Department of Commerce January 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

By this Notice, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Department of Commerce, is informing the public that it is conducting the mandatory survey titled Quarterly Survey of Ocean Freight Revenues and Foreign Expenses of U.S. Carriers (BE-30). The data collected on the BE-30 survey are needed to measure U.S. trade in transport services and to analyze the impact of U.S. trade on the U.S. and foreign economies. This survey is authorized by the International Investment and Trade in Services Survey Act.

By this Notice, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Department of Commerce, is informing the public that it is conducting the mandatory survey titled Quarterly Survey of Transactions in Selected Services and Intellectual Property with Foreign Persons (BE- 125). The data collected on the BE-125 survey are needed to measure U.S. trade in services and to analyze the impact of U.S. trade on the U.S. and foreign economies. This survey is authorized by the International Investment and Trade in Services Survey Act.

NMFS reviewed the Alaska, Atlantic, and Pacific regional marine mammal stock assessment reports (SARs) in accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). SARs for marine mammals in the Alaska, Atlantic, and Pacific regions were revised according to new information. NMFS solicits public comments on the draft 2022 SARs. NMFS is also requesting new information for strategic stocks that were not updated in 2022.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2023 total allowable catch of Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

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

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2023 total allowable catch of Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for groundfish by vessels using nonpelagic trawl gear in the Red King Crab Savings Subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary because the State of Alaska, Department of Fish and Game did not establish a guideline harvest level fishery for red king crab in the Bristol Bay area for the 2022/2023 fishing year.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its advisory committees will meet February 6, 2023 through February 13, 2023.

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.

As a result of these expedited sunset reviews, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) finds that revocation of the antidumping duty orders on carbon and alloy seamless standard, line and pressure pipe (under 4\1/2\ inches) (small diameter pipe) from Japan and Romania would likely lead to the continuation or recurrence of dumping at the levels indicated in the ``Final Results of Review'' section of this notice.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that Industrias Negromex S.A. de C.V. (Negromex) did not make sales of emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber (ESB rubber) from Mexico at less than normal value during the period of review (POR), September 1, 2020, through August 31, 2021.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that Celik Halat ve Tel Sanayi A.S. (Celik Halat), a producer/exporter of prestressed concrete steel wire strand (PC strand) from the Republic of Turkey (Turkey) and sole respondent for this administrative review, received countervailable subsidies during the period of review (POR), September 21, 2020, through December 31, 2021.

The Census Bureau will conduct a virtual tribal consultation on the Proof of Concept for the Detailed Demographic and Housing Characteristics File A (DHC-A) on February 23, 2023. Feedback on the Proof of Concept will help inform final decisions on the 2020 Census Detailed DHC-A. The tribal consultation reflects the Census Bureau's continuous commitment to strengthen nation-to-nation relationships with federally recognized tribes. The Census Bureau's procedures for outreach, notice, and consultation ensure involvement of tribes to the extent practicable and permitted by law before making decisions or implementing policies, rules, or programs that affect federally recognized tribal governments. These meetings are open to citizens of federally recognized tribes by invitation. The Census Bureau provided information on the feedback it is seeking in preparation for the tribal consultation focused on the Proof of Concept for the Detailed DHC-A. In that regard, the Census Bureau is asking tribal governments to review the Proof of Concept and accompanying materials. We would like to hear from tribal nations if they will be impacted positively, negatively, or not at all, if we release the Detailed DHC-A using the current specifications outlined in the Proof of Concept. Please provide the level of geography, description of the use case(s), and implications should the data be released as reflected in this Proof of Concept. The purpose of the tribal consultation is to hear tribes' recommendations.

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 announces that the Closed Area I Scallop Access Area is closed to Limited Access General Category Individual Fishing Quota scallop vessels for the remainder of the 2022 fishing year. Regulations require this action once it is projected that 100 percent of trips allocated to the Limited Access General Category Individual Fishing Quota scallop vessels for the Closed Area I Scallop Access Area will be taken. This action is intended to prevent the number of trips in the Closed Area I Scallop Access Area from exceeding what is allowed under the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan.

NOAA proposes to designate the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary (LONMS) in eastern Lake Ontario to recognize the national significance of the area's historical, archaeological, and cultural resources and to manage this special place as part of the National Marine Sanctuary System. The proposed sanctuary boundary would encompass 1,302 nmi\2\ (1,724 mi\2\) of eastern Lake Ontario waters and would border Wayne, Cayuga, Oswego, and Jefferson counties. NOAA would co-manage LONMS with New York State. NOAA also proposes regulations to implement the national marine sanctuary designation and establish its terms of designation. This proposed rule follows NOAA's publication of a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) and draft management plan (DMP) in July 2021. NOAA is soliciting public comment on the proposed rule, as well as possible names for the sanctuary.

On December 20, 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) issued its final determination under section 129 of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA), regarding the countervailing duty (CVD) investigation of ripe olives from Spain. On January 12, 2023, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) directed Commerce to implement the section 129 final determination, which renders Commerce's determinations in the CVD investigation not inconsistent with the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement findings in United States Antidumping and Countervailing Duties on Ripe Olives from Spain, WT/ DS577 (December 20, 2021) (DS577). As a result, Commerce is now implementing the section 129 final determination.

On December 23, 2022, NMFS published a proposed rule, with a 30-day public comment period ending January 23, 2023, in response to Revolution Wind, LLC's (Revolution Wind's) request for regulations and an associated Letter of Authorization (LOA), pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The proposed regulations would allow for the taking of marine mammals, by Level A harassment and Level B harassment, incidental to the Revolution Wind Offshore Wind Farm Project offshore of Rhode Island. In response to a request, NMFS is announcing an extension of the public comment period by an additional 15 days. The public comment period on the proposed rule is extended from January 23, 2023, to February 7, 2023.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS received an application from the Wiyot Tribe in Loleta, California for modification and renewal of an U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 10(a)(1)(A) scientific and enhancement permit (Permit 22270-2R). The purpose of the permit is to enhance the survival of threatened Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast (SONCC) Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU) of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch); threatened California Coast (CC) ESU Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha); and threatened Northern California (NC) Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of steelhead (O. mykiss) by segregating and removing predatory non-native Sacramento River pikeminnow using a variety of techniques. The University of California at Berkeley and Stillwater Sciences are co-investigators on the permit and will assist with implementation of the permit activities. The public is hereby notified that the application for Permit 22270-2R is available for review and comment before NMFS either approves or disapproves the application.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by American Fisheries Act (AFA) trawl catcher/processors in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the annual 2023 Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to AFA trawl catcher/processors in the BSAI.