Title: Specimen Submission.

OMB Control Number: 0579-0090.

Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an information collection.

Abstract: The Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq. ) provides the Secretary of Agriculture broad authority to prohibit or restrict, through orders and regulations, the importation or entry and interstate movement of any animal, article, or means of conveyance if the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) determines that the prohibition or restriction is necessary to prevent the introduction or spread of any pest or disease of livestock within the United States.

Disease prevention is the most effective method for maintaining a healthy animal population and for enhancing the United States' ability to globally compete in the trade of animals and animal products. However, animal disease prevention cannot be accomplished without the existence of effective disease surveillance programs, which are conducted by the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS).

VS specimen submission forms are critical to VS' mission. They are routinely used whenever specimens (such as blood, milk, tissue, or urine) from any animal (such as cattle, cervids, swine, sheep, goats, horses, and poultry) are submitted to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories for disease testing. If the information was not collected or collected less frequently, APHIS would not have the critical information necessary to effectively operate its disease surveillance programs and identify the animals and herds from which the specimens were taken, preventing effective disease prevention and eradication.

The animal disease surveillance programs are based on information submitted on the Specimen Submission form and continuation sheet, or similar documents, and the Parasite Submission form submitted for the Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program and the National Tick Surveillance Program to identify the individuals submitting tick samples and the animal sources of those samples.

We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our use of these information collection activities, as described, for an additional 3 years. APHIS has amended this information collection due to an increase in the number of Respondents reporting, the number of Responses, and Total Burden Hours reported for the collection.

The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public (as well as affected agencies) concerning our information collection. These comments will help us:

(1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond (such as through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.)

Estimate of burden: The public burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.325 hours per response.

Respondents: State veterinarians and other State personnel who are qualified and authorized to collect and submit specimens for laboratory analysis, accredited veterinarians, private veterinarians, animal health technicians, herd owners, private laboratories, and research institutions.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 14,860.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 6.

Estimated annual number of responses: 95,060.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 30,930 hours. (Due to averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per response.)

All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of public record.

Wildfires are happening more often, burning larger areas, and lasting longer across the country—especially in the Western United States. The emergency conditions resulting from these fires, often made worse by too little active forest management, are directly and indirectly disrupting the lives of Americans nationwide and making recovery efforts more challenging and expensive. To proactively restore forest health and lower the risk of future fires, active management may be needed in areas that have already burned. Acting immediately and within the first year after a wildfire helps protect entire landscapes, improves safety, and often accelerates recovery on National Forest System lands that Tribes, rural economies, and communities depend upon.

The Forest Service develops post-fire recovery projects and routinely conducts individual environmental reviews for these projects. A national review of Forest Service post-fire recovery analyses under the National Environmental Policy Act shows that, regardless of location, these projects occur in a relatively similar manner and have similar environmental effects across the agency (timing, impacts, and methods of implementation), with the most noticeable differences being site specific design criteria or mitigation measures. As such, the Forest Service is preparing an environmental assessment to analyze the effects of general post-fire recovery actions on National Forest System lands in the continental United States to help facilitate subsequent site specific analysis if needed. The agency recognizes the need for:

• Appropriate standardization of project design and implementation, while providing flexibility to address local conditions;

• More rapid, efficient, and effective response by local managers to quickly changing post-fire conditions; and

• Strategic use of limited resources (for example, staff and budget).

There generally is a need to address burned areas in an expedited manner to accelerate post-fire recovery to restore safer, healthier forests in a timely manner at a landscape scale. The purpose of proposing this action is to analyze actions that are common to post recovery to facilitate more efficient site specific analysis that allows the agency to more timely:

• Mitigate hazards to infrastructure;

• Reduce combustible materials, such as trees damaged by fire, and woody debris;

• Harvest fire-killed and damaged trees before they lose their economic value; and

• Establish restored forest conditions after a fire.

As indicated above, the Forest Service is proposing analysis of post-fire recovery actions, including mechanical and non-mechanical hazardous fuels reduction, hazardous tree removal, timber salvage, reforestation, and use of natural materials to restore water and soil systems. Maintenance or reconstruction of permanent roads and trails, or construction or removal of temporary roads, is proposed where necessary to enable post-fire recovery actions and reduce risk to infrastructure, people, and the environment. Public access to roads and motorized trails will conform with existing travel management decisions and land management plans; no authorized public access on motorized roads or trails will be added or removed as a result of this proposal.

The proposed action consists of the standard activities listed above including

• A general explanation of what the activity entails;

• The objective the activity accomplishes;

• The condition or situation that triggers the use of the activity;

• Identification of related actions that could occur when implementing the activity; and

• General design criteria common to these activities that describe how and when activities may be implemented (7 CFR 1b.11(a)(11)).

Design criteria may be refined or mitigation measures added, as part of project-level proposals and subsequent site specific supporting analysis, to modify activities based on any local resource conditions, circumstances, implementation methods, equipment to be used, or timing and duration of the activity. Design criteria will be refined or mitigation measures added at the project level regarding considerations such as:

• Access and public safety;

• Air quality;

• Biological and botanical resources (aquatics, plants, wildlife, and ecologically sensitive areas);

• Cultural and heritage resources;

• Herbicide use;

• Invasive and noxious plants and animals;

• Insect and disease infestations;

• Landscape and scenery;

• Transportation and engineering;

• Tribal rights and interests;

• Vegetation management; and

• Watershed conditions (including hydrology and soils).

Future site specific proposals utilizing this environmental assessment may use additional site specific analysis to refine design criteria or add mitigation measures to ensure compliance with treaty rights, applicable laws and regulations, and the land management plan or to ensure effects do not exceed a significance threshold when unique conditions or situations are encountered at the project level. If the application of design criteria and mitigation measures would not reduce project-level effects below a significance threshold, that project would need to be otherwise modified ( e.g., avoiding activities altogether in certain areas), or an environmental impact statement would need to be prepared.

The Forest Service is proposing to analyze two alternatives in this environmental assessment: the proposed action alternative (developing and implementing a set of standard post-fire activities) and the no action alternative (not implementing a set of standard post-fire activities). Additional alternatives may be analyzed during site specific project development. Per National Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(H), the agency does not anticipate any unresolved conflicts concerning alternative uses of available resources that would warrant consideration of additional alternatives.

