Department of Commerce 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS is prohibiting retention of non-Community Development Quota (CDQ) sablefish by vessels using trawl gear in the Bering Sea subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary because the 2022 non-CDQ sablefish initial total allowable catch (ITAC) in the Bering Sea subarea of the BSAI will be reached.

The New England Fishery Management Council's is convening its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) 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, 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.

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.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) is terminating the changed circumstances review (CCR) under the antidumping duty (AD) investigation of urea ammonium nitrate solutions (UAN) from the Russian Federation (Russia), in which Commerce was examining whether Russia has remained a market economy (ME) country for purposes of the AD law. The examination of whether Russia has remained an ME country for purposes of the AD law is now being continued within the context of the emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber (ESBR) investigation from Russia.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Salmon Technical Team (STT) and Scientific and Statistical Committee's (SSC) Salmon Subcommittee will hold an online meeting.

In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA); the Final Programmatic Damage Assessment Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Final PDARP/PEIS) and Record of Decision; and the Consent Decree, the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Federal and State natural resource trustee agencies for the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group (Louisiana TIG) prepared the Final Phase II Restoration Plan #3.2: Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion (Final Phase II RP #3.2). The Final Phase II RP #3.2 presents the Louisiana TIG's OPA evaluation of a proposed 75,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) capacity Mid-Barataria sediment diversion (i.e., Alternative 1, the Proposed MBSD Project) and five alternatives to help restore natural resources and ecological services injured or lost as a result of the DWH oil spill. The Louisiana TIG evaluated these alternatives under criteria identified in the Final Phase II RP #3.2, including those set forth in the OPA natural resource damage assessment regulations. In accordance with NEPA, the environmental consequences of the MSBD alternatives are evaluated in the associated U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District (USACE CEMVN) Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Mid Barataria Sediment Diversion Project, Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes (MBSD FEIS). The Louisiana TIG Federal Trustees participated as cooperating agencies in the preparation of the MBSD FEIS. The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the availability of the Final Phase II RP #3.2, the Louisiana TIG's selection of Alternative 1 as its preferred alternative, and following adoption of the MBSD FEIS, the Louisiana TIG's intention to make an OPA NRDA decision regarding implementation of the preferred alternative.

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.

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed topics of discussion for the upcoming public meeting of the Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness (Committee).

NMFS received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for the renewal of their currently active IHA to take marine mammals incidental to the Naval Base San Diego Pier 6 Replacement Project in San Diego, California. These activities consist of activities that are covered by the current authorization, but will not be completed prior to its expiration. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act, prior to issuing the currently active IHA, NMFS requested comments on both the proposed IHA and the potential for renewing the initial authorization if certain requirements were satisfied. The renewal requirements have been satisfied, and NMFS is now providing an additional 15-day comment period to allow for any additional comments on the proposed renewal not previously provided during the initial 30-day comment period.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting of its Law Enforcement Technical Committee (LETC), in conjunction with the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission's Law Enforcement Committee (LEC).

On September 8, 2022, the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) issued its final judgment in Vandewater International, Inc. v. United States, Court No. 18-00199, sustaining the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce)'s remand redetermination pertaining to the scope ruling for the antidumping duty order on carbon steel butt-weld pipe fittings from the People's Republic of China finding steel branch outlets imported by Vandewater International Inc. (Vandewater) to be covered by the order. Commerce is notifying the public that the CIT's final judgment is not in harmony with Commerce's scope ruling, and that Commerce is amending the scope ruling to clarify that a different effective date for suspension of liquidation now applies.

The Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils (Councils) will hold a one-day hybrid (in-person/virtual) meeting of its Joint Council Workgroup for Section 102 of the Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act of 2018.

The Secretary of Commerce, through the Office of Trade and Economic Analysis (OTEA) of the International Trade Administration, has received an application for an amended Export Trade Certificate of Review (Certificate). This notice summarizes the proposed application and seeks public comments on whether the Certificate should be issued.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service (NOS) is currently developing a new strategic plan. NOS will hold a public meeting to solicit early input to inform the development of this plan.

On August 30, 2022, the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) issued its final judgment in BlueScope Steel LTD. v. United States, Court No. 19-00057, sustaining the U.S. Department of Commerce's (Commerce) remand results pertaining to the administrative review of the antidumping duty (AD) order on certain hot-rolled steel flat products (hot-rolled steel) from Australia covering the period March 22, 2016, through September 30, 2017. Commerce is notifying the public that the CIT's final judgment is not in harmony with Commerce's final results of the administrative review, and that Commerce is amending the final results with respect to the dumping margin assigned to BlueScope Steel Ltd. (BSL) and its affiliate BlueScope Steel (AIS) Pty (collectively, BlueScope).

This notice announces the date, time, and location of the public meeting being held, in a hybrid format, prior to the 68th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). The meeting is open to U.S. citizens only.

In response to the Russian Federation's (Russia's) ongoing aggression against Ukraine, the Department of Commerce is expanding the existing sanctions against Russia and Belarus by imposing new export controls, including expanding the scope of the Russian industry sector sanctions to add lower-level items potentially useful for Russia's chemical and biological weapons production capabilities and items needed for advanced production and development capabilities to enable advanced manufacturing across a number of industries. This rule also adds Belarus to the scope of industry sector sanctions that currently apply solely to Russia. With respect to end users, this rule expands the `military end user' and `military-intelligence end user' controls and applies the Russian/Belarusian-Military End User Foreign Direct Product (FDP) rule to ten existing entries for six existing entities that have continued to supply Russian entities on the Entity List or are under sanction since Russia's further invasion of Ukraine. Labeling these six entities as Russian `military end users' and applying the Russia/Belarus-Military End User FDP rule to them will degrade Russia's war efforts in Ukraine, as these entities produce items needed by the Russian and Belarussian military and industrial sectors. Correspondingly, this rule clarifies requirements related to Burma, Cambodia, the People's Republic of China, and Venezuela). Finally, this rule refines existing controls on Russia and Belarus by adding additional dollar value exclusion thresholds for `luxury goods;' and makes twelve corrections and clarifications to existing controls on Russia and Belarus. The Department of Commerce is taking these actions to clarify and enhance the effectiveness of U.S. controls and to better align its controls on both Russia and Belarus with those implemented by U.S. allies.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office for Coastal Management, published a document in the Federal Register of August 5, 2022, concerning a notice of public meeting to solicit comments on the performance evaluation of the Connecticut Coastal Management Program. The document contained incorrect dates.

On August 1, 2022, NMFS published proposed amendments to the North Atlantic right whale vessel strike reduction rule, with a 60-day comment period ending on September 30, 2022. In response to multiple requests for an extension, NMFS is announcing an extension of the public comment period by an additional 30 calendar days ending on October 31, 2022.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its advisory committees will meet via hybrid conference October 3, 2022 through October 11, 2022.