Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 210 / Monday, October 30, 2000 / Notices 64669

1See August 22, 2000, Memorandum for Jeffrey

A. May, Re: Oil Country Tubular Goods from Italy;

Adequacy of Respondent Interested Parties’

Response to the Notice of Initiation.

responsible for defending the interests

of the Italian steel industry. The GOI

and EC note that they have in the past

participated in this proceeding (see

August 1, 2000, Response of the EC at

3, and the August 1, 2000, Response of

the GOI at 2).

On August 2, 2000, we received

complete substantive responses from

domestic interested parties, within the

30-day deadline specified in the Sunset

Regulations under section

351.218(d)(3)(i), and a complete

substantive response from Dalmine

S.p.A. (‘‘Dalmine’’), a foreign producer

and exporter of the subject merchandise,

and a respondent interested party under

section 771(9)(A) of the Act.

We received rebuttal comments from

domestic interested parties and

Dalmine, on August 7, 2000. Pursuant to

19 CFR 351.218 (e)(2)(i), the Department

determined to conduct a full (240-day)

sunset review of this order.1

Scope of Review

The merchandise covered by this

review is OCTG, hollow steel products

of circular cross-section, including only

oil well casing and tubing pipe, of iron

(other than cast iron) or steel (both

carbon and alloy), whether seamless or

welded, whether or not conforming to

American Petroleum Institute (API) or

non-API specifications, whether

finished or unfinished (including green

tubes and limited service OCTG

products). This scope does not cover

casing or tubing pipe containing 10.5

percent or more of chromium, or drill

pipe. The OCTG subject to this order are

currently classified in the Harmonized

Tariff Schedule of the United States

(HTSUS) under item numbers:

7304.20.10.10, 7304.20.10.20,

7304.20.10.30, 7304.20.10.40,

7304.20.10.50, 7304.20.10.60,

7304.20.10.80, 7304.20.20.10,

7304.20.20.20, 7304.20.20.30,

7304.20.20.40, 7304.20.20.50,

7304.20.20.60, 7304.20.20.80,

7304.20.30.10, 7304.20.30.20,

7304.20.30.30, 7304.20.30.40,

7304.20.30.50, 7304.20.30.60,

7304.20.30.80, 7304.20.40.10,

7304.20.40.20, 7304.20.40.30,

7304.20.40.40, 7304.20.40.50,

7304.20.40.60, 7304.20.40.80,

7304.20.50.15, 7304.20.50.30,

7304.20.50.45, 7304.20.50.60,

7304.20.50.75, 7304.20.60.15,

7304.20.60.30, 7304.20.60.45,

7304.20.60.60, 7304.20.60.75,

7305.20.20.00, 7305.20.40.00,

7305.20.60.00, 7305.20.80.00,

7306.20.10.30, 7306.20.10.90,

7306.20.20.00, 7306.20.30.00,

7306.20.40.00, 7306.20.60.10,

7306.20.60.50, 7306.20.80.10, and

7306.20.80.50. Although the HTSUS

subheadings are provided for

convenience and customs purposes, our

written description of the scope of this

proceeding is dispositive.

Analysis of Comments Received

All issues raised in the substantive

responses and rebuttals by parties to

this sunset review are addressed in the

‘‘Issues and Decision Memorandum’’

(‘‘Decision Memo’’) from Jeffrey A. May,

Director, Office of Policy, Import

Administration, to Troy H. Cribb, Acting

Assistant Secretary for Import

Administration, dated October 23, 2000,

which is hereby adopted by this notice.

The issues discussed in the attached

Decision Memo include the likelihood

of continuation or recurrence of

countervailable subsidies and the net

subsidy likely to prevail were the order

revoked. Parties can find a complete

discussion of all issues raised in this

review and the corresponding

recommendations in this public

memorandum which is on file in the

Central Records Unit, room B–099, of

the main Commerce building.

In addition, a complete version of the

Decision Memo can be accessed directly

on the Web at www.ia.ita.doc.gov/frn,

under the heading ‘‘Italy.’’ The paper

copy and electronic version of the

Decision Memo are identical in content.

