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

The NMFS Assistant Administrator (Assistant Administrator) has completed an affirmative finding annual renewal for the Governments of Colombia, El Salvador, and Peru (referred to hereafter as ``The Nations'') under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). These affirmative findings will continue to allow the importation into the United States of yellowfin tuna and yellowfin tuna products harvested in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean (ETP) for 1 year in compliance with the Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Program (AIDCP) by purse seine vessels operating under The Nations' jurisdiction or exported from The Nations. NMFS bases the affirmative finding annual renewals on reviews of documentary evidence submitted by the Governments of The Nations and of information obtained from the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC).

NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod from vessels using jig gear and catcher vessels greater than or equal to 60 feet (18.3 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) using hook-and- line gear to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) length overall using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) management area. This action is necessary to allow the 2020 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod to be harvested.

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

In 2016, agencies of the Governments of the United States and Mexico established the U.S.-Mexico Energy Business Council (the ``Council''). This notice announces 10 membership opportunities for appointment as U.S. representatives to the U.S. Section of the Council for a term beginning in October 2020 and ending in October 2022.

Upon application from the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC), NMFS is issuing regulations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) for the taking of marine mammals incidental to the Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project in Cook Inlet, Alaska, over the course of five years (2020-2025). These regulations allow NMFS to issue a Letter of Authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during the specified construction activities carried out during the rule's period of effectiveness, set forth the permissible methods of taking, set forth other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, and set forth requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of the incidental take.

The Groundfish Subcommittee of the Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council's) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold an online meeting to plan a later methodology review of elasmobranch harvest control rules and management reference points. The meeting is open to the public.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Budget Committee will hold a meeting to consider budget issues as outlined in the Budget Committee agenda for the September 2020 Council Meeting.

NMFS is adjusting the 2020 C seasonal apportionments of the total allowable catch (TAC) for pollock in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) by re-apportioning unharvested pollock TAC in Statistical Area 630 of the GOA. This action is necessary to provide opportunity for harvest of the 2020 pollock TAC, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of common alloy aluminum sheet (aluminum sheet) from Bahrain. The period of investigation is January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of common alloy aluminum sheet (aluminum sheet) from India. The period of investigation is January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

NMFS announces the initiation of a 5-year review for the southern right whale (Eubalaena australis). NMFS is required by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to conduct 5-year reviews to ensure that the listing classifications of species are accurate. The 5-year review must be based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review. We request submission of any such information on the southern right whale, particularly information on the status, threats, and recovery of the species that has become available since its last status review in 2015.

The Portland Harbor Natural Resource Trustee Council (Trustee Council) has prepared a Draft Supplemental Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment (Draft SRP/EA). The Draft SRP/EA describes the Trustee Council's preferred restoration alternative to restore natural resources and ecological services injured or lost as a result of releases of hazardous substances and discharges of oil within the Portland Harbor assessment area (applicable to the current phase of restoration, but subject to revision in the future). The Federal Trustees also considered potential environmental impacts of the considered alternatives in the context of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the availability of the Draft SRP/EA and to seek public comments on the document.

Pursuant to its authority under Title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), the Department of Commerce (Commerce) proposes to modify its regulations under Part 351 of Title 19 to improve administration and enforcement of the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) laws. Specifically, Commerce proposes to modify its regulation concerning the time for submission of comments pertaining to industry support in AD and CVD proceedings; to modify its regulation regarding new shipper reviews; to modify its regulation concerning scope matters in AD and CVD proceedings; to promulgate a new regulation concerning circumvention of AD and CVD orders; to promulgate a new regulation concerning covered merchandise referrals received from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); to promulgate a new regulation pertaining to Commerce requests for certifications from interested parties to establish whether merchandise is subject to an AD or CVD order; and to modify its regulation regarding importer reimbursement certifications filed with CBP. Finally, Commerce proposes to modify its regulations regarding letters of appearance in AD and CVD proceedings and importer filing requirements for access to business proprietary information. Commerce is seeking public comments on this proposed rule.

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold meetings of its American Samoa Archipelago Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) Advisory Panel (AP), Hawaii Archipelago FEP AP, Mariana Archipelago FEP-Guam AP, and Mariana Archipelago FEP-Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) AP to discuss and make recommendations on fishery management issues in the Western Pacific Region.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Herring Committee via webinar to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that sales of citric acid and certain citrate salts (citric acid) from Thailand were made by COFCO Biochemical (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (COFCO) and Niran (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (Niran) at less than normal value (NV) during the period of review (POR) January 8, 2018 through June 30, 2019. We also find that Sunshine Biotech International Co., Ltd. (Sunshine) did not sell citric acid at less than NV during the POR. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that wood mouldings and millwork products (millwork products) from the People's Republic of China (China) are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is July 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

As a result of the determinations by the Department of Commerce (Commerce) and the International Trade Commission (ITC) that the revocation of the antidumping duty (AD) orders on certain oil country tubular goods (OCTG) from India, the Republic of Korea (Korea), the Republic of Turkey (Turkey), Ukraine, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Vietnam) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders on OCTG from India and Turkey would likely lead to the continuation or recurrence of dumping or countervailable subsidies, and of material injury to an industry in the United States. Commerce is publishing a notice of continuation of these AD and CVD orders.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (the agencies) hereby extend the comment period on the agencies' proposed finding that Washington has satisfied all conditions the agencies established as part of their 1998 approval of the State's coastal nonpoint pollution control program (coastal nonpoint program) under Section 6217 of the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA).

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for dusky rockfish in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2020 total allowable catch of dusky rockfish in the West Yakutat District of the GOA.

NMFS announces that the State of New Jersey is transferring a portion of its 2020 commercial bluefish quota to the State of New York. This quota adjustment is necessary to comply with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised commercial bluefish quotas for New Jersey and New York.

On July 31, 2020, the United States Court of International Trade (the Court) sustained the Department of Commerce's (Commerce's) remand redetermination pertaining to the 2015 administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on narrow woven ribbons with woven selvedge (ribbons) from the People's Republic of China (China). Commerce is notifying the public that the Court has made a final judgment that is not in harmony with the final results of the 2015 administrative review, and that Commerce is amending the final results of the 2015 administrative review with respect to Yama Ribbons and Bows Co., Ltd. (Yama).

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has issued an incidental take permit to Barney Davis, LLC, for the incidental take of threatened North Atlantic Distinct Population Segment green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) and endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) during the conduct of otherwise lawful activities associated with the operation of the Barney Davis Energy Center, located in Corpus Christi, TX. The incidental take permit is issued for a duration of 10 years.