Department of Commerce 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) is implementing the Cancer Moonshot Expedited Examination Pilot Program to replace the Cancer Immunotherapy Pilot Program, which expedited examination for eligible patent applications pertaining to methods of treating a cancer using immunotherapy. The new pilot program broadens the scope of qualifying technologies. Applications accepted into the new pilot program will be advanced out of turn (accorded special status) for examination until a first Office action. The new pilot program supports the renewed national Cancer Moonshot initiative that aims to reduce the cancer mortality rate by at least 50% within 25 years. This notice outlines the conditions, eligibility requirements, and guidelines of the new pilot program.

NMFS proposes regulations to implement Amendment 123 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). If approved, the proposed rule would amend regulations governing limits on Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) (halibut) prohibited species catch (PSC), or bycatch, in the BSAI. Namely, the proposed amendment would link the halibut PSC limit to halibut abundance for the Amendment 80 commercial groundfish trawl fleet in the BSAI groundfish fisheries. This action responds to the obligation in section 303(a)(11) of the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) to minimize bycatch to the extent practicable, and is consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act national standards. This action: minimizes halibut PSC to the extent practicable under National Standard 9; ensures that the FMP will continue to achieve optimum yield in the BSAI groundfish fisheries on a continuing basis under National Standard 1; is based upon the best scientific information available under National Standard 2; to the extent it involves an allocation of fishing privileges, is fair and equitable, reasonably promotes conservation by reducing incidental halibut mortality caused by the Amendment 80 trawl fleet, and does not result in any excessive shares of fishing privileges under National Standard 4; and takes into account the importance of fishery resources to fishing communities under National Standard 8. The action is expected to provide incentives for the Amendment 80 fleet to minimize halibut mortality at all times and conserve and improve bycatch management of the halibut resource, and it may result in additional harvest opportunities in the commercial halibut fishery. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, other applicable laws, and Amendment 123 to the BSAI FMP.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that sales of circular welded carbon steel standard pipe and tube products from Turkey were made at less than normal value (NV) during the period of review (POR) May 1, 2020, through April 30, 2021.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that, except as noted below, imports of certain crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into modules (solar cells and modules), that were exported from the Kingdom of Cambodia (Cambodia), Malaysia, the Kingdom of Thailand (Thailand), or the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Vietnam) using parts and components produced in the People's Republic of China (China), as specified below, are circumventing the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders on solar cells and modules from China.

NMFS has received a request from the City of Ketchikan, Alaska (COK) for the reissuance of a previously issued incidental harassment authorization (IHA) with the only change being effective dates. The initial IHA authorized take of nine species of marine mammals, by Level A and Level B harassment, incidental to construction.

The Department of Commerce is amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding twenty-four entities under twenty-six entries to the Entity List. These entities have been determined by the U.S. Government to be acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States and will be listed on the Entity List under the destinations of Latvia, Pakistan, Russia, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.). In addition, this final rule removes from the Entity List one entity listed in three entries under Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the U.A.E.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) is conducting an administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on forged steel fittings from the People's Republic of China (China) for the period of review January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020. Commerce preliminarily determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers/exporters of forged steel fittings from China subject to this review. We are also rescinding this review with respect to 21 companies. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.

Notice is hereby given that Echo Pictures Ltd., c/o Offspring Films, 1st & 2nd floor, Dock House, Welsh Back, Bristol, United Kingdom, BS1 4SB, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct commercial and educational photography on marine mammals.

NMFS announces that the State of New Jersey is transferring a portion of its 2022 commercial bluefish quota to the states of New York and Rhode Island. These quota adjustments are 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, New York, and Rhode Island.

The Industrial Advisory Committee (Committee) will hold an open meeting in-person and via web conference on Thursday, December 8, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern Time. The primary purposes of this meeting are to update the Committee on the progress of the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) Research & Development (R&D) Programs, receive updates from the Committee working groups, and allow the Committee to deliberate and discuss the progress that has been made. The final agenda will be posted on the NIST website at https://www.nist.gov/chips/industrial-advisory-committee.

NMFS announces a valid specified fishing agreement that allocates up to 1,500 metric tons (t) of the 2022 bigeye tuna limit for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to U.S. longline fishing vessels. The agreement supports the long-term sustainability of fishery resources of the U.S. Pacific Islands and fisheries development in the CNMI.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that sales of monosodium glutamate (MSG) from the Republic of Indonesia (Indonesia) have been made below normal value during the period of review (POR), November 1, 2020, through October 31, 2021. We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results.

NMFS proposes to implement management measures described in a framework action under the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP), as prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). If implemented, this proposed rule would increase catch levels for vermilion snapper in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf). The purpose of this proposed rule is to prevent overfishing of Gulf vermilion snapper and to achieve optimum yield (OY).

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily finds that Ratnamani Metals & Tubes Ltd. (Ratnamani) made sales of subject merchandise at less than normal value (NV) in the United States during the November 1, 2020, through October 31, 2021, period of review (POR). We are also rescinding this review for Hindustan Inox, Ltd. (Hindustan Inox) where timely requests for withdrawal were filed by the party who requested its review. We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that POSCO, a producer/exporter of certain carbon and alloy steel cut-to- length plate (CTL plate) from the Republic of Korea (Korea), received de minimis net countervailable subsidies during the period of review (POR), January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020.

NMFS published a final rule on October 3, 2022, announcing a Federal requirement for certain vessels in the Pacific Coast Groundfish fishery target fishing for groundfish with non-trawl gear in Federal waters seaward of California, Oregon, and Washington, to complete and submit a non-trawl logbook to NMFS via an electronic application (87 FR 59724). This correction is necessary to modify a regulatory instruction so that the implementing regulations are accurate. This correction is also necessary to clarify the methods by which fishermen can record required information while on a fishing trip.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that Metalco S.A. (Metalco), the sole company subject to the 2020-2021 administrative review of the antidumping duty order on corrosion- resistant steel products from the People's Republic of China (China), is part of the China-wide entity because it did not demonstrate its eligibility for a separate rate. The period of review (POR) is July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that circular welded non-alloy steel pipe (CWP) from the Republic of Korea (Korea) was sold at prices below normal value for Husteel Co., Ltd. (Husteel) and not sold at prices below normal value for Nexteel Co., Ltd. (Nexteel) during the period of review (POR) November 1, 2020, through October 31, 2021. We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results.

Under the authority of the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982, this final rule implements a permitting system for the Pacific halibut commercial and recreational charter halibut fisheries in International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) regulatory Area 2A (Washington, Oregon, and California). This action also establishes a regulatory framework for the Area 2A Pacific halibut directed commercial fishery that, consistent with the allocations and coastwide season dates set by the IPHC, allows NMFS to annually determine dates and times the fishery will be open and set harvest limits for those periods of time. These permitting and management activities for Area 2A were previously performed by the IPHC; through this final rule, NMFS will now implement these Area 2A-specific permitting and management activities.