Department of Commerce August 28, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) Office of Coast Survey (OCS) requests public comment from all interested parties on a draft of the newly-revised Hydrographic Survey Specifications and Deliverables document (HSSD). The HSSD has been rewritten to be more forward looking with respect to new and developing technologies, best facilitate the use of automated tools, and better integrate with the S-100 based products and the National Bathymetric Source (NBS), which is the OCS database for best-available bathymetry. Additionally, the revised HSSD will better accommodate the increasing amounts of hydrographic data obtained from external sources, with metadata tags to denote data quality and universal data licenses to define terms of use, which will result in more streamlined, standardized workflows. Numerous subject matter experts collaborated to modernize the HSSD so that it best supports OCS as a data-driven organization.

NMFS announces one inseason action for the 2023-2024 ocean salmon fishing season. This inseason action modifies the commercial salmon fisheries in the area from the U.S./Canada border to Cape Falcon, Oregon.

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold its 149th Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and its 196th Council meeting to take actions on fishery management issues in the Western Pacific Region. The Council will also hold meetings of the following standing committees: Pelagic and International Standing Committee (SC); Program Planning SC; Fishing Rights of Indigenous Peoples SC; and Executive and Budget SC.

This proposed rule revises aspects of the process for requesting exclusions from the duties and quantitative limitations on imports of aluminum and steel discussed in five previous Bureau of Industry and Security (``BIS'') interim final rules implementing the exclusion process authorized by the President under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended (``Section 232''). The changes in this proposed rule are also informed by a notice of request for public comments on the Section 232 exclusions process that was published by BIS on February 10, 2022 (February Notice). The February Notice was directed by Proclamation 10328 of December 27, 2021, that directed BIS to review the Section 232 exclusions process to make improvements, including soliciting public comments as part of the review process. Based on a BIS review of the existing Section 232 exclusion process for areas of improvement and public comments on the current process for submissions to BIS, BIS is publishing this proposed rule to propose revisions to the Section 232 exclusions process, including to the Section 232 Exclusions Portal. As part of this proposed rule, BIS requests public comments on the proposed changes.

We, NMFS, designate and authorize the release of nonessential experimental populations (NEPs or experimental populations) of Sacramento River (SR) winter-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Central Valley (CV) spring-run Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) in the McCloud and Upper Sacramento Rivers upstream of Shasta Dam (the NEP Area), California, and, under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), establish a limited set of take exceptions for the experimental populations. Successful reintroduction of populations within the species' historical ranges will contribute to viability and further conservation of these species. The issuance of limited protective regulations for the conservation of these species will provide assurances regarding the regulatory provisions of the ESA as they apply to SR winter-run and CV spring-run Chinook salmon to the people in the Upper Sacramento River and McCloud River watersheds. This final rule also announces the availability of a final environmental assessment (EA) that analyzed the environmental impacts of promulgating the experimental population rule and associated take exceptions.

The United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (Board or TTAB) will hold a meeting on Wednesday, September 13, 2023. The Board advises the Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to the U.S. travel and tourism industry. The main purpose of this meeting is for Board members to deliberate and potentially adopt five letters of recommendation for the Secretary of Commerce. The final agenda will be posted on the Department of Commerce website for the Board at https:// www.trade.gov/ttab-meetings at least two days prior to the meeting.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Monkfish Committee 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 Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold a meeting.

NMFS is implementing regulation changes to integrate the vessel reporting requirements for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries with the reporting requirements for all other commercial fisheries in the Greater Atlantic Region. These changes are intended to simplify the regulations and make it easier for surfclam and ocean quahog vessel operators to submit the required fishing trip reports electronically. This action will result in improved administration and management of the surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries.