Department of Commerce January 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council's (Council) Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management Technical Advisory Panel (EBFM TAP) will hold a two-hours webinar meeting to address the items contained in the agenda included in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

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 a proposed new collection called the Management and Organizational Practices SurveyHospitals (MOPS-HP) as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

By this Notice, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Department of Commerce, is informing the public that it is conducting the mandatory survey titled Quarterly Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United StatesTransactions of U.S. Affiliate with Foreign Parent (BE-605). The data collected on the BE-605 survey are needed to measure the size and economic significance of foreign direct investment in the United States and its impact on the U.S. economy. This survey is authorized by the International Investment and Trade in Services Survey Act.

By this Notice, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Department of Commerce, is informing the public that it is conducting the mandatory survey titled Quarterly Survey of U.S. Direct Investment AbroadTransactions of U.S. Reporter with Foreign Affiliate (BE-577). The data collected on the BE-577 survey are needed to measure the size and economic significance of U.S. direct investment abroad and its impact on the U.S. and foreign economies. This survey is authorized by the International Investment and Trade in Services Survey Act.

By this Notice, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Department of Commerce, is informing the public that it is conducting the mandatory survey titled Quarterly Survey of Financial Services Transactions between U.S. Financial Services Providers and Foreign Persons (BE-185). The data collected on the BE-185 survey are needed to measure U.S. trade in financial services and to analyze the impact of U.S. trade on the U.S. and foreign economies. This survey is authorized by the International Investment and Trade in Services Survey Act and by Section 5408 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988.

By this Notice, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Department of Commerce, is informing the public that it is conducting the mandatory survey titled Quarterly Survey of Transactions in Selected Services and Intellectual Property with Foreign Persons (BE- 125). The data collected on the BE-125 survey are needed to measure U.S. trade in services and to analyze the impact of U.S. trade on the U.S. and foreign economies. This survey is authorized by the International Investment and Trade in Services Survey Act.

By this Notice, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Department of Commerce, is informing the public that it is conducting the mandatory survey titled Quarterly Survey of Insurance Transactions by U.S. Insurance Companies with Foreign Persons (BE-45). The data collected on the BE-45 survey are needed to measure U.S. trade in insurance services and to analyze the impact of U.S. trade on the U.S. and foreign economies. This survey is authorized by the International Investment and Trade in Services Survey Act.

NMFS implements management measures described in Vision Blueprint Commercial Regulatory Amendment 27 (Regulatory Amendment 27) to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Snapper-Grouper FMP), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). This final rule modifies commercial fishing seasons, trip limits, and minimum size limits for selected snapper-grouper species in the South Atlantic exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The purpose of this final rule is to improve equitable access for commercial fishermen in the snapper- grouper fishery, minimize discards to the extent practicable, and improve marketability within the snapper-grouper fishery.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 610 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2020 total allowable catch of pollock for Statistical Area 610 in the GOA.

In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the City of Juneau to incidentally harass, by Level A and Level B harassment only, marine mammals during construction activities associated with the Statter Harbor improvement project in Auke Bay, Alaska.

Notice is hereby given of a public in-person meeting of the U. S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS[supreg]) Advisory Committee (Committee).

NMFS proposes regulations under the Tuna Conventions Act to implement Resolutions C-19-01 (Amendment to Resolution C-18-05 on the Collection and Analyses of Data on Fish-Aggregating Devices); C-19-05 (Amendment to the Resolution C-16-06 Conservation Measures for Shark Species, with Special Emphasis on the Silky Shark (Carcharhinus Falciformis), for the Years 2020 and 2021); and C-18-07 (Resolution on Improving Observer Safety at Sea: Emergency Action Plan) of the Inter- American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC). NMFS also proposes regulations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act to implement Resolution A-18-03 (On Improving Observer Safety At Sea: Emergency Action Plan) of the Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Program (AIDCP). This proposed rule is necessary for the United States to satisfy its obligations as a member of the IATTC and Party to the AIDCP.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2020 Pacific cod total allowable catch allocated to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the BSAI.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (Council) Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish (MSB) Advisory Panel will hold a meeting.

The SEDAR 68 assessment of Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic scamp will consist of a Data workshop, a series of assessment webinars, and a Review workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Southern Resident Killer Whale Workgroup (Workgroup) will host a webinar, which is open to the public.

NMFS proposes to implement management measures as described in an abbreviated framework action to the Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) for Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (Reef Fish FMP) and Coastal Migratory Pelagic (CMP) Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region (CMP FMP), as prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council). This proposed rule would modify the Federal regulations for historical captain permits in the reef fish and CMP fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), to provide an opportunity for eligible historical captain permit holders to replace their permits with standard Federal charter vessel/ headboat permits. It is expected that the rule would reduce the regulatory and economic burden on historical captain permit holders. In addition, NMFS proposes a correction to the regulations regarding commercial king mackerel permit requirements from an inadvertent error in the final rule for Amendment 20A to the FMP for the CMP Resources in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region.

On May 24, 2018, the Department of Commerce published a proposed rule in conjunction with a Department of State proposed rule to revise Categories I (firearms, close assault weapons and combat shotguns), II (guns and armaments), and III (ammunition/ordnance) of the USML and transfer items that no longer warrant control on the USML to the Commerce Control List (CCL). This final rule responds to and adopts changes based on the comments received on the Commerce proposed rule and is being published simultaneously with a final rule by the Department of State that will revise Categories I, II, and III of the USML to describe more precisely the articles warranting continued control on that list. These revisions complete the initial review of the USML that the Department of State began in 2011 and the conforming changes made to the EAR to control these items not warranting control under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (Council) Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish (MSB) Advisory Panel will hold two meetings.

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 a proposed revision and extension of the Survey of State Government Research and Development, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) and a representative of the signatory sugar producers/exporters accounting for substantially all imports of sugar from Mexico have signed an amendment to the Agreement Suspending the Antidumping Duty Investigation on Sugar from Mexico (AD Agreement). The amendment to the AD Agreement modifies the definitions for sugar from Mexico, revises the reference prices for the applicable sugar from Mexico, and provides for enhanced monitoring and enforcement mechanisms.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that Jungbunzlauer Canada, Inc. (JBL Canada), a producer/exporter of citric acid and certain citrate salts (citric acid) from Canada, did not sell subject merchandise at prices below normal value during the period of review (POR) May 1, 2018 through April 30, 2019. We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is correcting the antidumping duty orders on acetone from Singapore and Spain to state the correct date on which the provisional suspension of liquidation measures expired.