Department of Commerce August 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), International Trade Administration (ITA) announces that it will accept applications for the International Buyer Program (IBP) Select for quarters 2 and 3 of calendar year 2019 (April 1, 2019, through September 30, 2019). The IBP Select is currently undergoing a program review that may result in new ITA products and services for trade shows and it will take ITA some time to implement the recommended changes. Therefore, IBP is only moving forward with the current program until September 30, 2019. Should the program review result in new ITA products and services for trade shows, they will be announced separately in the Federal Register. This announcement sets out the objectives, procedures and application review criteria for IBP Select. Under IBP Select, ITA recruits international buyers to U.S. trade shows to meet with U.S suppliers exhibiting at those shows. The main difference between IBP and IBP Select is that IBP offers worldwide promotion, whereas IBP Select focuses on promotion and recruitment in up to five international markets. Specifically, through the IBP Select, the DOC selects domestic trade shows that will receive ITA services in the form of targeted promotion and recruitment in up to five foreign markets, as well as export counseling to exhibitors at the trade show. This notice covers selection for IBP Select participation during quarters 2 and 3 of calendar year 2019.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Central Aleutian district (CAI) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) by vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery. This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2018 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific ocean perch in the CAI allocated to vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery.

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 the firms contributed importantly to the total or partial separation of the firms' workers, or threat thereof, and to a decrease in sales or production of each petitioning firm.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is rescinding the administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on certain pneumatic off-the-road tires (OTR tires) from India for the period June 20, 2016, through December 31, 2017.

On April 17, 2018, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) received a request for revocation, in part, of the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders on certain crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells from the People's Republic of China (China) (the Orders) with respect to certain off-grid solar panels. Because producers accounting for substantially all of the domestic production of certain off-grid solar panels lack interest in the relief provided by the Orders, we intend to revoke, in part, the Orders with respect to these products. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.

NMFS is prohibiting retention of sablefish by vessels using trawl gear in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the 2018 total allowable catch of sablefish allocated to vessels using trawl gear in the West Yakutat District of the GOA will be reached.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is rescinding the administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on carbazole violet pigment 23 (CVP-23) from India for the period January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2016.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) and its advisory entities will hold public meetings.

The SEDAR 61 assessment of the Gulf of Mexico Red Grouper will consist of one in-person Data/Assessment Workshop and a series of webinars. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the Other Jacks Complex commercial sector in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic for the 2018 fishing year through this temporary rule. The Other Jacks Complex is composed of the lesser amberjack, almaco jack, and banded rudderfish. NMFS projects that commercial landings of the Other Jacks Complex will reach the combined commercial annual catch limit (ACL) by August 22, 2018. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial sector for this complex in the South Atlantic EEZ, on August 22, 2018, and it will remain closed until the start of the next fishing year on January 1, 2019. This closure is necessary to protect the lesser amberjack, almaco jack, and banded rudderfish resources.

Notice is hereby given that the NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC), 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL 33149 (Responsible Party: Theophilus Brainerd, Ph.D.), has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on up to 33 species of cetaceans.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that imports of stainless steel flanges from India are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV) during the period of investigation (POI) July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2017.

NMFS announces a public meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Consultative Committee. This meeting will help to ensure that the interests of U.S. stakeholders in the fisheries of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean are adequately represented at the Annual Meeting of the Organization. Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Consultative Committee members and all other interested U.S. stakeholders are invited to attend.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office for Coastal Management will hold a public meeting to solicit comments on the performance evaluation of the South Carolina Coastal Management Program.

NMFS proposes regulations to modify management of the American Fisheries Act (AFA) Program and Crab Rationalization (CR) Program. This proposed rule has two related actions. The first action would modify regulations for AFA Program and CR Program vessels subject to limits on the catch of specific species (sideboard limits) in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Management Area and Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Management Area. The second action would remove the requirement for the designated representatives of AFA inshore cooperatives to submit a weekly catch report. This proposed rule is intended to reduce administrative burdens associated with managing sideboard limits through annual harvest specifications, although it would not change NMFS's inseason management of sideboard limits and reduce reporting burdens for the designated representatives and members of AFA inshore cooperatives.

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 (Commerce) preliminarily determines that certain exporters for which this review was requested did make sales of subject merchandise at prices below normal value (NV) during the period of review (POR) July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2017. We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results.