The following list includes issues to be analyzed in detail and describes the preliminary effects, or impacts (changes to the human environment from the proposed action that are reasonably foreseeable and have a reasonably close causal relationship to the proposed action), anticipated from the subsequent implementation of this proposed action. This environmental assessment's consideration of alternative issues and impacts may change in response to public comment. The expected impacts take into consideration the context of the potentially affected environment, and the preliminary identification of design criteria that will be included as part of the proposed action. The affected environment is post-fire burned areas where ecosystem conditions and functions—such as habitat, vegetation, soils, and hydrology—have already been altered by fire and any associated emergency suppression and response activities.

• Effects to aquatic and terrestrial plant and wildlife habitat and species: Proposed activities may impact habitat for threatened, endangered, or sensitive aquatic and terrestrial plants and wildlife species (as well as species of conservation concern, 36 CFR 219.9(c)). While there may be short-term effects to some plant and wildlife species and some habitat conditions, long-term adverse changes to species and habitat conditions from proposed recovery actions in a burned area are unlikely. The proposed actions associated design criteria are intended to: prevent substantial adverse impacts to any species; reduce the level of significance; avoid a jeopardy finding for threatened or endangered species; avoid a trend toward federal listing; and maintain a viable population of a sensitive species and species of conservation concern. Forested habitat conditions may be improved and long-term impacts from the fire lessened where some dead or downed materials are removed or where reforestation activities occur.

• Effects to waterways and soils: The proposed recovery activities are not expected to result in measurable sediment impacts to waterways, given standard design criteria and national best management policies included as part of the proposed action. Ongoing impacts to soils and waterways resulting from fire and associated suppression and response activities may be reduced through maintenance and reconstruction of affected roads and infrastructure, and replacement or repair of affected stream crossings and aquatic organism passages.

• Effects to public access, recreation, and visual quality: Many post-fire recovery activities proposed in burned areas are specifically designed to address health and human safety concerns but may cause disruptions to public access. The primary treatment is hazard tree mitigation: felling damaged and dying trees that pose a hazard to forest users along National Forest System roads and trails, special use infrastructure such as power lines, and near trailheads and facilities. Hazard tree mitigation reduces risk to infrastructure and the people using it. Short-term disruptions to road and trail use, special use infrastructure, developed and dispersed recreation opportunities, and other permitted uses may occur due to temporary closures while the hazards are being addressed. Visual quality, already impacted by fire, may be further impacted by proposed activities in the short term but will recover more quickly over the long term by improved forest regeneration, where excessive dead and down materials are removed, and by reforestation activities.

• Economic effects: Post-fire timber salvage recovers the economic value of forest products from burned areas, which contributes to employment and income in local communities. Revenue from timber salvage can support the forest products industry, fund reforestation actions, create short-term employment opportunities, and may accelerate burned area recovery to allow other revenue-generating permitted uses (grazing, outfitter and guide services) and outdoor recreation and tourism to more quickly and safely resume.

The Forest Service expects to publish a Post-Fire Recovery Environmental Assessment in April 2026. Subsequently, site specific scoping, documentation, and decisions will be issued on a project-by-project basis by forest or grassland supervisors or district rangers, with consideration of the analysis set forth in the Post-Fire Recovery Environmental Assessment. After a fire, and prior to a decision, the responsible official will:

• Identify post-fire recovery opportunities consistent with the activities and effects analyzed by this environmental assessment, and produce maps that identify where activities will occur in and adjacent to the burned area;

• Update proposed actions to specify methods and equipment to be used and timing and duration of the activity;

• Scope proposed actions consistent with applicable National Environmental Policy Act regulations;

• Tailor design criteria or add mitigation measures, as necessary, to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and land management plans or to ensure effects do not exceed a significance threshold when unique conditions or situations are encountered at the project level; and

• Document project-level findings, such as consistency with the applicable land management plan.

Any required permits, licenses, or authorizations will be procured by local national forest and grassland units prior to the implementation of activities analyzed by this assessment.

In accordance with 36 CFR 800.8(c), the USDA Forest Service is hereby notifying the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, State Historic Preservation Officers, and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers that it intends to use this environmental assessment for the purpose of compliance with section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

Comments received on this notice of intent will guide the development of this nationwide environmental assessment. The Forest Service is requesting comments on alternatives or effects, and relevant information, studies, or analyses with respect to the proposal. Follow the instructions for sending comments (see ADDRESSES section). Comments should be provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions. When lengthy or complex comments are provided, they are most effective when accompanied by a brief, plainly worded summary of the main points. Comments, including attachments and any personal information provided in your comments, will be posted to the docket unchanged. Do not submit any information you consider to be private, Confidential Business Information, or other information the disclosure of which is restricted by statute.

This nationwide environmental assessment is an opportunity to provide comment and explore alternatives for actions that are generally common to all actions. It is intended to expedite subsequent site specific analysis. This nationwide environmental assessment will not be subject to objection under the pre-decisional administrative review processes established under section 105 of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6515; Pub. L. 108-148, Section 105) and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 (Pub. L. 112-74, Section 428) at 36 CFR 218 because there will be no decision at the national level. Site specific applications of this environmental assessment will be subject to all laws and regulations determining opportunity for notice, comment, or administrative review. Tribal governments and Alaska Native Corporations will have the opportunity to engage during the development of the environmental assessment through various coordination events and formal consultation, if desired.

The USDA Forest Service is the lead agency. No Cooperating or Participating Agencies have been designated. For purposes of this nationwide Environmental Assessment, the Forest Service does not anticipate designating any Federal, State, Tribal, or local agencies as cooperating or participating agencies. These organizations are encouraged to provide input through the public comment opportunity for this notice of intent.

The responsible officials for post-fire recovery project decisions using the analysis in this environmental assessment will be forest or grassland supervisors or district rangers.

