Department of Commerce November 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) is proposing to amend the regulations for the Population Estimates Challenge Program which provides eligible general-purpose governmental entities (units) with the opportunity to file requests for the review of their population estimates for 2021 and subsequent years in forthcoming estimates series, beginning with the Vintage 2022 series that is scheduled to be published in 2023. Under this program, a governmental unit may file a challenge to its official population estimate by submitting additional data to the Census Bureau for evaluation, or by identifying a technical error in processing input data or producing the estimates. Specifically, the Census Bureau is proposing to amend its regulations to: update references to the input data used to produce the official population estimates and revise the evidence required to support a challenge.

The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

Based on affirmative final determinations by the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), Commerce is issuing antidumping duty (AD) orders on oil country tubular goods (OCTG) from Argentina, Mexico, and the Russian Federation (Russia). In addition, Commerce is amending its final determination with respect to OCTG from Russia to correct a ministerial error.

The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment on the proposed revision to the Automated Export System Program prior to the submission of the information collection request (ICR) to OMB for approval.

The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment on the proposed new survey, the Annual Integrated Economic Survey (AIES), prior to the submission of the information collection request (ICR) to OMB for approval.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) hereby publishes a list of scope rulings and circumvention determinations made during the period July 1, 2022, through September 30, 2022. We intend to publish future lists after the close of the next calendar quarter.

Based on a request from Advanced Extrusion, Inc., Good Natured Products, IL dba Ex-Tech Inc., and Multi-Plastics Extrusions, Inc. (collectively, the petitioners), the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) is initiating a changed circumstances review (CCR) to consider the possible revocation of the antidumping duty (AD) order on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheet from the Sultanate of Oman (Oman).

Enforcement and Compliance (E&C), of the Department of Commerce (Commerce), administers the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) AD/CVD trade remedy laws of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Section 773(e) of the Act provides for Commerce to address, in its antidumping calculations, the existence of a particular market situation (PMS), such that the cost of materials and fabrication do not accurately reflect the cost of production in the ordinary course of trade. Commerce seeks public comments as it considers revisiting its PMS methodology and issuing a new regulation that would identify information that Commerce should take into consideration and should not take into consideration in determining whether a PMS exists that distorts the cost of production. Commerce also seeks comments as it considers adjustments to calculations when the amount of distortion in the cost of production caused by a PMS cannot be quantified based on the record before it.

We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) have received separate ITP applications from the Oregon Department of State Lands (ODSL; applicant), associated with the Elliott State Research Forest HCP. The applications, including the HCP, have been submitted pursuant to Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. The applicant is seeking authorization from FWS and NMFS (together, the Services) for the incidental take of three species expected to result from research and management-related activities on the Elliott State Forest in Coos and Douglas Counties, Oregon. These research and management activities include timber removal and infrastructure maintenance. FWS is the lead Federal agency under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and NMFS is a cooperating agency. The availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement was announced separately by FWS. NMFS is seeking public comments on the HCP.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its advisory committees will meet December 5, 2022, through December 14, 2022.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) is amending the patent rules of practice to provide that the receipt date of correspondence officially submitted electronically by way of the USPTO patent electronic filing system is the date in the Eastern time zone of the United States (Eastern Time) when the USPTO received the correspondence rather than the date on which the correspondence is received at the correspondence address in Alexandria, Virginia. This change is necessary because the USPTO is expecting to provide servers for receiving electronic submissions in locations that are separate from the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. This change will ensure consistency and predictability with respect to correspondence receipt dates, as the date of receipt accorded to correspondence submitted electronically will not depend on the location of USPTO servers. The USPTO is also amending the patent rules of practice to make other clarifying changes regarding the receipt of electronic submissions, including providing a definition for Eastern Time. These changes harmonize the patent rules with the trademark rules and provide clarity regarding the date of receipt of electronic submissions.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on the extension and revision of an existing information collection: 0651- 0073 Patent Law Treaty. The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comment preceding submission of the information collection to OMB.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a one-day in person meeting of its Spiny Lobster Advisory Panel (AP).

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC) will hold the 180th public hybrid meeting to address the items contained in the tentative agenda included in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

On April 12, 2022, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated an administrative review of the antidumping duty (AD) order on certain frozen warmwater shrimp (shrimp) from India for the period February 1, 2021, through January 31, 2022, for 261 companies. Because all interested parties timely withdrew their requests for administrative review for certain companies, we are rescinding this administrative review with respect to those companies. For a list of the companies for which we are rescinding this review, see Appendix I to this notice. For a list of the companies for which the review is continuing, see Appendix II to this notice.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that imports of emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber (ESBR) from the Czech Republic are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV) for the period of investigation (POI) October 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that all companies subject to this review are part of the China-wide entity because they did not establish eligibility for a separate rate. Additionally, Commerce is rescinding this review with respect to Yinbang Clad Material Co., Ltd. (Yinbang Clad). Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results of this review.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that the sole producer/exporter subject to this administrative review, Celik Halat ve Tel Sanayi A.S. (Celik Halat), made sales of the subject merchandise at less than normal value during the period of review September 30, 2020, through January 31, 2022.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Committee will hold a public meeting.

The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the Central Aleutian district (CAI) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) by vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access sector fishery. This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2022 total allowable catch (TAC) of Atka mackerel in the CAI allocated to vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access sector fishery.

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) has received petitions for certification of eligibility to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance from the firms listed below. Accordingly, EDA has initiated investigations to determine whether increased imports into the United States of articles like or directly competitive with those produced by each of the firms contributed importantly to the total or partial separation of the firms' workers, or threat thereof, and to a decrease in sales or production of each petitioning firm.