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

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published a request for comments in the Federal Register on August 27, 2019, seeking public comment on the subject of patenting artificial intelligence inventions. Through this notice, the USPTO is extending the period for public comment until November 8, 2019.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a four-day meeting to consider actions affecting the Gulf of Mexico fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of its Citizen Science Operations Committee via webinar October 25, 2019.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is conducting an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on chlorinated isocyanurates (chlorinated isos) from Spain for the period of review (POR) June 1, 2018 through May 31, 2019. The review covers one producer/exporter of the subject merchandise, Ercros S.A. (Ercros). We preliminarily determine that Ercros had no shipments of subject merchandise during the POR. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is rescinding the administrative review of the antidumping duty (AD) order on stainless steel sheet and strip from the People's Republic of China for the period April 1, 2018, through March 31, 2019.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is correcting its notice of the final results of the fifth administrative review of the antidumping duty (AD) order on crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into modules (solar cells), from the People's Republic of China (China). The period of review (POR) is December 1, 2016 through November 30, 2017.

NMFS issues this emergency action, a final temporary rule to revise the Atlantic migratory group king mackerel (Atlantic king mackerel) commercial trip limit within the Atlantic southern zone from October 1, 2019, through February 29, 2020, as requested by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). The purpose of this final temporary rule is to increase the commercial trip limit to allow for a significant economic opportunity that otherwise would be forgone and relieve an economic burden within the Atlantic king mackerel commercial sector without increasing the risk to the stock.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received one incidental take permit application for the Calaveras River Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, as amended. NMFS has also prepared a draft environmental assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) describing the potential effects of Stockton East Water District's (District) proposed Calaveras River HCP. The Calaveras River HCP was prepared and submitted by the District and describes their ongoing operations and monitoring activities in the Calaveras River. NMFS is furnishing this notice in order to allow other agencies and the public an opportunity to review and comment on the Calaveras River HCP and EA. All comments and other information received will become part of the public record and will be available for review.

The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, West Coast Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an exempted fishing permit application titled, ``Annual Vessel Limit Pooling for Groundfish IFQ Vessels Operating Under a Collective Enforcement Agreement in 2019-2020,'' contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. The application, submitted by the Fort Bragg Association and the Half Moon Bay Groundfish Marketing Association, requests approval to test the use of a voluntary collective agreement to manage a pool of annual vessel limits of cowcod quota pounds using a risk pooling model. This exempted fishing permit project would allow individual vessels participating in the California Groundfish Collective to exceed their annual vessel limit for cowcod, however the collective pooled annual vessel limit would not be exceeded. The primary goal of this exempted fishing permit project is to reduce the operational risk of catching cowcod for participating vessels, while allowing participating vessels to increase landings of more abundant groundfish stocks. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed exempted fishing permit projects.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of dried tart cherries (cherries) from the Republic of Turkey (Turkey). The period of investigation is January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that dried tart cherries (cherries) from the Republic of Turkey (Turkey) are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is April 1, 2018 through March 31, 2019. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

NMFS announces the availability of the revised application and Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) on the effects of issuing an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) (No. 21316) to Barney M. Davis L.P., pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, as amended, for the incidental take of green (Chelonia mydas, North Atlantic Distinct Population Segment) and Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) sea turtles associated with the otherwise lawful operation of the Barney M. Davis Power Station in Corpus Christi, TX. The facility is requesting the permit be issued for a duration of 10 years.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels greater than or equal to 60 feet (18.3 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) using pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2019 Pacific cod total allowable catch allocated to catcher vessels greater than or equal to 60 feet (18.3m) LOA using pot gear in the BSAI.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 9 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Coral and Coral Reefs of the Gulf of Mexico (Amendment 9) to the FMP for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. Amendment 9, if approved by the Secretary of Commerce, and an associated framework action to the FMP would establish new habitat areas of particular concern (HAPCs), some of which include a prohibition of the deployment of bottom-tending gear, and modify current fishing regulations in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf). The purpose of Amendment 9 and the framework action is to protect coral essential fish habitat in the Gulf.

On July 25, 2019, the United States Court of International Trade (the Court) issued its final judgement sustaining the remand redetermination pertaining to the antidumping duty (AD) administrative review of certain crystalline silicon photovoltaic products (solar products), from the People's Republic of China (China) covering the period July 31, 2014 through January 31, 2016. The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is notifying the public that the final judgment in this case is not in harmony with Commerce's final results in the 2014- 2016 AD administrative review of solar products from China and that Commerce is amending the final results with respect to AD margins assigned, as detailed below.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that Carbon and Alloy Steel Threaded Rod (CASTR) from Taiwan is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that Alloy and Certain Carbon Steel Threaded Rod (ACSTR) from the People's Republic of China (China) is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is July 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

NMFS has received a request from Jim Erickson for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the Erickson Residence Marine Access 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, 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, 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.

NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the recreational sector for the other jacks complex (lesser amberjack, almaco jack, and banded rudderfish) in the South Atlantic for the 2019 fishing year through this temporary rule. NMFS has determined that recreational landings of the other jacks complex has exceeded its recreational annual catch limit (ACL). Therefore, NMFS closes the recreational sector for this complex on September 25, 2019, through the remainder of the 2019 fishing year in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. This closure is necessary to protect the lesser amberjack, almaco jack, and banded rudderfish resources.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) has suspended the antidumping duty (AD) investigation on fresh tomatoes from Mexico. The basis for this action is an agreement between Commerce and signatory producers/exporters accounting for substantially all imports of fresh tomatoes from Mexico that eliminates completely the injurious effects of exports of the subject merchandise to the United States.