On August 26, 2020, Commerce published the Orders on utility scale wind towers from Canada and Vietnam. 1 On July 1, 2025, Commerce published the notice of initiation of the first sunset reviews of the Orders, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), and 19 CFR 351.218(c). 2

On July 16, 2025, Commerce received a notice of intent to participate in this review from the domestic interested parties, 3 within the deadline specified in 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1)(i). 4 The domestic interested parties claimed interested party status within the meaning of section 771(9)(F) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.102(b)(29)(v) as a coalition of U.S. producers of the domestic like product. 5 On July 21, 2025, Commerce notified the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) that it had received a notice of intent to participate from the domestic interested parties. 6

On July 30, 2025, Commerce received an adequate substantive response from the domestic interested parties within the 30-day deadline specified in 19 CFR 351.218(d)(3)(i). 7 Commerce did not receive a substantive response from either the Government of Canada or the Government of Vietnam, or from a respondent interested party to this proceeding. Therefore, on August 22, 2025, Commerce notified the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) that it did not receive an adequate substantive response from respondent interested parties. 8 As a result, Commerce conducted an expedited (120-day) sunset review of the Order, pursuant to section 751(c)(3)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(e)(1)(ii)(B)(2) and (C)(2).

Due to the lapse in appropriations and Federal Government shutdown, on November 14, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative proceedings by 47 days. 9 Additionally, due to a backlog of documents that were electronically filed via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS) during the Federal Government shutdown, on November 24, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative proceedings by an additional 21 days. 10 Accordingly, the deadline for these final results is now January 5, 2026.

The product covered by these Orders is utility scale wind towers from Canada and Vietnam. For the full description of the scope of the Orders, see the Issues and Decisions Memorandum. 11

A complete discussion of all issues raised in these sunset reviews, including the likelihood of continuation or recurrence of subsidization and the countervailable subsidy rates likely to prevail if the Order were to be revoked, is contained in the accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum. 12 A list of the topics discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum is attached as an appendix to this notice. The Issues and Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via ACCESS, which is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov. In addition, complete versions of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx.

Pursuant to sections 751(c) and 752(b) of the Act, Commerce determines that revocation of the Orders would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of countervailable subsidies at the following net countervailable subsidy rates:

On October 2, 2001, Commerce initiated the antidumping investigations for Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Moldova, and Trinidad and Tobago. 1 On October 29, 2002, Commerce published the Orders in the Federal Register . 2 On July 1, 2025, Commerce published the notice of initiation of this fourth sunset reviews of the Orders, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act. 3

On July 16, 2025, Commerce received a timely and complete notice of intent to participate in the sunset review for domestic interested parties within the deadline specified in the 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1)(i). 4 The domestic interested parties claimed the interested party status within the meaning of section 771(9)(C) of the Act as U.S. producers of the domestic like product. 5 On July 21, 2025, Commerce notified the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) that it had received a notice of intent to participate from the domestic interested parties. 6

On July 31, 2025, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.218(d)(3)(i), domestic interested parties filed a timely and adequate substantive response. 7 Commerce did not receive a substantive response from any respondent interested party. On August 22, 2025, Commerce notified the ITC that it did not receive substantive response from any respondent interested parties. 8 As a result, pursuant to section 751(c)(3)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(e)(1)(ii)(C)(2), Commerce is conducting an expedited (120-day) sunset review of the Orders.

Due to the lapse in appropriations and Federal Government shutdown, on November 14, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative proceedings by 47 days. 9 Additionally, due to a backlog of documents that were electronically filed via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS) during the Federal Government shutdown, on November 24, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative proceedings by an additional 21 days. 10 Accordingly, the deadline for these final results is now January 5, 2026.

The product covered by these Orders is carbon and certain alloy steel wire rod from Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Moldova, and Trinidad and Tobago. For the full description of the scope of the Orders, see the Issues and Decisions Memorandum. 11

On July 19, 2013, Commerce published in the Federal Register the antidumping duty (AD) order on xanthan gum from the People's Republic of China (China). 1 On July 1, 2024, Commerce published in the Federal Register a notice of opportunity to request an administrative review of the AD order on xanthan gum from China. 2 Between July 26 and July 31, 2024, Commerce received requests to conduct administrative reviews. 3 Commerce published the Initiation Notice of this administrative review of the Order on August 14, 2024, where we initiated a review for 14 companies. 4 On December 9, 2024, Commerce tolled certain deadlines in this administrative review by 90 days. 5 On June 4, 2025, Commerce extended the deadline for these preliminary results by 120 days until October 29, 2025. 6

Due to the lapse in appropriations and Federal Government shutdown, on November 14, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative proceedings by 47 days. 7 Additionally, due to a backlog of documents that were electronically filed via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS) during the Federal Government shutdown, on November 24, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative proceedings by an additional 21 days. 8 Accordingly, the deadline for these preliminary results is now January 5, 2026.

For a complete description of the events that followed the initiation of this review, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. 9 A list of the topics discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is attached as the appendix to this notice. The Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a public document and is made available to the public via ACCESS. ACCESS is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is available at https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx.

The product covered by the Order includes dry xanthan gum, whether or not coated or blended with other products. For a full description of the scope of the Order, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

On September 13, 2024, Deosen Biochemical Ltd. filed timely certifications that it had no exports, shipments, sales, or entries of subject merchandise to the United States during the POR. 10 Based on information obtained from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and on Deosen Biochemical Ltd.'s no shipment certification, Commerce preliminarily determines that Deosen Biochemical Ltd. had no shipments of subject merchandise during the POR. 11

Consistent with Commerce's practice in non-market economy (NME) cases, we are not rescinding this administrative review with respect to Deosen Biochemical Ltd. but intend to complete the review and issue appropriate instructions to CBP based on the final results of the review. 12

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), Commerce will rescind an administrative review, in whole or in part, if all parties that requested a review withdraw their requests within 90 days of the publication date of the notice of initiation of the requested review in the Federal Register . On November 8, 2024, CP Kelco Shandong timely withdrew its request for an administrative review of itself. 13 Because no other party requested a review of CP Kelco Shandong, consistent with 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), Commerce is rescinding this review, in part, with respect to CP Kelco Shandong.

