Department of Commerce 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is rescinding the administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on certain amorphous silica fabric (silica fabric) from the People's Republic of China (China) for the period January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2019, based on the timely withdrawal of the request for review.

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of two meetings of the Science Advisory Board (SAB). The members will discuss issues outlined in the section on Matters to be considered.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Herring Advisory Panel 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 South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene a meeting of the South Atlantic Selectivity Workgroup via webinar to address gear selectivity for fishery stock assessments for species managed by the Council.

NMFS solicits nominations for the ``SEDAR Pool,'' also known as the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) Workshops Advisory Panel. The SEDAR Pool is comprised of a group of individuals who may be selected to consider data and advise NMFS regarding the scientific information, including but not limited to data and models, used in stock assessments for oceanic sharks in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea. Nominations are being sought for a 5-year appointment (2021-2026). Individuals with definable interests in the recreational and commercial fishing and related industries, environmental community, academia, and non-governmental organizations will be considered for membership on the SEDAR Pool.

NMFS has received a request from [Oslash]rsted Wind Power North America, LLC, ([Oslash]rsted) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to high-resolution geophysical (HRG) survey activities in coastal waters from New York to Massachusetts in certain areas of the Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). These areas are currently being leased by the Applicant's affiliates, Deepwater Wind New England, LLC, and Bay State Wind, LLC, respectively, and are identified as OCS-A 0486/0517, OCS-A 0487, and OCS-A 0500 (collectively referred to herein as the Lease Area). [Oslash]rsted is also planning to conduct marine site characterization surveys along one or more potential submarine export cable routes (ECRs) originating from the Lease Area and landing along the shore at locations from New York to Massachusetts, between Raritan Bay (part of the New York Bight) to Falmouth, Massachusetts. 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, by Level B harassment only, small numbers of 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 announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, to analyze the potential short- and long-term impacts of the proposed action to issue an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP), on the human (biological, physical, social, and economic) environment. This notice of intent to prepare an EIS invites interested parties to provide comments on alternatives to be considered in an EIS, potential terms and conditions to minimize adverse effects to the environment, and to identify potential issues, concerns, and any reasonable additional alternatives that should be considered.

We, NMFS and USFWS, announce a 12-month finding on a petition to identify the Northwest Atlantic population of the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) as a distinct population segment (DPS) and list it as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). In response to the petition, we completed a comprehensive status review of the species, which also constitutes the 5-year review of the species, to determine potential DPSs following the Policy Regarding the Recognition of Distinct Vertebrate Population Segments Under the ESA and to perform extinction risk analyses. Based on the best scientific and commercial data available, including the Status Review Report, and after taking into account efforts made to protect the species, we conclude that seven populations would meet the discreteness and significance criteria for recognition as DPSs, including the Northwest Atlantic population. However, even if we were to list them separately, all seven DPSs would meet the definition for endangered species (i.e., they are in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of their range). The species is already listed as endangered throughout its range. We have determined that the listing of DPSs is not warranted, and therefore we do not propose any changes to the existing global listing.

NMFS is delaying the effective date of a final rule that published on February 24, 2020.

The Judges Panel of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (Judges Panel) will meet in closed session on Wednesday, August 19, 2020, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time. The purpose of this meeting is to review the results of examiners' scoring of written applications. Panel members will vote on which applicants merit site visits by examiners to verify the accuracy of quality improvements claimed by applicants. The meeting is closed to the public in order to protect the proprietary data to be examined and discussed.

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council's (Council) District Advisory Panels (DAPs) will hold public virtual meetings to address the items contained in the tentative agenda included in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.