Department of Commerce – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 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 on the proposed extension of the Current Population Survey, School Enrollment Supplement, prior to the submission of the information collection request (ICR) to OMB for approval.

Atlantic Shark Identification Workshops and Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshops will be held in January, February, and March of 2025. 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 in 2025 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.

This action serves as a notice that NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), has found that Puerto Rico Caribbean spiny lobster and Mid-Atlantic Coast golden tilefish are now subject to overfishing, Klamath River fall Chinook salmon and Queets Spring/Summer Chinook salmon continue to be overfished, and the Western and Central North Pacific Ocean Striped Marlin continues to be subject to overfishing. NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary, is required to provide this notice whenever it determines that a stock or stock complex is subject to overfishing, overfished, or approaching an overfished condition.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a second Recreational Initiative Public Engagement Workshop via webinar.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Scallop Advisory Panel 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 U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) is amending the final results of the administrative review of the countervailing duty order on phosphate fertilizers (fertilizers) from the Kingdom of Morocco (Morocco) to correct a ministerial error. The period of review (POR) is January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022.

NMFS has received a request from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ALDCNR) for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to fisheries independent research programs in Mobile Bay and adjacent waters of Alabama over the course of five years from the date of issuance. Pursuant to regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing receipt of the ALDCNR's request for the development and implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals. NMFS invites the public to provide information, suggestions, and comments on the ALDCNR's application and request.

NMFS publishes the individual fishing quota (IFQ) standard prices and fee percentage for cost recovery for the IFQ Program for the halibut and sablefish fisheries of the North Pacific (IFQ Program). The fee percentage for 2024 is 3.0 percent. This action is intended to provide holders of halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with the 2024 standard prices and fee percentage to calculate the required payment for IFQ cost recovery fees due by January 31, 2025.

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is accepting written comments from the public regarding the MBDA Information Clearinghouse, through February 28, 2025. The comments will inform MBDA of the types of data and other information sought, best practices or recommendations for studies, analysis and data about Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) to be published, and ways to improve the user experience.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) is rescinding the administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on ceramic tile from the People's Republic of China (China) covering the period of review (POR) January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023, because, as explained below, there are no reviewable suspended entries for the one company subject to this review.

The Minority Business Enterprises Advisory Council (MBEAC) will hold a meeting to discuss the work of its four subcommittees as well as to have a topical discussion on issues pertinent to the MBEAC's mission.

In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued two incidental harassment authorizations (IHAs) to the United States Coast Guard (USCG) to incidentally harass marine mammals during construction activities associated with fast response cutter (FRC) homeporting in Seward and Sitka, Alaska.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of certain tungsten shot (tungsten shot) from the People's Republic of China (China). The period of investigation is January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

Notice is hereby given that the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, 249 Windward Passage, Clearwater, FL 33767 (Responsible Party: James Powell, Ph.D.), has applied in due form for a permit to import up to five adult male bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from Attica Zoological Park in Athina, Greece, to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium for public display.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that imports of aluminum wire and cable (AWC) completed in the Kingdom of Cambodia (Cambodia) using certain AWC inputs manufactured in the People's Republic of China (China) are not covered by the scope of the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders on AWC from China. In addition, Commerce determines that AWC completed in Cambodia using certain AWC inputs manufactured in China are not circumventing the AD and CVD orders on AWC from China.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Ad- Hoc Klamath River Fall Chinook Workgroup (KRWG) will hold a two-day online meeting.

NMFS received a request from Virginia Electric and Power Company, doing business as (d.b.a), Dominion Virginia Power (Dominion) for modification of an incidental take permit, pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for activities associated with the otherwise lawful continued operation and maintenance of the Dominion Chesterfield Power Station in Chesterfield, VA. We are publishing this notice to inform the public that we are considering re-issuing the permit, with modifications, to authorize additional take of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) from the Chesapeake Bay Distinct Population Segment.

Pursuant to title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) is modernizing the annexes of the trade remedy regulations to enhance the administration of the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) laws.

CBERA, as amended, provides duty-free treatment for certain apparel articles imported directly from Haiti. One of the preferences is known as the "value-added" provision, which requires that apparel meet a minimum threshold percentage of value added in Haiti, the United States, and/or certain beneficiary countries. The provision is subject to a quantitative limitation, which is calculated as a percentage of total apparel imports into the United States for each 12-month period. For the period from December 20, 2024 through December 19, 2025, the quantity of imports eligible for preferential treatment under the value-added provision is 322,927,229 square meters equivalent.

Notice is hereby given of a hybrid meeting of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS[supreg]) Advisory Committee (Committee). The meeting is open to the public and an opportunity for oral and written comments will be provided.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) Office of internet Connectivity and Growth (OICG) administers the following grant programs: the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, the Digital Equity (DE) Grant Programs, the Broadband Infrastructure Program (BIP), the Connecting Minority Communities (CMC) Pilot Program, the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure (MM) Program, and the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP). NTIA will host seven (7) regional meetings for grantees of these programs between February and May 2025. These events will provide technical assistance and oversight and conclude with a regional roundtable that enables the public to engage with grantees, local experts, and other stakeholders working to address digital inequities. During these regional roundtables, attendees will participate in critical discussions on how the internet for All programs are impacting communities and strategies for making those investments and initiatives last. Each regional roundtable program will feature experts from local and State governments, public interest groups, academia, and industry. They will also provide platforms for public and private stakeholders to align on shared goals for every resident to experience the benefits of technology.