Commerce is conducting this review in accordance with section 751(a)(1)(B) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). We calculated constructed export price in accordance with section 772 of the Act. Because China is an NME country within the meaning of section 771(18) of the Act, we calculated normal value in accordance with section 773(c) of the Act. For a full description of the methodology underlying these preliminary results, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Commerce preliminarily determines that eight non-individually examined companies are eligible for a separate rate in this administrative review. 14 The Act and Commerce's regulations do not address the establishment of a separate rate to be applied to companies not selected for individual examination when Commerce limits its examination in an administrative review pursuant to section 777A(c)(2) of the Act. Generally, Commerce looks to section 735(c)(5) of the Act, which provides instructions for calculating the all-others rate in an investigation, for guidance when calculating the rate for separate-rate respondents which Commerce did not examine individually in an administrative review. Section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act states that the all-others rate should be calculated by averaging the weighted-average dumping margins calculated for individually-examined respondents, excluding dumping margins that are zero, de minimis, or based entirely on facts available. Where the rates for the individually examined companies are all zero, de minimis, or based entirely on facts available, section 735(c)(5)(B) of the Act provides that Commerce may use “any reasonable method” to establish the all-others rate.

We preliminarily calculated a zero percent dumping margin for both the mandatory respondents in this review, i.e., Neimenggu Fufeng Biotechnologies Co., Ltd. (aka Inner Mongolia Fufeng Biotechnologies Co., Ltd.)/Shandong Fufeng Fermentation Co., Ltd./Xinjiang Fufeng Biotechnologies Co., Ltd. and Deosen Biochemical (Ordos) Ltd. Accordingly, we have preliminarily assigned this rate ( i.e., 0.00 percent) to those companies that Commerce found preliminarily eligible to receive a separate rate in this review. For additional information, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Under Commerce's policy regarding the conditional review of the China-wide entity, 15 the China-wide entity will not be under review unless a party specifically requests, or Commerce self-initiates, a review of the entity. Because no party requested a review of the China-wide entity in this review, the entity is not under review, and the entity's rate ( i.e., 154.07 percent) is not subject to change. 16

Aside from Deosen Biochemical Ltd., for which we preliminarily find no shipments, and CP Kelco Shandong, for which this review is being rescinded, Commerce considers all other companies for which a review was requested and did not demonstrate separate rate eligibility to be part of the China-wide entity. 17 For these preliminary results, we consider Shanghai Smart Chemicals Co. Ltd. to be part of the China-wide entity because it did not file a separate rate application or certification. For additional information, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

We preliminarily determine that the following weighted-average dumping margins exist for the POR July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024:

Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis performed to interested parties for these preliminary results of this administrative review within five days of any public announcement or, if there is no public announcement, within five days of the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register , in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

Interested parties may submit case briefs to Commerce no later than 21 days after the date of publication. 18 Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in the case briefs, may be filed with Commerce no later than five days after the date for filing case briefs. 19 Parties who submit case or rebuttal briefs in this proceeding are requested to submit with each argument: (1) a statement of the issue, (2) a brief summary of the argument, and (3) a table of authorities. 20

As provided under 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2)(iii) and (d)(2)(iii), we request that interested parties provide at the beginning of their briefs a public, executive summary for each issue raised in their briefs. 21 Further, we request that interested parties limit their public executive summary of each issue to no more than 450 words, not including citations. We intend to use the public executive summaries as the basis of the comment summaries included in the issues and decision memorandum that will accompany the final results in this administrative review. We request that interested parties include footnotes for relevant citations in the public executive summary of each issue. Note that Commerce has amended certain of its requirements pertaining to the service of documents in 19 CFR 351.303(f). 22

Interested parties who wish to request a hearing must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, filed electronically via ACCESS. 23 Requests should contain: (1) the party's name, address, and telephone number; (2) the number of participants and whether any participant is a foreign national; and (3) a list of issues to be discussed. Issues raised in the hearing will be limited to those raised in case and rebuttal briefs. 24 If a request for a hearing is made, Commerce intends to hold the hearing at a time and date to be determined. A hearing request must be filed electronically using ACCESS and received in its entirety by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time within 30 days after the publication of this notice.

Unless otherwise extended, commerce intends to issue the final results of this administrative review, including the results of its analysis of the issues raised in any written briefs, not later than 120 days after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register , pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213(h)(1).

Pursuant to section 751(a)(2)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.212(b)(1), Commerce will determine, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall assess, antidumping duties on all appropriate entries of subject merchandise in accordance with the final results of this review. Commerce intends to issue assessment instructions to CBP no earlier than 35 days after the date of publication of the final results of this administrative review in the Federal Register . If a timely summons is filed at the U.S. Court of International Trade, the assessment instructions will direct CBP not to liquidate relevant entries until the time for parties to file a request for a statutory injunction has expired ( i.e., within 90 days of publication).

We will calculate importer/customer-specific assessment rates equal to the ratio of the total amount of dumping calculated for examined sales to a particular importer/customer to the total entered value of those sales, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(b)(1). 25 Where the respondent reported reliable entered values, Commerce intends to calculate importer/customer-specific ad valorem assessment rates by dividing the total amount of dumping calculated for all reviewed U.S. sales to the importer/customer by the total entered value of the merchandise sold to the importer/customer. 26 Where the respondent did not report entered values, Commerce will calculate importer/customer-specific assessment rates by dividing the total amount of dumping calculated for all reviewed U.S. sales to the importer/customer by the total quantity of those sales. Commerce will calculate an estimated ad valorem importer/customer-specific assessment rate to determine whether the per-unit assessment rate is de minimis; however, Commerce will use the per-unit assessment rate where entered values were not reported. 27 Where an importer/customer-specific ad valorem assessment rate is not zero or de minimis, Commerce will instruct CBP to collect the appropriate duties at the time of liquidation. Where either the respondent's ad valorem weighted-average dumping margin is zero or de minimis, or an importer/customer-specific ad valorem assessment rate is zero or de minimis, 28 Commerce will instruct CBP to liquidate the appropriate entries without regard to antidumping duties.

For respondents not individually examined in this administrative review that qualified for a separate rate, the assessment rate will be equal to the weighted-average dumping margin assigned to the respondent in the final results of this review. 29

Pursuant to Commerce's refinement of its practice, for sales that were not reported in the U.S. sales database submitted by a respondent individually examined during this review, Commerce will instruct CBP to liquidate the entry of such merchandise at the dumping margin assigned to the China-wide entity. 30 Additionally, where Commerce determines that an exporter under review had no shipments of subject merchandise to the United States during the POR, any suspended entries of subject merchandise that entered under that exporter's CBP case number during the POR will be liquidated at the dumping margin assigned to the China-wide entity.