Preliminary Results of Review

We preliminarily determine that

revocation of the countervailing duty

order on oil country tubular goods from

Italy would be likely to lead to

continuation or recurrence of

countervailable subsidies at the rate

listed below:

Producers/exporters

Net

countervailable

subsidy

(percent)

All Producers/exporters from

Italy ................................... 1.47

Any interested party may request a

hearing within 30 days of publication of

this notice in accordance with 19 CFR

351.310(c). Any hearing, if requested,

will be held on December 18, 2000, in

accordance with 19 CFR 351.310(d).

Interested parties may submit case briefs

no later than December 11, 2000, in

accordance with 19 CFR

351.309(c)(1)(i). Rebuttal briefs, which

must be limited to issues raised in the

case briefs, may be filed not later than

December 15, 2000. The Department

will issue a notice of final results of this

sunset review, which will include the

results of its analysis of issues raised in

any such briefs, no later than February

28, 2001.

This five-year (‘‘sunset’’) review and

notice are in accordance with sections

751(c), 752, and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

Dated: October 23, 2000.

Troy H. Cribb,

Acting Assistant Secretary for Import

Administration.

[FR Doc. 00–27809 Filed 10–27–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

Closed Meeting of the U.S. Automotive

Parts Advisory Committee (APAC)

AGENCY: International Trade

Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The APAC will have a closed

meeting on November 13, 2000, at the

U.S. Department of Commerce to

discuss U.S.-made automotive parts

sales in Japanese and other Asian

markets.

DATES: November 13, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

Robert Reck, U.S. Department of

Commerce, Room 4036, Washington, DC

20230, telephone: 202–482–1418.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S.

Automotive Parts Advisory Committee

(the ‘‘Committee’’) advises U.S.

Government officials on matters relating

to the implementation of the Fair Trade

in Automotive Parts Act of 1998 (Public

Law 105–261).

The Committee: (1) Reports to the

Secretary of Commerce on barriers to

sales of U.S.-made automotive parts and

accessories in Japanese and other Asian

markets; (2) reviews and considers data

collected on sales of U.S.-made auto

parts and accessories in Japanese and

other Asian markets; (3) advises the

Secretary of Commerce during

consultations with other Governments

on issues concerning sales of U.S.-made

automotive parts in Japanese and other

Asian markets; (4) assists in establishing

priorities for the initiative to increase

sales of U.S.-made auto parts and

accessories to Japanese markets, and

otherwise provide assistance and

direction to the Secretary of Commerce

in carrying out the intent of that section;

and (5) assists the Secretary of

Commerce in reporting to Congress by

submitting an annual written report to

64670 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 210 / Monday, October 30, 2000 / Notices

the Secretary on the sale of U.S.-made

automotive parts in Japanese and other

Asian markets, as well as any other

issues with respect to which the

Committee provides advice pursuant to

its authorizing legislation.

At the meeting, committee members

will discuss specific trade and sales

expansion programs related to

automotive parts trade policy between

the United States and Japan and other

Asian markets.

The Assistant Secretary for

Administration, with the concurrence of

the General Counsel formally

determined on October 23, 2000,

pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal

Advisory Committee Act, as amended,

that the November 13 meeting of the

Committee and of any subcommittee

thereof, dealing with privileged or

confidential commercial information

may be exempt from the provisions of

the Act relating to open meeting and

public participation therein because

these items are concerned with matters

that are within the purview of 5 U.S.C.

552b(c)(4) and (9)(B). A copy of the

Notice of Determination is available for

public inspection and copying in the

Department of Commerce Records

Inspection Facility, Room 6020, Main

Commerce.

Dated: October 25, 2000.

Robert O. Reck,

Acting Director, Office of Automotive Affairs.

[FR Doc. 00–27806 Filed 10–27–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–DR–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 050500F]

Taking of Threatened or Endangered

Marine Mammals Incidental to

Commercial Fishing Operations;

Issuance of Permit

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of issuance of permit.

SUMMARY: NMFS hereby issues a permit

for a period of 3 years, to authorize the

incidental, but not intentional, taking of

four stocks of threatened or endangered

marine mammals by the California/

Oregon (CA/OR) drift gillnet fishery.

The four stocks are: fin whale,

California/Oregon/Washington stock;

humpback whale, California/Oregon/

Washington-Mexico stock; Steller sea

lion, eastern stock; and sperm whale,

California/Oregon/Washington stock.

