Department of Commerce September 8, 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS is transferring 90.5 metric tons (mt) of Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) quota from the Reserve category to the General category. With this transfer, the adjusted General category September 2022 subquota is 225.5 mt. This action is intended to account for an accrued overharvest of 20.5 mt from previous time period subquotas and to provide further opportunities for General category fishermen to participate in the September General category fishery, based on consideration of the regulatory determination criteria regarding inseason adjustments. This action applies to Atlantic tunas General category (commercial) permitted vessels and Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Charter/Headboat permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for BFT.

NMFS issues this final rule to establish a uniform, nationally consistent minimum insurance standard that would apply in regional regulatory programs that authorize an observer provider to deploy a person in any mandatory or voluntary observer program and that specify responsibilities of authorized providers. NMFS has concluded that this action is necessary to clarify the types of insurance that are appropriate to address the financial risks that observer coverage presents in any federally managed fishery that is subject to observer coverage. This rule also revises regional observer program regulations to reference the national minimum insurance standard. The rule does not modify existing regional observer program regulatory procedures that specify how an observer provider demonstrates compliance with insurance requirements.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) proposes to amend the rules of practice in patent cases and the rules regarding the representation of others before the USPTO to better protect the public and improve compliance with USPTO requirements. In particular, this rulemaking proposes to formalize the USPTO's Diversion Pilot Program for patent and trademark practitioners whose physical or mental health issues or law practice management issues resulted in minor misconduct. Formalizing the Pilot would align USPTO disciplinary practice with a majority of states and provide practitioners an opportunity to address the root causes of such misconduct. In addition, the USPTO proposes to require foreign attorneys or agents granted reciprocal recognition in trademark matters to provide and update their contact and status information or have their recognition withdrawn so the public will have access to up-to-date information. Also, the USPTO proposes to defer to state bars regarding fee sharing between practitioners and non-practitioners to reduce the potential for conflicts between USPTO and state bar rules. Further, the USPTO proposes to remove a fee required when changing one's status from a patent agent to a patent attorney and to make minor adjustments to other rules related to the representation of others before the USPTO.

On August 25, 2022, the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) issued its final judgment in Saha Steel Pipe Public Company, Ltd v. United States, Court No. 20-00133, Slip Op. 22-99 (Saha Steel), sustaining the Department of Commerce (Commerce)'s final results of redetermination pertaining to the scope ruling for the antidumping duty (AD) order on circular welded carbon steel pipes and tubes (CWP) from Thailand. In the redetermination, Commerce found that dual-stenciled standard pipe and line pipe are outside the scope of the order, pursuant to the CIT's remand order in Saha Thai Steel Pipe Public Company Ltd v. United States, 547 F. Supp. 3d 1278 (CIT Oct. 6, 2021) (Remand Order). Commerce is notifying the public that the CIT's final judgment is not in harmony with Commerce's final scope ruling, and that Commerce is amending the scope ruling to find that dual-stenciled standard pipe and line pipe are outside the scope of the order.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that certain companies under review sold common alloy aluminum sheet (aluminum sheet) from the People's Republic of China (China) at less than normal value during the period of review (POR) February 1, 2020, through January 31, 2021.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers/exporters of certain passenger vehicle and light truck tires (passenger tires) from the People's Republic of China (China) during the period of review (POR), January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020. In addition, we are rescinding the review with respect to 12 companies. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that exporters/producers of stainless steel bar (SS Bar) from India made sales at prices below normal value during the period of review (POR) of February 1, 2020, through January 31, 2021.

The SEDAR 74 assessment of Gulf of Mexico red snapper will consist of a Data workshop, a series of assessment webinars, and a Review workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that Norma (India) Ltd. (Norma) and R.N. Gupta & Co. Ltd. (RNG) received countervailable subsidies during the period of review (POR), January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold five in-person public hearings and one webinar to solicit public comments on Modifications to Greater Amberjack Catch Limits and Sector Allocation.

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)'s Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology (VCAT or Committee) will meet virtually on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

NMFS closes the Harpoon category fishery for large medium and giant (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length or greater) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of the 2022 Harpoon category fishing season, which ends November 15, 2022, and thus for the year. This closure applies to Atlantic Tunas Harpoon category (commercial) permitted vessels.