In accordance with section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act, the final results of this review shall be the basis for the assessment of antidumping duties on entries of merchandise covered by the final results of this review and for future deposits of estimated antidumping duties, where applicable.

The following cash deposit requirements will be effective for all shipments of xanthan gum from China entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication of the notice of the final results of this administrative review in the Federal Register , as provided for by section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act: (1) for companies granted a separate rate in the final results of this review, the cash deposit rate will be equal to the weighted-average dumping margin established in the final results of this review for the company (except, if the rate is zero or de minimis, then a cash deposit rate of zero will be required); (2) for previously investigated or reviewed China and non-China exporters not listed above that received a separate rate in a prior segment of this proceeding, the cash deposit rate will continue to be the existing exporter-specific rate; (3) for all China exporters of subject merchandise that have not been found to be entitled to a separate rate, the cash deposit rate will be the rate for the China-wide entity, which is 154.07 percent; and (4) for all non-China exporters of subject merchandise that have not received their own rate, the cash deposit rate will be the rate applicable to China exporter(s) that supplied that non-China exporter. These deposit requirements, when imposed, shall remain in effect until further notice.

This notice also serves as a preliminary reminder to importers of their responsibility under 19 CFR 351.402(f) to file a certificate regarding the reimbursement of antidumping and/or countervailing duties prior to liquidation of the relevant entries during this review period. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in Commerce's presumption that reimbursement of antidumping and/or countervailing duties occurred and the subsequent assessment of double antidumping duties and/or countervailing duties.

Commerce is issuing and publishing these preliminary results in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.213(d)(4) and 351.221(b)(4).

On August 5, 2008, Commerce published the Order on light-walled pipe and tube from China. 1 On July 1, 2025, Commerce published the notice of initiation of the third sunset review of the Order, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(c). 2

On July 16, 2025, Commerce received notices of intent to participate in this review from the domestic interested parties, 3 within the deadline specified in 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1)(i). 4 The domestic interested parties claimed interested party status within the meaning of section 771(9)(C) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.102(b)(29)(v) as U.S. producers, manufacturers, and wholesalers of a domestic like product. 5 On July 21, 2025, Commerce notified the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) that it had received a notice of intent to participate from the domestic interested parties. 6

On July 31, 2025, Commerce received adequate substantive responses from the domestic interested parties within the 30-day deadline specified in 19 CFR 351.218(d)(3)(i). 7 Commerce did not receive a substantive response from either the Government of China or a respondent interested party to this proceeding. On August 22, 2025, Commerce notified the ITC that it did not receive an adequate substantive response from respondent interested parties. 8 As a result, Commerce conducted an expedited (120-day) sunset review of the Order, pursuant to section 751(c)(3)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(e)(1)(ii)(B)(2) and (C)(2).

Due to the lapse in appropriations and Federal Government shutdown, on November 14, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative proceedings by 47 days. 9 Additionally, due to a backlog of documents that were electronically filed via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS) during the Federal Government shutdown, on November 24, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative proceedings by an additional 21 days. 10 Accordingly, the deadline for these final results is now January 5, 2026.

The product covered by this Order is light-walled pipe and tube from China. For the full description of the scope of the Order, see the Issues and Decisions Memorandum. 11

A complete discussion of all issues raised in this sunset review, including the likelihood of continuation or recurrence of subsidization and the countervailable subsidy rates likely to prevail if the Order were to be revoked, is contained in the accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum. 12 A list of the topics discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum is attached as an appendix to this notice. The Issues and Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via ACCESS, which is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov. In addition, complete versions of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx.

Pursuant to sections 751(c) and 752(b) of the Act, Commerce determines that revocation of the Order would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of countervailable subsidies at the following net countervailable subsidy rates:

This notice also serves as the only reminder to parties subject to administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility concerning the return or destruction of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305. Timely notification of the return or destruction of APO materials, or conversion to judicial protective, orders is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and terms of an APO is a violation which is subject to sanction.

We are issuing and publishing these final results in accordance with sections 751(c), 752(b), and 777(i)(1) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.221(c)(5)(ii).

On July 1, 2024, Commerce published in the Federal Register a notice of opportunity  1 to request an administrative review of the AD order on steel nails from Oman. 2 On August 14, 2024, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.221(c)(1)(i), Commerce published a notice of initiation of an administrative review of the Order. 3

On June 5, 2025, in accordance with section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), and 19 CFR 351.213(h)(2), Commerce extended the deadline for the preliminary results by 120 days until October 29, 2025. 4 Due to the lapse in appropriations and Federal Government shutdown, on November 14, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative proceedings by 47 days. 5 Additionally, due to a backlog of documents that were electronically filed via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS) during the Federal Government shutdown, on November 24, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative proceedings by an additional 21 days. 6 Accordingly, the deadline for these preliminary results is now January 5, 2026.

For a complete description of the events that followed the initiation of this review, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. 7 A list of the topics included in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is included as Appendix I to this notice. The Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via ACCESS. ACCESS is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx.

The merchandise covered by the scope of this Order is steel nails from Oman. For a complete description of the scope of the Order, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. 8

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), Commerce will rescind an administrative review, in whole or in part, if the party that requested the review withdraws its request within 90 days of the publication of the notice of initiation of the requested review. Because all requests for administrative review of Gulf Nails LLC (Gulf Nails) were withdrawn by interested parties within 90 days of the date of the publication of the Initiation Notice, Commerce is rescinding this review with respect to Gulf Nails, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1).

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(3), it is Commerce's practice to rescind an administrative review of an AD order when there are no reviewable entries of subject merchandise during the POR for which liquidation is suspended. 9 Normally, upon completion of an administrative review, the suspended entries are liquidated at the AD assessment rate calculated for the review period. 10 Therefore, for an administrative review to be conducted, there must be at least one reviewable, suspended entry that Commerce can instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to liquidate at the AD assessment rate calculated for the review period. 11

There were no entries of subject merchandise during the POR for 13 companies subject to this review. 12 As a result, on November 4, 2024, Commerce notified all interested parties of its intent to rescind this review, in part, with respect to these 13 companies. 13 No interested party commented on the Intent to Rescind Memorandum. Thus, Commerce is rescinding this review with respect to 14 companies, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.213(d). The administrative review remains active with respect to one company, Oman Fasteners.

