Department of Commerce April 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that critical circumstances exist with respect to all imports of polyester textured yarn (yarn) from the People's Republic of China (China).

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, School for Marine Science and Technology and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute are hosting a workshop on ``Stakeholder Engagement in Management Strategy Evaluation of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries.'' This educational workshop is supported with NMFS funding through the Bluefin Tuna Research Program and is open to the public.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Bering Sea Fishery Ecosystem Plan Team will meet May 6, 2019 through May 7, 2019.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on a proposed extension of an existing collection: 0651-0021 (Patent Cooperation Treaty).

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (``USPTO'' or ``Office'') provides notice of information regarding existing Office practice as it pertains to reissue and reexamination procedures for amending claims available to patent owner during the pendency of a trial proceeding under the America Invents Act (``AIA'') involving the same patent. On October 29, 2018, the Office published a notice requesting comments on proposed modifications to current motion to amend (``MTA'') practice and procedures in AIA trial proceedings. In response to that notice, the Office received a number of comments and questions requesting clarification regarding existing reissue and reexamination procedures at the Office available while an AIA trial proceeding, including any appeal, involving the same patent is pending. In response to those comments and questions, this notice provides a summary of current practice regarding reissue and reexamination options in which patent owners may amend claims before and after the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (``PTAB'' or ``Board'') issues a final written decision in an AIA trial proceeding. This notice also provides summary information about factors the Office currently considers when determining whether to stay or suspend a reissue proceeding, or stay a reexamination, that involves a patent involved in an AIA proceeding, and also when and whether to lift such a stay or suspension.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is amending the scope of the countervailing duty (CVD) investigation of steel racks from China to conform with the scope published in the preliminary determination of the companion antidumping duty (AD) investigation of steel racks from China. The period of investigation is January 1, 2017, through December 31, 2017.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that Maquilacero S.A. de C.V. (Maquilacero) and Regiomontana de Perfiles y Tubos S.A. de C.V. (Regiopytsa) made sales of light-walled rectangular pipe and tube (LWRPT) from Mexico at prices below normal value during the period of review (POR) August 1, 2016, through July 31, 2017.

On April 6, 2018, the Department of Commerce Acting Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for Administration renewed the charter for the United States Investment Advisory Council (Council) ending April 5, 2020. The Council is a federal advisory committee under the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

On March 19, 2019, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) published a notice seeking expressions of interest in an appointment to the Board of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet). The notice established a deadline of April 18, 2019 for the transmittal of expressions of interest. This notice reopens the period for submission of expressions of interest until April 26, 2019.

NMFS announces a public meeting of the General Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section to the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission on June 5, 2019, and a public meeting of the Scientific Advisory Subcommittee to the General Advisory Committee on June 4, 2019. The meeting topics are described under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda for a meeting of the Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory Committee (CINTAC).

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Smart Grid Advisory Committee (SGAC or Committee) will meet in open session on Tuesday, June 4, 2019 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time and Wednesday, June 5, 2019 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Eastern time. The primary purposes of this meeting are to discuss the draft NIST Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards, Release 4.0 and provide updates on NIST Smart Grid activities, and the intersections with Cyber-Physical Systems program activities. The agenda may change to accommodate Committee business. The final agenda will be posted on the Smart Grid website at https://www.nist.gov/ smartgrid.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting that includes its Committee and Advisory Panel for the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan.

On March 4, 2019, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated, and published the preliminary results of, the changed circumstances review of the antidumping duty order on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) from the People's Republic of China (China). For these final results, Commerce continues to find that Sinopec Chongqing SVW Chemical Co., Ltd. (SVW) is the successor-in-interest to Sinopec Sichuan Vinylon Works (Sichuan SVW).

As a result of the determinations by the Department of Commerce (Commerce) and the International Trade Commission (ITC) that revocation of the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders on certain pasta (pasta) from Italy and Turkey would be likely to lead to a continuation or recurrence of dumping, countervailable subsidies, and material injury to an industry in the United States, Commerce is publishing a notice of continuation of the AD and CVD orders.

NMFS implements accountability measures for commercial gray triggerfish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. NMFS projects commercial landings for gray triggerfish will reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL)(commercial quota) for the January through June season by April 17, 2019. Therefore, NMFS is closing the commercial sector for gray triggerfish in the South Atlantic EEZ on April 17, 2019. This closure is necessary to protect the gray triggerfish resource.

In accordance with section 304(a) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, as amended, (NMSA), and based on the area's qualities and boundaries described in the community-based nomination submitted to NOAA on January 17, 2017 (https://nominate.noaa.gov/nominations), NOAA is initiating a process to consider designating a portion of eastern Lake Ontario in New York as a national marine sanctuary. The designation process, as required by the NMSA, will be conducted concurrently with a public process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This notice also informs the public that NOAA will coordinate its responsibilities under section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) with its ongoing NEPA process, including the use of NEPA documents and public meetings to also meet the requirements of section 106. The public scoping process is intended to solicit information and comments on the scope and significance of issues to be addressed in an environmental analysis under NEPA that are related to designating this area as a national marine sanctuary. The results of this scoping process will assist NOAA in moving forward with the designation process and in formulating alternatives for the draft environmental impact statement and proposed regulations, including developing national marine sanctuary boundaries. It will also inform the initiation of any consultations with federal, state, or local agencies, tribes, and other interested parties, as appropriate.

NMFS, upon request of the U.S. Navy (Navy), hereby issues regulations to govern the unintentional taking of marine mammals incidental to conducting construction activities related to marine structure maintenance and pile replacement at facilities in Washington, over the course of five years. These regulations, which allow for the issuance of Letters of Authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during the described activities and specified timeframes, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, as well as requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking.

The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit application from Rutgers University contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. This Exempted Fishing Permit would allow four charter/party vessels to collect black sea bass. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notice to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed Exempted Fishing Permits.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS is extending the public comment period for the request for comments on proposed policies and procedures for the administration of the National Inventory of Marine Mammals (NIMM).