Department of Commerce March 24, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) amends the regulations for the Population Estimates Challenge Program which will provide eligible general-purpose governmental entities (local governments) 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 amends its regulations to update the regulation's references pertaining to the input data which are used to produce the official population estimates and revise the evidence required to support a challenge. In this final rule, the Census Bureau responds to comments received during the public comment periodclosed on December 22, 2022on the notice of proposed rulemaking posted in the Federal Register pertaining to ways in which the Population Estimates Challenge Program might be improved.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) has suspended the antidumping duty investigation on white grape juice concentrate (WGJC) from Argentina. The basis for this action is an agreement between Commerce and signatory producers/exporters accounting for substantially all imports of WGJC from Argentina, wherein each signatory producer/ exporter has agreed to revise its prices to eliminate completely the injurious effects of exports of the subject merchandise to the United States.

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, its implementing regulations, and NMFS' MMPA Regulations for Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Geophysical Surveys Related to Oil and Gas Activities in the Gulf of Mexico, notification is hereby given that a Letter of Authorization (LOA) has been issued to CGG for the take of marine mammals incidental to geophysical survey activity in the Gulf of Mexico.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of the Socio-Economic Panel (SEP) on April 17 and 18, 2023. The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will meet on April 18-20, 2023.

The SEDAR 79 assessment process of Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic mutton snapper will consist of a Data Workshop, and a series of assessment webinars, and a Review Workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

Free Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops will be held in April, May, and June of 2023. Certain fishermen and shark dealers are required to attend a workshop to meet regulatory requirements and to maintain valid permits. Specifically, the Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop is mandatory for all federally permitted Atlantic shark dealers. The Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshop is mandatory for vessel owners and operators who use bottom longline, pelagic longline, or gillnet gear, and who have also been issued shark or swordfish limited access permits. Additional free workshops will be conducted later in 2023 and will be announced in a future notice. In addition, NMFS has implemented online recertification workshops for persons who have already taken an in-person training.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announces revisions to regulations in order to make several technical corrections; reorganize certain subsections; remove outdated and/or unnecessary sections; institute a reporting requirement on federal agencies; and provide clarifications on definitions, communications, process for exercising march-in rights, filing of provisional patent applications, electronic filing of Bayh-Dole related reporting, the purpose of royalties on licenses from the Federal Government, and the processes for granting exclusive, co-exclusive, and partially exclusive licenses and for appeals. NIST has not adopted in this final rule a provision in the proposed rule regarding exercising march-in rights on the sole basis of product pricing. Instead, NIST intends to engage with stakeholders and agencies with the goal of developing a comprehensive framework for agencies considering the use of march-in provisions.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Risk Policy Working Group to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This meeting will be held in-person with a webinar option. Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will host a presentation on the spatial footprint and ecological siting principles of artificial reefs in the South Atlantic region via webinar as part of its ongoing Seminar Series.