This authorization is based on a

determination that this incidental take

will have a negligible impact on the

affected marine mammal stocks.

DATES: This permit is was issued on

October 24, 2000, and is effective

through October 24, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the reference

materials and Environmental

Assessment (EA) may be obtained from

Protected Resources Division, National

Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest

Region, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite

4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213.

Attention: Tim Price.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim

Price, NMFS, Southwest Region,

Protected Resources Division, (562) 980-

4029.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section

101(a)(5)(E) of the Marine Mammal

Protection Act (MMPA) (16 U.S.C.

1371(a)(5)(E)) requires the authorization

of the incidental taking of individuals

from marine mammal stocks listed as

threatened or endangered under the

Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the

course of commercial fishing operations

if NMFS determines that (1) the

incidental mortality and serious injury

will have a negligible impact on the

affected species or stock; (2) a recovery

plan has been developed or is being

developed for such species or stock

under the ESA; and (3) where required

under section 118 of the MMPA, a

monitoring program has been

established, vessels engaged in such

fisheries are registered in accordance

with section 118 of the MMPA, and a

take reduction plan has been developed

or is being developed for such species

or stock.

On June 6, 2000 (65 FR 35904), NMFS

proposed the issuance of a permit, for a

period of 3 years, to authorize the

incidental, but not intentional, taking of

four stocks of threatened or endangered

marine mammals by the CA/OR drift

gillnet fishery under section 101(a)(5)(E)

of the MMPA.

Four letters of comment were received

concerning the proposal for issuance of

a permit. All of these letters were in

opposition to the issuance of a permit.

Comment 1: Two commenters

requested that the comment period be

extended to provide additional time to

prepare a detailed response.

Response: NMFS believes that a 45-

day comment period was sufficient time

for public comment and is consistent

with the process established at 50 CFR

229.20 for issuance of a permit to

authorize the incidental take of

threatened or endangered marine

mammals species under section

101(a)(5)(E) of the MMPA.

Comment 2: One commenter felt that

a permit should not be issued if the

permit would allow the incidental

taking of threatened or endangered

species under the ESA.

Response: Under section 101(a)(5)(E)

of the MMPA, the Secretary of

Commerce (Secretary) must allow the

incidental, but not intentional, taking of

marine mammals from a species or stock

designated as depleted because of its

listing as an endangered or threatened

species under the ESA if the Secretary

determines that the incidental mortality

and serious injury from commercial

fisheries will have a negligible impact

on such species or stock, that a recovery

plan has been developed or is being

developed, and that the provisions of

section 118 are being met. The Secretary

cannot refuse to issue a permit under

section 101(a)(5)(E) if the conditions set

forth in the MMPA have been met.

Comment 3: One commenter stated

that NMFS should not issue a

101(a)(5)(E) permit to the CA/OR drift

gillnet fishery because there is

incidental take of sperm whales, marlin,

skipjack tuna, and blue sharks.

Response: The potential biological

removal (PBR) level for the California/

Oregon/Washington sperm whale stock

is 2.0 whales per year. The CA/OR drift

gillnet fishery is the only fishery likely

to incidentally take a sperm whale from

this stock. Using a 3-year average (1997-

1999), the mean annual mortality and

serious injury rate from the CA/OR drift

gillnet fishery is estimated to be 1.7

sperm whales. In 1998, one sperm

whale was observed killed in a net that

was not in compliance with the Pacific

Offshore Cetacean Take Reduction Plan

(Plan) developed for the CA/OR drift

gillnet fishery. The Pacific Offshore

Cetacean Take Reduction Team (Team)

recommended no further strategies to

reduce sperm whale entanglements be

implemented until the effectiveness of

pingers is better understood. The

estimated annual mortality using a 3-

year average is less than PBR and would

cause no more than a 10-percent

increase in the time needed to achieve

recovery. NMFS has determined that an

activity that slows the rate of recovery

of depleted marine mammals to preexploitation levels by no more than 10-

percent delay is considered a

‘‘negligible impact’’ for purposes of

issuing a permit under section

101(a)(5)(E) of the MMPA. The

incidental taking of marlin, skipjack

tunas, and blue shark is not relevant to

the determination about issuing a

permit under section 101(a)(5)(E) of the