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

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST or Institute) invites and requests nomination of individuals for appointment to eight existing Federal Advisory Committees (Committees): Board of Overseers of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award; Judges Panel of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award; Information Security and Privacy Advisory Board; Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board; National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee; Advisory Committee on Earthquake Hazards Reduction; NIST Smart Grid Advisory Committee; and Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology. NIST will consider nominations received in response to this notice for appointment to the Committees, in addition to nominations already received. Registered Federal lobbyists may not serve on NIST Federal Advisory Committees in an individual capacity.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that the sole exporter/producer subject to this administrative review, Electrolux Home Products Corp. N.V. and Electrolux Home Products de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (collectively, Electrolux), made sales of subject merchandise at less than normal value (NV) during the period of review (POR), February 1, 2017, through January 31, 2018.

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 South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold public hearings via webinar pertaining to Regulatory Amendment 29 to the South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The amendment addresses best fishing practices and powerhead regulations.

The SEDAR 61 stock assessment process for Gulf of Mexico red grouper will consist of an in-person workshop, and a series of data and assessment webinars.

NMFS has received a request from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University (L-DEO) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to a marine geophysical survey in the Gulf of Alaska. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities. NMFS is also requesting comments on a possible one-year renewal that could be issued under certain circumstances and if all requirements are met, as described in Request for Public Comments at the end of this notice. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested MMPA authorizations and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Skate 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 (Council) will hold four public stakeholder meetings, including one webinar meeting, to solicit comments on the development of the Council's 2020-24 Strategic Plan.

NMFS has received a request from the Santa Cruz Port District (Port District) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the Aldo's Seawall Replacement Project in Santa Cruz, California (CA). Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals incidental to the specified activities. NMFS is also requesting comments on a possible one-year renewal that could be issued under certain circumstances and if all requirements are met, as described in Request for Public Comments at the end of this notice. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested MMPA authorizations and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that producers and/or exporters subject to this investigation received countervailable subsidies. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Skate Advisory Panel 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.

NMFS issues this proposed rule to revise the annual reference points, including the overfishing limit (OFL), acceptable biological catch (ABC) and annual catch limit (ACL), for the central subpopulation of northern anchovy in the U.S. exclusive economic zone off the Pacific coast under the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP). NMFS prepared this rulemaking in response to a January 2018 court decision (Oceana, Inc. v. Ross) that vacated the OFL, ABC, and ACL for the central subpopulation of northern anchovy, followed by subsequent orders requiring NMFS to establish a new OFL, ABC, and ACL through notice and comment rulemaking. NMFS is proposing an OFL of 94,290 metric tons (mt), an ABC of 23,573 mt, and an ACL of 23,573 mt. If the ACL for this stock is reached or projected to be reached, then fishing will be closed until it reopens at the start of the next fishing season. This rule is intended to conserve and manage the central subpopulation of northern anchovy off the U.S. West Coast.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is rescinding the administrative review, in part, of the antidumping duty order on certain new pneumatic off-the-road tires (OTR tires) from the People's Republic of China (China) for the period September 1, 2017, through August 31, 2018.

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.

On February 14, 2005, NMFS received a request from the Makah Indian Tribe for a waiver of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) moratorium on take of Eastern North Pacific (ENP) gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus). The Tribe requested that NMFS authorize a tribal hunt in the coastal portion of the Tribe's usual and accustomed fishing area (U&A) for ceremonial and subsistence purposes, and authorize the making and sale of handicrafts. The MMPA imposes a general moratorium on the taking of marine mammals but authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to waive the moratorium and issue regulations governing the take of marine mammals if certain statutory criteria are met. The decision to waive the moratorium and issue regulations must be made on the record after an opportunity for an agency hearing on both the waiver and regulations. The hearing is governed by agency regulations, which call for the appointment of a presiding officer and prescribe other procedures. This notice announces the proposed waiver and regulations. A related notice announcing a hearing on the proposed waiver and regulations is published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.

NMFS received a request from Equinor Wind US LLC (formerly Statoil Wind US LLC; Equinor) for the Renewal of their currently active incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys off the coast of New York in the area of the Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS-A 0512) and coastal waters where cable route corridors will be established. These activities are identical to those covered in the current authorization. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), prior to issuing the currently active IHA, NMFS requested comments on both the proposed IHA and the potential for renewing the initial authorization if certain requirements were satisfied. The Renewal requirements have been satisfied, and NMFS is now providing an additional 15-day comment period to allow for any additional comments on the proposed Renewal not previously provided during the initial 30- day comment period. Any comments received on the potential Renewal, along with relevant comments on the initial IHA, have been considered in the development of this proposed IHA Renewal, and a summary of agency responses to applicable comments is included in this notice. NMFS will consider any additional public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested Renewal, and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision.

In this notice, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) International Trade Administration (ITA) announces that it will accept applications for the International Buyer Program (IBP) for quarter 4 of calendar year 2019 (October 1, 2019, through December 31, 2019). This announcement also sets out the objectives, procedures and application review criteria for the IBP. The purpose of the IBP is to bring international buyers together with U.S. firms in industries with high export potential at leading U.S. trade shows. Specifically, through the IBP, the ITA selects domestic trade shows which will receive ITA services in the form of global promotion in foreign markets, recruitment of foreign buyers, and provision of export counseling to exhibitors at the trade show. This notice covers selection for IBP participation during quarter 4 of calendar year 2019. As previously announced, ITA recently conducted a program review of the IBP and is developing a new ITA menu of services/activities for trade shows. The new menu of services will expand upon the User Fee Schedule for ITA's Global Markets bureau and will be available for trade show organizers that meet transparent eligibility requirements. The goal is to create greater access to ITA services, while also promoting consistency, efficiency, and flexibility. When finalized, ITA will announce the new menu of services in a Federal Register notice. Until such time, the IBP remains unchanged.