Commerce is conducting this review in accordance with section 751(a)(1)(B) of the Act. We calculated export prices and NV in accordance with sections 772 and 773 of the Act, respectively. For a full description of the methodology underlying our preliminary results of review, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

We preliminarily determine the following weighted-average dumping margin for the POR July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024:

Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis performed to interested parties for these preliminary results of this administrative review within five days of any public announcement or, if there is no public announcement, within five days of the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register , in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c)(1)(ii), interested parties may submit case briefs to Commerce no later than 21 days after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register . 14 Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in the case briefs, may be filed no later than five days after the date for filing case briefs. 15 Interested parties who submit case or rebuttal briefs in this review must submit: (1) a table of contents listing each issue; and (2) a table of authorities. 16

As provided under 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2)(iii) and (d)(2)(iii), we request that interested parties provide at the beginning of their briefs a public, executive summary for each issue raised in their briefs. 17 Further, we request that interested parties limit their executive summary of each issue to no more than 450 words, not including citations. We intend to use the executive summaries as the basis of the comment summaries included in the issues and decision memorandum that will accompany the final results in this administrative review. We request that interested parties include footnotes for relevant citations in the executive summary of each issue. Note that Commerce has amended certain of its requirements pertaining to the service of documents in 19 CFR 351.303(f). 18

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to request a hearing must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, filed electronically via ACCESS. Requests should contain: (1) the party's name, address, and telephone number; (2) the number of participants and whether any participant is a foreign national; and (3) a list of issues to be discussed. Issues raised in the hearing will be limited to those raised in the case and rebuttal briefs. An electronically filed hearing request must be received successfully in its entirety by Commerce's electronic records system, ACCESS, by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register . If a hearing is requested, Commerce will announce the date and time of the hearing. Parties should confirm the date and time of the hearing two days before the scheduled hearing date.

Unless otherwise extended, Commerce intends to issue the final results of this administrative review, which will include the results of its analysis of issues raised in any briefs, within 120 days of publication of these preliminary results of review in the Federal Register , pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213(h)(1).

Pursuant to section 751(a)(2)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.212(b)(1), Commerce will determine, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall assess, antidumping duties on all appropriate entries of subject merchandise in accordance with the final results of this review. Commerce intends to issue assessment instructions to CBP no earlier than 35 days after the date of publication of the final results of this administrative review in the Federal Register . If a timely summons is filed at the U.S. Court of International Trade, the assessment instructions will direct CBP not to liquidate relevant entries until the time for parties to file a request for a statutory injunction has expired ( i.e., within 90 days of publication).

We will calculate importer-specific assessment rates for Oman Fasteners in accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(b)(1). 19 Because Oman Fasteners reported entered values for its sales, we will calculate importer-specific ad valorem assessment rates for the company by dividing the total amount of dumping calculated for all reviewed U.S. sales to the importer by the total entered value of the merchandise sold to the importer. 20

Where either Oman Fasteners' ad valorem weighted-average dumping margin is zero or de minimis, or an importer-specific ad valorem assessment rate is zero or de minimis, 21 we will instruct CBP to liquidate the appropriate entries without regard to antidumping duties.

For the companies listed in Appendix II for which we are rescinding this review, we will instruct CBP to assess antidumping duties on all appropriate entries at a rate equal to the cash deposit of estimated antidumping duties required at the time of entry, or withdrawal from warehouse, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(c)(l)(i), not before 35 days after the publication date of these preliminary results.

Pursuant to a refinement to Commerce's assessment practice, where sales of subject merchandise that was produced or exported by an individually examined respondent were not reported in the U.S. sales data submitted by the respondent, but the merchandise was entered for consumption in the United States during the POR, Commerce will instruct CBP to liquidate any entries of such merchandise at the all-others rate ( i.e., 9.10 percent)  22 if there is no rate for the intermediate company(ies) involved in the transaction. 23

The following cash deposit requirements will be in effect for all shipments of subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication of the notice of the final results of this administrative review in the Federal Register , as provided for by section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act: (1) the cash deposit rate for Oman Fasteners will be equal to the weighted-average dumping margin established for the company in the final results of this review, except if the weighted-average dumping margin is less than 0.50 percent, and, therefore, de minimis within the meaning of 19 CFR 351.106(c)(1), the cash deposit rate will be zero; (2) for previously investigated or reviewed companies that are not covered by this review, the cash deposit rate will continue to be the company's cash deposit rate from the most recently completed segment of the proceeding in which it was examined; (3) if the exporter is not covered by this review, and does not have a cash deposit rate from a completed segment of this proceeding, but the producer of the subject merchandise does have a cash deposit rate, then the cash deposit rate will be the producer's cash deposit rate from the most recently completed segment of the proceeding in which it was examined; and (4) the cash deposit rate for all other producers or exporters will continue to be 9.10 percent, the all-others rate established in the less-than-fair-value investigation. 24 These cash deposit requirements, when imposed, shall remain in effect until further notice.

This notice serves as a preliminary reminder to importers of their responsibility under 19 CFR 351.402(f) to file a certificate regarding the reimbursement of antidumping duties prior to liquidation of the relevant entries during the review period. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in Commerce's presumption that reimbursement of antidumping duties occurred and the subsequent assessment of double antidumping duties.

We are issuing and publishing these preliminary results of review in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.213(h)(2) and 351.221(b)(4).

On October 22, 2002, Commerce published the Order on steel wire rod from China. 1 On July 1, 2025, Commerce published in the Federal Register the notice of initiation of the fourth sunset review of the Order, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(c). 2

On July 16, 2025, Commerce received a notice of intent to participate in this review from Nucor Corporation (Nucor) and Commercial Metals Company (CMC) (the domestic interested parties), within the deadline specified in 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1)(i). 3 Nucor and CMC claim that they have interested party status within the meaning of section 771(9)(C) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.102(b)(29)(v) as a domestic manufacturer and producer of steel wire rod. 4

On July 31, 2025, Commerce received an adequate substantive response from Nucor and CMC within the 30-day deadline specified in 19 CFR 351.218(d)(3)(i). 5 Commerce did not receive a substantive response from either the Government of China or a respondent interested party to this proceeding. On August 22, 2025, Commerce notified the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) that it did not receive an adequate substantive response from respondent interested parties. 6 As a result, Commerce conducted an expedited (120-day) sunset review of the Order, pursuant to section 751(c)(3)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(e)(1)(ii)(B)(2) and (C)(2).

Due to the lapse in appropriations and Federal Government shutdown, on November 14, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative proceedings by 47 days. 7 Additionally, due to a backlog of documents that were electronically filed via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS) during the Federal Government shutdown, on November 24, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative proceedings by an additional 21 days. 8 Accordingly, the deadline for these final results is now January 5, 2026.

On September 10, 2014, Commerce published the India Order, Korea Order, Türkiye Order, and Vietnam Order in the Federal Register . 1 On July 16, 2019, following the termination of the Suspension Agreement suspending the antidumping investigation on OCTG from Ukraine, Commerce published the Ukraine Order in the Federal Register . 2 On July 1, 2025, Commerce published the notice of initiation of this second sunset review of the Orders, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). 3

On July 16, 2025, Commerce received timely and complete notices of intent to participate in the sunset reviews from domestic interested parties, the U.S. OCTG Manufacturers Association (USOMA) and United States Steel Corporation (U.S. Steel), within the deadline specified in the 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1)(i). 4 USOMA claimed interested party status under section 771(9)(E) of the Act as a trade or business association, all of whose members produce the domestic like product in the United States; U.S. Steel claimed interested party status under section 771(9)(C) of the Act as a U.S. producer of the domestic like product. 5 On July 21, 2025, Commerce notified the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) that it had received a notice of intent to participate from the domestic interested parties. 6 On July 31, 2025, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.218(d)(3)(i), domestic interested parties filed timely and adequate substantive responses. 7

Commerce did not receive a substantive response from any respondent interested party. On August 22, 2025, Commerce notified the ITC that it did not receive substantive response from any respondent interested parties. 8 As a result, pursuant to section 751(c)(3)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(e)(1)(ii)(C)(2), Commerce is conducting expedited (120-day) sunset reviews of the Orders.

Due to the lapse in appropriations and Federal Government shutdown, on November 14, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative proceedings by 47 days. 9 Additionally, due to a backlog of documents that were electronically filed via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS) during the Federal Government shutdown, on November 24, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative proceedings by an additional 21 days. 10 Accordingly, the deadline for these final results is now January 5, 2026.

The product covered by these Orders is OCTG from India, Korea, Türkiye, Vietnam, and Ukraine. For the full description of the scope of the Orders, see the Issues and Decisions Memorandum. 11

A complete discussion of all issues raised in this sunset review, including the likelihood of continuation or recurrence of dumping in the event of revocation of the Orders and the magnitude of the margins likely to prevail if the Orders were to be revoked, is provided in the accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum. 12 A list of the topics discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum is attached in the Appendix to this notice. The Issues and Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov. In addition, a complete version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can be directly accessed at https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx.

Pursuant to sections 751(c)(1), 752(c)(1) and (3) of the Act, Commerce determines that revocation of the Orders would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping, and that the magnitude of the dumping margins likely to prevail would be weighted-average dumping margins up to 11.24 percent for India, 6.49 percent for Korea, 35.86 percent for Türkiye, 111.47 percent for Vietnam, and 7.47 percent for Ukraine.

This notice also serves as the only reminder to parties subject to administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility concerning the return or destruction of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305. Timely notification of the return or destruction of APO materials, or conversion to judicial protective, orders is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and terms of an APO is a violation which is subject to sanction.

We are issuing and publishing these final results in accordance with sections 751(c), 752(c), and 777(i)(1) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.218 and 19 CFR 351.221(c)(5)(ii).

On July 1, 2002, Commerce published the antidumping duty order on polyethylene terephthalate film, sheet, and strip (PET film) from India. 1 On August 14, 2024, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.221(c)(1)(i), Commerce initiated an administrative review of: (1) Chiripal Poly Films Limited (Chiripal); (2) Cosmo;  2 (3) Ester Industries Limited (Ester); (4) Garware Hi-Tech Films Limited (Garware); (5) Jindal Poly Films Ltd. and Jindal Poly Films Ltd. (India) (Jindal); (6) JPFL Films Private Ltd. (JPFL); (7) Polyplex Corporation Limited (Polyplex); (8) SRF Limited (SRF); and 9) Vacmet India Limited (Vacmet).

Pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), Commerce extended the deadline for the preliminary results until October 29, 2025. 3 Due to a lapse in appropriations and Federal Government shutdown, on November 14, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in this administrative proceedings by 47 days. 4 Additionally, due to a backlog of documents that were electronically filed via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS) during the Federal Government shutdown, on November 24, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative proceedings by an additional 21 days. 5 Accordingly, the deadline for these preliminary results is now January 5, 2026.

For a detailed description of the events that followed the initiation of this review, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. 6 A list of topics discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is attached as an appendix to this notice. The Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a public document and is available via ACCESS. ACCESS is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx.

The merchandise subject to the Order is PET film. For a complete description of the scope of the Order, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), Commerce will rescind an administrative review, in whole or in part, if a party who requested the review withdraws the request within 90 days of the date of publication of the notice of initiation. All requests for an administrative review of: (1) Chiripal; (2) Ester; (3) Garware; (4) Jindal; (5) JPFL; (6) Polyplex; (7) SRF; and (8) Vacmet were timely withdrawn. 7 As a result, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), we are rescinding this administrative review with respect to these eight companies.

Commerce is conducting this review in accordance with sections 751(a)(1)(B) and (2) of the Act. Because Commerce preliminarily finds that Cosmo failed to cooperate to the best of its ability in responding to our requests for information, Commerce relied on facts available, with adverse inferences (AFA), in determining this company's dumping margin, consistent with section 776 of the Act.

