Department of Commerce 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

As a result of the determinations by the Department of Commerce (the Department) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) that revocation of the antidumping duty orders on certain large diameter carbon and alloy seamless standard, line and pressure pipe (large diameter pipe) from Japan and certain small diameter carbon and alloy seamless standard, line and pressure pipe (small diameter pipe) from Japan and Romania would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping and material injury to an industry in the United States, the Department is publishing a notice of continuation of the antidumping duty orders.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of its Citizen Science Advisory Panel Finance and Infrastructure Action Team via webinar. The meeting via webinar was originally scheduled for November 9, 2017 but has been rescheduled as a result of schedule changes (See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION). In December 2017, the Council will also hold another meeting of the Citizen Science Advisory Panel Finance and Infrastructure Action Team via webinar.

The New England Fishery Management Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee will hold a webinar to reconsider its recommendations for setting an overfishing limit and acceptable biological catch for Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder and possibly for each of several other flounder stocks using an empirical stock assessment approach. Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

The SEDAR 55 assessment of the South Atlantic stock of Vermilion Snapper will consist of a series of webinars. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

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.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on aluminum extrusions from the People's Republic of China (PRC). The period of review (POR) is May 1, 2015, through April 30, 2016. These final results cover 10 companies and the PRC-wide entity for which an administrative review was initiated.

NMFS issues regulations to implement Amendment 48 to the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs (Crab FMP) and to revise regulations implementing the American Fisheries Act (AFA) Program and the Crab Rationalization (CR) Program. This final rule revises the Crab FMP and regulations that govern how NMFS determines the amount of limited access privileges held and used by groups in the Western Alaska Community Development Quota Program (CDQ Program) for the purposes of monitoring the excessive share limits under the AFA Program and the CR Program. This final rule is necessary to align regulations and the Crab FMP to be consistent with an amendment to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and NMFS' current method of monitoring excessive share limits for CDQ groups in the AFA Program and the CR Program. This final rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the Crab FMP, and other applicable law.

On October 6, 2017, NMFS received an application under section 120 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) from the state of Oregon (state) requesting authorization to intentionally take, by lethal methods, individually identifiable California sea lions (CSLs; Zalophus califorianus) in the Willamette River that are having a significant negative impact on the recovery of Upper Willamette River (UWR) steelhead and UWR Chinook salmon (Onchorhynchus spp.). Both of these salmonid fishery stocks are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973. This authorization is requested as part of a larger effort to protect and recover listed salmonid stocks in the Willamette River basin. NMFS has determined that the application contains sufficient information to warrant establishing a Pinniped-Fishery Interaction Task Force (Task Force), which will be established after the closing of a public comment period. NMFS solicits public comments on the state's application, other relevant information related to pinniped predation on salmonids in the Willamette River, and nominations for potential members of a Task Force.

NMFS announces that the State of Maine is transferring a portion of its 2017 commercial summer flounder quota to the State of Connecticut. This quota adjustment is necessary to comply with the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised commercial quotas for Maine and Connecticut.

Notice is hereby given that Robert Garrott, Ph.D., Montana State University, 310 Lewis Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717, has applied in due form for an amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 21158 for research on Weddell seals (Leptoncychotes weddellii).

The SEDAR 52 assessment of the Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper will consist of one in-person workshop and a series of webinars. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) determines that certain softwood lumber products (softwood lumber) from Canada is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is October 1, 2015, through September 30, 2016.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on large residential washers from Mexico. The period of review (POR) is February 1, 2016, through January 31, 2017. The review covers one producer/ exporter of the subject merchandise, Electrolux Home Products Corp. N.V. and Electrolux Home Products de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (collectively, Electrolux). We preliminarily determine that sales of subject merchandise by Electrolux have been made at prices below normal value (NV). We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results.

The Department of Commerce (Department) is conducting an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on carbon and certain alloy steel wire rod (wire rod) from Mexico. The period of review (POR) is October 1, 2015, through September 30, 2016. This review covers two producers/exporters of the subject merchandise: Deacero S.A.P.I. de C.V. (Deacero) and ArcelorMittal Las Truchas, S.A. de C.V. (AMLT). We preliminarily determine that Deacero made sales of subject merchandise at less than normal value (NV) during the POR. We also preliminarily determine that AMLT made no shipments of subject merchandise during the POR. We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results.

NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for commercial Spanish mackerel in the northern zone of the Atlantic exclusive economic zone (EEZ) through this temporary rule. NMFS has determined that the revised commercial quota for Spanish mackerel in the northern zone of the Atlantic EEZ will be reached by November 7, 2017. Therefore, NMFS closes the northern zone of the Atlantic EEZ to commercial harvest of Spanish mackerel on November 7, 2017. This closure is necessary to protect the Spanish mackerel resource in the Atlantic.

NMFS proposes revised scup specifications for the 2018 fishing year and projected specifications for 2019. Updated scientific information regarding the scup stock indicates that higher catch limits may be implemented to achieve optimum yield. This action is intended to inform the public of the proposed specifications for the 2018 fishing year and projected specifications for 2019.

This final rule on attorney-client privilege amends the existing rules relating to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office or USPTO) trial practice for inter partes review, post- grant review, the transitional program for covered business method patents, and derivation proceedings that implemented provisions of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (``AIA'') providing for trials before the Office.

On May 5, 2017 the Department of Commerce (the Department) published the preliminary results of the 9th administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain activated carbon from the People's Republic of China (PRC). We gave interested parties an opportunity to comment on the preliminary results. Based on our analysis of the comments received, we made changes to the margin calculations for these final results of the antidumping duty administrative review. The final weighted-average dumping margins are listed below in the ``Final Results of the Review'' section of this notice. The period of review (POR) is April 1, 2015, through March 31, 2016. The two mandatory respondents in this administrative review are Jacobi Carbons AB (Jacobi) and Datong Juqiang Activated Carbon Co. Ltd. (Datong Juqiang).

On May 5, 2017, the Department of Commerce (the Department) published the preliminary results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain steel threaded rod from the People's Republic of China (PRC) for the period of review (POR), April 1, 2015, through March 31, 2016. For the final results of this review, the Department finds that Jiaxing Brother Fastener Co., Ltd., RMB Fasteners Ltd., and IFI & Morgan Ltd. (RMB/IFI) had a single shipment, and Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone and Star Pipe International Trade Co., Ltd. (Tianjin Star) is eligible for a separate rate.

In response to requests from interested parties, the Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on stainless steel bar (SSB) from India. The period of review (POR) is February 1, 2016, through January 31, 2017. This review covers two producers or exporters of the subject merchandise: Ambica Steels Limited (Ambica), and Bhansali Bright Bars Pvt. Ltd. (Bhansali). We preliminarily determine that Bhansali and Ambica had no shipments of subject merchandise during the POR. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.

NMFS announces the availability of the ``Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) on the Effects of Issuing an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) (No. 21293) to Mr. Jack Rudloe, Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratories, Inc. (GSML), pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). Publication of this notice begins the official public comment period for this draft EA. Per the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the purpose of the draft EA is to evaluate the potential direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts caused by the issuance of Permit No. 21293 to GSML for the incidental take of Gulf sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi) or loggerhead (Caretta caretta Northwest Atlantic Ocean Distinct Population Segment), green (Chelonia mydas North Atlantic Distinct Population Segment), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) and leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) associated with the otherwise lawful trawling activities in Florida state waters of Bay, Gulf, Franklin, and Wakulla Counties to harvest marine organisms for the purpose of supplying entities conducting scientific research and educational activities. All comments received will become part of the public record and will be available for review. An electronic copy of the revised application and proposed conservation plan may be obtained by contacting NMFS Office of Protected Resources (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) or visiting the internet at www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/esa_review.htm.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on utility scale wind towers (wind towers) from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Vietnam). This review covers respondent CS Wind Group. The period of review (POR) is February 1, 2016, through January 31, 2017. We preliminarily find no evidence of any shipments of subject merchandise by CS Wind Group during the POR, and are therefore issuing a preliminary no shipments determination.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of fine denier polyester staple fiber (fine denier PSF) from India. The period of investigation is January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2016.