Department of Commerce May 17, 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS has received a request from the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the Auke Bay Ferry Terminal Modifications and Improvements Project in Juneau, 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 Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that certain uncoated paper (uncoated paper) from Portugal is being, or is likely to be sold, at less than normal value during the period of review (POR), March 1, 2017, through February 28, 2018.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that strontium chromate from France is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV) for the period of investigation (POI) July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that extruded aluminum products that are made from aluminum previously extruded in the People's Republic of China (China) and are exported from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Vietnam), regardless of producer, exporter, or importer, constitute merchandise completed or assembled in other foreign countries and are circumventing the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders on aluminum extrusions from China. Commerce also preliminarily intends to rescind its minor alterations anti-circumvention inquiry.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is rescinding the administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on certain magnesia carbon bricks (MCBs) from the People's Republic of China (China) for the period of review (POR) January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2016.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily finds that Saha Thai Steel Pipe (Public) Company, Ltd. (Saha Thai) made sales of subject merchandise at less than normal value during the period of review (POR) March 1, 2017 through February 28, 2018. We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results.

NMFS issues revised specifications for the 2019 summer flounder fishery. Due to recently available information from a benchmark stock assessment, changes to the specifications are necessary to better achieve optimum yield within the fishery while controlling overfishing, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. This rule is also intended to inform the public of the changes to the specifications for the remainder of the 2019 fishing year.

NMFS implements management measures described in Amendment 49 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) (Amendment 49), as prepared and submitted by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). This final rule adds three new devices to the Federal regulations as options for fishermen with Federal commercial or charter vessel/headboat permits for Gulf reef fish to meet existing requirements for carrying sea turtle release gear on board vessels, and updates the regulations to simplify and clarify the requirements for other sea turtle release gear. This final rule also modifies the FMP framework procedure to allow for future changes to release gear and handling requirements for sea turtles and other protected resources. The purpose of this final rule is to allow the use of new devices to safely handle and release incidentally captured sea turtles, clarify existing requirements, and streamline the process for making any future changes to the release devices and handling procedures for sea turtles and other protected species.