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

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) has determined that a request for a new shipper review (NSR) of the antidumping duty order on mattresses from the People's Republic of China (China) meets the statutory and regulatory requirements for initiation. The period of review (POR) for the NSR is June 4, 2019 through May 31, 2020.

NMFS is prohibiting retention of Greenland turbot in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary because the 2020 Greenland turbot total allowable catch (TAC) in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI has been reached.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to suspend the availability of all License Exceptions for Hong Kong that provide differential treatment as compared to those available to the People's Republic of China (PRC). As announced on BIS's website on June 30, 2020, these License Exceptions are no longer available for exports and reexports to Hong Kong, and transfers within Hong Kong, of all items subject to the EAR. BIS is taking this action as part of revised U.S. policy toward Hong Kong in response to the newly imposed security measures on Hong Kong by the Chinese Communist Party. These new security measures undermine Hong Kong's autonomy and thereby increase the risk that sensitive U.S. technology and items will be illegally diverted to unauthorized end uses and end users in the PRC or to unauthorized destinations such as Iran or North Korea. This rule includes saving clauses for items, including for deemed exports.

NMFS is prohibiting retention of ``other rockfish'' in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary because the 2020 ``other rockfish'' total allowable catch (TAC) in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI has been reached.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) proposes to amend the Rules of Practice in Patent Cases and the rules regarding Representation of Others before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. This rulemaking proposes to align the USPTO Rules of Professional Conduct more closely with the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct; to improve clarity in existing regulations to facilitate the public's compliance, including revising various deadlines, the procedures concerning the registration exam, provisions related to the revocation of an individual's registration or limited recognition in limited circumstances, and provisions for reinstatement; and to make non-substantive changes, increasing the readability of various provisions.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has submitted Amendment 21 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan to NMFS. Amendment 21 proposes revisions to the summer flounder commercial state quota allocation percentages and the fishery management plan goals and objectives. Amendment 21 is intended to increase equity in state allocations when annual coastwide commercial quotas are at or above historical averages, while recognizing the economic reliance coastal communities have on the state allocation percentages currently in place.

As a result of this sunset review, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) finds that revocation of the antidumping duty (AD) order on certain oil country tubular goods (OCTG) from the People's Republic of China (China) would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping at the levels indicated in the ``Final Results of Sunset Review'' section of this notice.

Additional free Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops will be held in August and September of 2020. Certain fishermen and shark dealers are required to attend a workshop to meet regulatory requirements and to maintain valid permits. Specifically, the Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop is mandatory for all federally permitted Atlantic shark dealers. The Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshop is mandatory for vessel owners and operators who use bottom longline, pelagic longline, or gillnet gear, and who have also been issued shark or swordfish limited access permits. More free workshops will be conducted during 2020 and will be announced in a future notice.

NMFS is reapportioning the seasonal apportionments of the 2020 Pacific halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) limits for the trawl deep-water and shallow-water species fishery categories in the Gulf of Alaska. This action is necessary to account for the actual halibut PSC use by the trawl deep-water and shallow-water species fishery categories from May 15, 2020 through June 30, 2020. This action is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska.

We, NMFS, announce a 12-month finding and listing determination on a petition to list the dwarf seahorse (Hippocampus zosterae) as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We have completed a status review of the dwarf seahorse in response to a petition submitted by the Center for Biological Diversity. After reviewing the best scientific and commercial data available, including the Status Review Report, we have determined the species does not warrant listing at this time. While the species has declined in abundance, it still occupies its historical range, and population trends indicate subpopulations are stable or increasing in most locations. We conclude that the dwarf seahorse is not currently in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range and is not likely to become so within the foreseeable future.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that Fedmet Resources Corporation (Fedmet) did not have any shipments of subject merchandise during the period of review (POR) September 1, 2018 through August 31, 2019. Commerce also preliminary determines that the 16 remaining companies subject to this review are part of the China-wide entity because they did not file no shipment statements, separate rate applications (SRAs), or separate rate certifications (SRCs).

Based on a request from Maodi Solar Technology (Dongguan) Co., Ltd., (Maodi Solar), the Department of Commerce (Commerce) is initiating changed circumstances reviews (CCRs) to consider the possible revocation, in part, of the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders on crystalline silicon photovoltaic products (solar products) from the People's Republic of China (China) with respect to certain off-grid portable small panels.

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 Aleutian Islands. 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-time, 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.

NMFS proposes to implement management measures as described in an abbreviated framework action to the Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (Reef Fish FMP) and the 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 on-board multi-day recreational possession limit regulations for Federal charter vessel and headboat (for-hire) trips in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf). This proposed rule would also make an administrative change to the reporting requirement for Gulf's individual fishing quota (IFQ) program during catastrophic conditions. The purposes of this proposed rule are to promote efficiency in the utilization of the reef fish and CMP resources and reduce regulatory discards, and to update the IFQ reporting requirements.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that Jiangsu Runchen Agricultural/Sideline Foodstuff Co., Ltd. (Runchen) did not make a bona fide sale during the period of review (POR) of December 1, 2017 through November 30, 2018. Therefore, we are rescinding this administrative review.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a two-day meeting via webinar of its Standing, Reef Fish, Ecosystem and Socioeconomic Scientific and Statistical Committees (SSC).

The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, is amending the Notice published March 2, 2020, regarding the Cybersecurity Business Development Mission to Peru, Chile, and Uruguay, with an optional stop in Argentina, scheduled from October 5-9, 2020, to amend the dates and deadline for submitting applications for the event.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of certain carbon and alloy steel cut-to-length plate (CTL plate) from the Republic of Korea (Korea). The period of review is January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018.