Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 165 / Tuesday, August 26, 1997 / Notices 45233

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

AGENCY: International Trade

Administration, Department of

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce

invites U.S. companies to participate in

the following overseas trade missions:

Women-In-Trade Business Development

Mission to South Africa.

Johannesburg and Cape Town.

October 6–10, 1997.

Recruitment closes August 29, 1997.

For further information contact

Loretta Allison, Department of

Commerce.

Tel: 202–482–5479.

Fax: 202–482–1999.

Health Industries Russian Trade

Mission.

Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, and Kazan,

Tatarstan.

October 19–26, 1997.

Recruitment closes September 15,

1997.

For further information contact

George Keen, Department of

Commerce.

Tel: 202–482–2010.

Fax: 202–482–0975. 02

Retailing and Franchising Trade

Mission to China.

Hong Kong, Shenzen, Shanghai, and

Beijing.

October 19–28, 1997.

Recruitment closes September 15,

1997.

For further information contact Bruce

Harsh, Department of Commerce.

Tel: 202–482–4582.

Fax: 202–482–2669.

U.S. Computer Industry Trade Mission

to the Middle East.

United Arab Emirates, Egypt and

Israel.

October 28–November 6, 1997.

Recruitment closes September 5,

1997.

For further information contact Daniel

Valverde, Department of Commerce.

Tel: 202–482–0573.

Fax: 202–482–0952.

Medical Devices and Supplies Trade

Mission to India.

New Delhi, Chennai (Madras), and

Mumbai (Bombay).

January 17–24, 1998.

Recruitment closes November 21,

1997.

For further information contact

Duaine Priestley, Department of

Commerce.

Tel: 202–482–2410.

Fax: 202–482–2702.

Medical and Dental Devices, Medical

Device Components, and

Laboratory Instruments Trade

Mission to China.

Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and

Kunming.

April 19–April 29, 1998.

Recruitment closes February 21, 1997.

For further information contact

Lauren Brosler, Department of

Commerce.

Tel: 202–482–4431.

Fax: 202–482–0975.

For further information contact

Reginald Beckham, Department of

Commerce.

Tel: 202–482–5478.

Fax: 202–482–1999.

Dated: August 21, 1997.

David C. Bowie,

Deputy Director, Office of Export Promotion

Coordination.

[FR Doc. 97–22637 Filed 8–25–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–DR–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

National Marine Sanctuary Program

AGENCY: Office of Ocean and Coastal

Resource Management (OCRM),

National Ocean Service (NOS), National

Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA), Department of

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration is

withdrawing Norfolk Canyon from

consideration as an Active Candidate for

designation as a National Marine

Sanctuary. Norfolk Canyon is located

approximately 60 nautical miles east of

the entrance to Chesapeake Bay

(offshore Virginia), and is a deep-water

site. Norfolk Canyon was identified by

NOAA for further evaluation prior to the

development of the National Marine

Sanctuary Program’s Site Evaluation

List (SEL). For reasons related to limited

agency resources, the remote nature of

the site, and the absence of known

threats to the Canyon’s resources,

NOAA has decided to withdraw Norfolk

Canyon from Active Candidate status,

and terminate consideration of the site

for possible designation as a National

Marine Sanctuary.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Edward Lindelof, Manager, Atlantic,

Great Lakes and Gulf Branch,

Sanctuaries and Reserves Division,

Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource

Management, at 301–713–3137 (ext.

131), fax: 301–713–0404, e-mail:

elindelof@ocean.nos.noaa.gov.

I. Background

The National Marine Sanctuaries Act,

as amended, (Act), 16 U.S.C. 1431 et

seq., authorizes the Secretary of

Commerce to designate discrete areas of

the marine environment as national

marine sanctuaries if the designation

will fulfill the purposes and policies of

the Act (set forth in section 301(b) (16

U.S.C. 1431(b)), and if: (1) The area

proposed for designation is of special

national significance due to its resource

or human-use values; (2) existing state

and federal authorities are inadequate or

should be supplemented to ensure

coordinated and comprehensive

conservation and management of the

area, including resource protection,

scientific research, and public

education; (3) designation of the area as

a national marine sanctuary will

facilitate the coordinated and

comprehensive conservation and

management of the area; and (4) the area

is of a size and nature that will permit

comprehensive and coordinated

conservation and management. The Act

is administered by NOAA through the

National Ocean Service (NOS), Office of

Ocean and Coastal Resource

Management (OCRM), Sanctuaries and

Reserves Division (SRD).

II. Administrative History

In January 1982, NOAA published a

Program Development Plan (PDP) for

the National Marine Sanctuary Program,

describing the Program’s mission and

goals, site identification and selection

criteria, and the nomination and

designation process. Based on the PDP

and Program regulations, NOAA

published a proposed SEL

recommended to NOAA by regional

resource evaluation teams. At the time

of development of the SEL, Norfolk

Canyon and five other sites were already

under consideration by NOAA for

possible designation, and the regional

resource evaluation teams were

instructed to not consider these sites.

On August 4, 1983, NOAA published

the final SEL (48 FR 35568). The SEL is

described in the regulations for the

National Marine Sanctuary program at

15 CFR 922.10.

On September 1, 1985, NOAA

published notice (50 FR 37760)

announcing preliminary consultation

and inviting public comment on the

possible designation of Norfolk Canyon

as a National Marine Sanctuary. Norfolk

Canyon became an Active Candidate for

National Marine Sanctuary designation
45234 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 165 / Tuesday, August 26, 1997 / Notices

on February 28, 1986 (51 FR 7097).

