TX 76203; File No. 21397: Burke Museum, Mammalogy [Julie Stein, Responsible Party], University of Washington, Box 353010, Seattle, WA 98195.

NMFS proposes to implement the measures described in Regulatory Amendment 6 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Fishery of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI)(FMP), as prepared and submitted by the Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council). This proposed rule would revise the method used to trigger the application of accountability measures (AM) for Council-managed reef fish species or species groups in the Puerto Rico exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The purpose of this proposed rule is to increase the likelihood that optimum yield (OY) is achieved on a continuing basis and to minimize, to the extent practicable, adverse socio- economic effects of AM-based closures.

NMFS announces that the 25-mt quota available for Atlantic bluefin tuna bycatch (including landings and dead discards) by the Longline category in the Northeast Distant gear restricted area (NED) was filled on September 12, 2017. NMFS informs vessels fishing in the NED that they now must account for any bluefin tuna bycatch retained or discarded dead using Individual Bluefin Quota (IBQ) allocation available to the vessel.

We, NMFS, issue a final rule to list the Maui dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori maui) as endangered and the South Island (SI) Hector's dolphin (C. hectori hectori) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We considered comments submitted on the proposed listing rule and have determined that the Maui dolphin and the SI Hector's dolphin warrant listing as endangered and threatened species, respectively. We will not designate critical habitat for either of these dolphin subspecies, because the geographical areas occupied by these dolphins are entirely outside U.S. jurisdiction, and we have not identified any unoccupied areas within U.S. jurisdiction that are currently essential to the conservation of either of these subspecies.

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.

Notice is hereby given that permits or permit amendments have been issued to the following entities under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA), as applicable.

The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration (ITA) is announcing an additional upcoming trade mission that will be recruited, organized, and implemented by ITA. The mission is: Aerospace Executive Service Trade Mission to the Singapore AirshowFebruary 5-9, 2018. A summary of the mission is found below. Application information and more detailed mission information, including the commercial setting and sector information, can be found at the trade mission Web site: https://export.gov/trademissions. For each mission, recruitment will be conducted in an open and public manner, including publication in the Federal Register, posting on the Commerce Department trade mission calendar (https://export.gov/ trademissions) and other Internet Web sites, press releases to general and trade media, direct mail, broadcast fax, notices by industry trade associations and other multiplier groups, and publicity at industry meetings, symposia, conferences, and trade shows.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) is aligning the final determinations in the countervailing duty (CVD) investigations of carbon and alloy steel wire rod (wire rod) from Italy and Turkey with the final determinations in the companion antidumping duty (AD) investigations.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) is rescinding the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain polyethylene terephthalate resin from India, based on the timely withdrawal of request for review. The period of review (POR) is October 15, 2015, through April 30, 2017.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Groundfish Management Team (GMT) will hold a week-long work session that is open to the public.

NMFS is correcting a temporary rule that reallocated Pacific cod from vessels using jig gear and catcher vessels greater than or equal to 60 feet (18.3 meters) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line gear to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) LOA using hook- and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area. The amount reallocated from vessels using jig gear was incorrect.

NMFS announces that the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 5 to the Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species (HMS FMP) for review by the Secretary of Commerce. The intent of Amendment 5 is to implement a federal limited entry (LE) permit for the California/Oregon large-mesh drift gillnet (DGN) fishery. The amendment would bring the State of California's LE DGN permit program under Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) authority. All current California DGN permit holders would be eligible to apply for, and receive, a federal DGN permit and no additional DGN permits would be created. The amendment is administrative in nature and is not anticipated to result in increased activity, effort, or capacity in the fishery.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Habitat 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 Department of Commerce (the Department) is partially rescinding its administrative review of the antidumping duty order on drawn stainless steel sinks from the People's Republic of China (PRC) for the period of review (POR) April 1, 2016, through March 31, 2017.

On May 9, 2017, the Department of Commerce (the Department) initiated an administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on certain uncoated paper (uncoated paper) from Indonesia for two companies for the period June 29, 2015, through December 31, 2016. Based on a timely withdrawal of a request for review, we are now rescinding this administrative review with respect to one company, PT. Indah Kiat Pulp and Paper Tbk, PT. Pabrik Kertas Tjiwi Kimia Tbk, and Pindo Deli Pulp and Paper Mills (PD) (collectively, APP).