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

The Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP) of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting.

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council's (Council) District Advisory Panels (DAPs) of Puerto Rico, St. Thomas/St. John and St. Croix, USVI, will hold a one-day meeting in July for each of its panels to discuss the items contained in the agenda SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a webinar-based meeting with its Advisory Panel members and the public to provide information and gather input regarding an upcoming Council Omnibus Framework action that could require electronic reporting of Vessel Trip Reports (VTRs) for all Council-managed commercial fisheries.

In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that we have issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Avangrid Renewables, LLC (Avangrid) to take small numbers of marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to high-resolution geophysical (HRG) survey investigations associated with marine site characterization activities off the coast of North Carolina in the area of the Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS-A 0508) (the Lease Area) and the coastal waters off North Carolina and Virginia where one or more cable route corridors will be established.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that carbon and certain alloy steel wire rod (wire rod) from Mexico was sold in the United States at less than normal value (NV) during the period of review (POR) October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that certain hot-rolled steel flat products from Japan were sold at less than normal value during the period of review (POR), March 22, 2016 through September 30, 2017.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) is soliciting comments from the public on its new prototype Gross Domestic Product by County statistics, including comments on the methodology, presentation, granularity, and scope. Following the public comment period, BEA will incorporate feedback, finalize the methodology and related materials, and begin publishing this data series as an official series annually. Gross Domestic Product by County statistics will provide information on the economic activity generated in each of the nation's counties or county equivalents.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received four plans for hatchery operations rearing and releasing Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and chum salmon in the Stillaguamish River basin, Washington. The four plans are submitted pursuant to the Section 4(d), Limit 6. The plans describe programs operated by the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians (STI). This document serves to notify the public of the availability and opportunity to comment on a draft Environmental Assessment and proposed evaluation and pending determination (PEPD) on the proposed Hatchery and Genetic Management Plans (HGMPs).

NMFS issues this final rule to implement an electronic monitoring (EM) program for two sectors of the limited entry trawl fishery, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) and the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The action allows catcher vessels in the Pacific whiting fishery and fixed gear vessels in the shorebased Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) fishery to use EM in place of observers to meet the requirements of the Trawl Rationalization Program for 100-percent at- sea observer coverage. This action is necessary to increase operational flexibility and reduce monitoring costs for vessels in the trawl fishery by providing an alternative to observers. Data from the EM program will be used to debit discards of IFQ species from IFQs and mothership cooperative allocations. Through this action, NMFS has also approved and is implementing the following measures: An application process for interested vessel owners; performance standards for EM systems; requirements for vessel operators; a permitting process and standards for EM service providers; and, requirements for processors (first receivers) for receiving and disposing of prohibited and protected species from EM trips.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received 13 scientific research permit application requests relating to Pacific salmon, steelhead, and green sturgeon. The proposed research is intended to increase knowledge of species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to help guide management and conservation efforts. The applications may be viewed online at: https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/ preview/preview_open_for_comment.cfm.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that certain hot-rolled steel flat products from the Republic of Turkey (Turkey) were not sold at less than normal value during the period of review (POR), March 22, 2016 through September 30, 2017.

NMFS is prohibiting retention of pollock in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the 2019 total allowable catch of pollock in the West Yakutat District of the GOA has been reached.

Notice is hereby given that Marine Ecology and Telemetry Research, 2468 Camp McKenzie Trl NW, Seabeck, WA 98380 (Responsible Party: Greg Schorr), has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on and import specimens of 38 marine mammal species including the following endangered species and Distinct Population Segments (DPSs): Cook Inlet DPS of beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), Main Hawaiian Islands Insular DPS of false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens), fin whale (B. physalus), Western North Pacific DPS and Central America DPS of humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), Southern resident DPS of killer whale (Orcinus orca), North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena japonica), sei whale (B. borealis), and sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus).

NMFS is adjusting the commercial aggregated large coastal shark (LCS) and hammerhead shark management group retention limit for directed shark limited access permit holders in the Atlantic region from 3 LCS other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip to 36 LCS other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip. This action is based on consideration of the regulatory determination criteria regarding inseason adjustments. The retention limit will remain at 36 LCS other than sandbar sharks per vessel per trip in the Atlantic region through the rest of the 2019 fishing season or until NMFS announces via a notice in the Federal Register another adjustment to the retention limit or a fishery closure. This retention limit adjustment affects anyone with a directed shark limited access permit fishing for LCS in the Atlantic region.

On May 23, 2018, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (the CAFC) reversed and vacated, in part, the Court of International Trade's (the CIT) earlier decisions, vacated Commerce's remand determination, and reinstated Commerce's original scope ruling, in part. In Commerce's original scope ruling, Commerce found that Whirlpool Corporation's (Whirlpool) kitchen appliance door handles with plastic end caps were covered by the general scope language of the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders on aluminum extrusions from the People's Republic of China (China). On May 1, 2019, the CIT granted Whirlpool's request to dismiss the litigation concerning its handles. Accordingly, Commerce is issuing a second amended final scope ruling.

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, 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 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a public hearing via webinar to discuss Reef Fish Amendment 51Gray Snapper Status Determination Criteria, Reference Points, and Annual Catch Limits.