Public scoping meetings were

conducted pursuant to notice published

on May 19, 1986 (51 FR 18352). The

scoping meetings were held to allow

NOAA to gather information and

determine the range and significance of

issues related to the potential Sanctuary

designation and management of the

Norfolk Canyon site. A preliminary draft

resource assessment/environmental

impact statement was completed in

1992. No further significant action

toward designation has occurred since

that time.

III. The Site

Norfolk Canyon is located

approximately 60 nautical miles east of

the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay

(offshore Virginia), and is the

southermost of a series of submarine

canyons along the Atlantic continental

margin. This is a deep-water site,

characterized as a non-glaciated area

that is influenced by a major drainage

system (the Chesapeake Bay), and is

habitat for several alcyonarid and

scleractinid corals. The area is

approximately positioned about the

coordinates: 37°03.3n by 74°38.4W.

IV. Action

The SRD has been unuable to actively

pursue designation of this site for

reasons pertaining to availability of

resources and Program priorities. NOAA

has decided to focus its limited

personnel and budgetary resources on

completion of Congressionallydesignated sites; on consideration of

bio-geographic areas not well

represented by the Sanctuary Program;

and on sites that are more significantly

affected by human activities. NOAA’s

resources are being directed at bringing

the management of designated

sanctuaries up to levels consistent with

mandates of the Act. NOAA finds,

through information gathered for the

preliminary draft resource assessment

and environmental impact statement,

that there appears to be the minimal

threat to the Norfolk Canyon site,

relative to other proposed and existing

sites. Human activites are limited

primarily to low levels of commercial

and recreational fishing. No mineral

mining or ocean disposal activity occurs

at the site, and the near-term prospects

of such activities are unlikely.

Accordingly, the site is withdrawn

from Active Candidate status and

further consideration of Norfolk Canyon

for designation as a National Marine

Sanctuary is discontinued.

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog

Number 11.429 Marine Sanctuary Program)

Dated: August 18, 1997.

Captain Evelyn J. Fields,

Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for

Ocean Services and Coastal Zone

Management.

[ FR Doc 97–22602 Filed 8–25–97 8:45 am.]

BILLING CODE 3510–08–M

COMMITTEE FOR THE

IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE

AGREEMENTS

Adjustment of Import Limits and

Guaranteed Access Levels for Certain

Cotton, Wool and Man-Made Fiber

Textile Products Produced or

Manufactured in the Dominican

Republic

August 20, 1997.

AGENCY: Committee for the

Implementation of Textile Agreements

(CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the

Commissioner of Customs adjusting

import limits and Guaranteed Access

Levels.

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 26, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Naomi Freeman, International Trade

Specialist, Office of Textiles and

Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce,

(202) 482–4212. For information on the

quota status of these limits, refer to the

Quota Status Reports posted on the

bulletin boards of each Customs port or

call (202) 927–5850. For information on

embargoes and quota re-openings, call

(202) 482–3715.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority: Executive Order 11651 of March

3, 1972, as amended; section 204 of the

Agricultural Act of 1956, as amended (7

U.S.C. 1854); Uruguay Round Agreements

Act.

The current limit for Categories 351/

651 is being increased for special shift,

reducing the limit for 342/642 to

account for the increase.

Upon the request of the Government

of the Dominican Republic, the U.S.

Government has agreed to increase the

current Guaranteed Access Levels

(GALs) for certain textile products.

A description of the textile and

apparel categories in terms of HTS

numbers is available in the

CORRELATION: Textile and Apparel

Categories with the Harmonized Tariff

Schedule of the United States (see

Federal Register notice 62 FR 66263,

published on December 17, 1996). Also

see 61 FR 65375, published on

December 12, 1996.

The letter to the Commissioner of

Customs and the actions taken pursuant

to it are not designed to implement all

of the provisions of the Uruguay Round

Agreements Act and the Uruguay Round

Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, but

are designed to assist only in the

implementation of certain of their

provisions.

Troy H. Cribb,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation

of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile

Agreements

August 20, 1997.

Commissioner of Customs,

Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC

20229.

Dear Commissioner: This directive

amends, but does not cancel, the directive

issued to you on December 6, 1996, by the

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation

of Textile Agreements. That directive

concerns imports of certain cotton, wool and

man-made fiber textile products, produced or

manufactured in the Dominican Republic

and exported during the twelve-month

period which began on January 1, 1997 and

extends through December 31, 1997.

Effective on August 26, 1997, you are

directed to adjust the limits for the following

categories, as provided for under the Uruguay

Agreements Act and the Uruguay Round

Agreement on Textiles and Clothing:

Category Adjusted limit 1

342/642 .................... 348,935 dozen.

351/651 .................... 1,076,530 dozen.

1The limits have not been adjusted to account for any imports exported after December

31, 1996.

The Guaranteed Access Levels (GALs) for

Categories 342/642 and 351/651 remain

unchanged. You are directed to increase the

current GALs for the following categories:

Category Guaranteed Access

Level

338/638 .................... 4,150,000 dozen.

347/348/647/648 ...... 9,050,000 dozen.

433 ........................... 81,000 dozen.

The Committee for the Implementation of

Textile Agreements has determined that

these actions fall within the foreign affairs

exception of the rulemaking provisions of 5

U.S.C. 553(a)(1).

Sincerely,

Troy H. Cribb,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation

of Textile Agreements.

[FR Doc. 97–22613 Filed 8–25–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–DR–F