For a full description of the methodology underlying our conclusions, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

We preliminarily determine the following estimated weighted-average dumping margin exists for the period July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024:

Normally, Commerce discloses to interested parties the calculations performed in connection with preliminary results within five days of any public announcement or, if there is no public announcement, within five days of the date of publication of the notice of preliminary results in the Federal Register , in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b). However, because Commerce preliminarily applied AFA to the individually examined company, Cosmo, in accordance with section 776(a) and (b) of the Act, there are no calculations to disclose. 8

Case briefs or other written comments may be submitted to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance. 9 Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c)(1)(ii), we have modified the deadline for interested parties to submit case briefs to Commerce to no later than 21 days after the date of the publication of this notice. 10 Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in the case briefs, may be filed not later than five days after the date for filing case briefs. 11 Interested parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this proceeding must submit: (1) a table of contents listing each issue; and (2) a table of authorities. 12

As provided under 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2)(iii) and (d)(2)(iii), we request that interested parties provide at the beginning of their briefs a public, executive summary for each issue raised in their briefs. 13 Further, we request that interested parties limit their public executive summary of each issue to no more than 450 words, not including citations. We intend to use the public executive summaries as the basis of the comment summaries included in the issues and decision memorandum that will accompany the final results in this review. We request that interested parties include footnotes for relevant citations in the public executive summary of each issue. Note that Commerce has amended certain of its requirements pertaining to the service of documents in 19 CFR 351.303(f). 14

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to request a hearing, limited to issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs, must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce, filed electronically, using ACCESS. Hearing requests should contain the party's name, address, and telephone number, the number of participants, and a list of the issues to be discussed. Issues raised in the hearing will be limited to those raised in the case and rebuttal briefs. An electronically filed request must be received successfully in its entirety by ACCESS by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, within 30 days of the publication date of this notice. If a request for a hearing is made, parties will be notified of the time and date of the hearing. 15

Unless the deadline is extended pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213(h)(2), Commerce intends to issue the final results of this administrative review, including the results of its analysis of the issues raised by the parties in any written briefs, no later than 120 days after the date of publication of these preliminary results.

In accordance with section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act, the final results of this review shall be the basis for assessment of antidumping duties on entries of merchandise covered by this review. 16 Upon issuance of the final results, Commerce shall determine, and U.S. Customs and Broder Protection (CBP) shall assess, antidumping duties on all appropriate entries covered by this review. 17 Commerce intends to issue assessment instructions to CBP no earlier than 35 days after the date of publication of the final results of this review in the Federal Register . If a timely summons is filed at the U.S. Court of International Trade, the assessment instructions will direct CBP not to liquidate relevant entries until the time for parties to file a request for a statutory injunction has expired ( i.e., within 90 days of publication).

For the final results of this review, if we continue to base Cosmos's weighted-average dumping margin upon total facts available, with adverse inferences, Commerce will instruct CBP to assess antidumping duties at a rate of 24.14 percent to all entries of subject merchandise produced and/or exported by Cosmo.

For the companies listed above in the section “Partial Recission of Administrative Review” for which Commerce is rescinding this review, Commerce will instruct CBP to assess antidumping duties on all appropriate entries at a rate equal to the cash deposit of estimated antidumping duties required at the time of entry, or withdrawal from warehouse, for consumption, during the POR in accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(c)(1)(i). Commerce intends to issue rescission instructions to CBP no earlier than 35 days after the publication of these preliminary results in the Federal Register .

The following cash deposit requirements will be effective for all shipments of subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication of the final results of this administrative review, as provided for by section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act: (1) the cash deposit rate for Cosmo will be the rate established for Cosmo in the final results of this review (except, if this rate is zero or de minimis, no cash deposit will be required); (2) for previously reviewed or investigated companies not listed above, the cash deposit rate will continue to be the company-specific rate published for the most recent period; (3) if the exporter is not a firm covered in this review, a prior review, or the less-than-fair-value investigation, but the manufacturer is, the cash deposit rate will be the rate established for the most recent period for the manufacturer of the merchandise; and (4) the cash deposit rate for all other manufacturers or exporters will continue to be 5.71 percent, the all-others rate established in the underlying less-than-fair-value investigation. 18 These cash deposit requirements, when imposed, shall remain in effect until further notice.

This notice also serves as a preliminary reminder to importers of their responsibility under 19 CFR 351.402(f) to file a certificate regarding the reimbursement of antidumping and/or countervailing duties prior to liquidation of the relevant entries during this review period. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in Commerce's presumption that reimbursement of antidumping and/or countervailing duties occurred and the subsequent assessment of double antidumping duties, and/or an increase in the amount of antidumping duties by the amount of countervailing duties.

We are issuing and publishing these preliminary results in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), 19 CFR 351.213(h)(2), and 351.221(b)(4).

The SEDAR Steering Committee provides guidance and oversight of the SEDAR stock assessment program and manages assessment scheduling. The items of discussion for this meeting are as follows: SEDAR Projects Update; SEDAR Projects Schedule; SEDAR Process Review and discussions; and other business as needed.

Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted to those issues specifically identified in this notice and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the intent to take final action to address the emergency.

This meeting is accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for auxiliary aids should be directed to the SEDAR office (see ADDRESSES ) at least 5 business days prior to the meeting.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

The Risk Policy Working Group will meet to discuss the development and use of Risk Policy Matrix in Council actions. They will continue to refine elements of the Risk Policy Concept for future use. The group will also review feedback from simulation testing and consider recommending adjustments to the Risk Policy factors, data sources, and scoring rubric and recommend changes to the Risk Policy Concept. They will discuss how the Risk Policy can be used to support longer-term (up to 5 years) specification setting. Other business will be discussed, if necessary.

Although non-emergency issues not contained on the agenda may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Council action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's intent to take final action to address the emergency. The public also should be aware that the meeting will be recorded. Consistent with 16 U.S.C. 1852, a copy of the recording is available upon request.

This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Cate O'Keefe, Executive Director, at (978) 465-0492, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

The MMPA prohibits the “take” of marine mammals, with certain exceptions. Among the exceptions is section 101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq. ) which directs the Secretary of Commerce (as delegated to NMFS) to allow, upon request, the incidental, but not intentional, taking by harassment of small numbers of marine mammals by U.S. citizens who engage in a specified activity (other than commercial fishing) within a specified geographical region if certain findings are made and the public has an opportunity to comment on the proposed IHA.

Specifically, NMFS will issue an IHA if it finds that the taking will have a negligible impact on the species or stock(s) and will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the availability of the species or stock(s) for taking for subsistence uses (where relevant). Further, NMFS must prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other “means of effecting the least [practicable] adverse impact” on the affected species or stocks and their habitat, paying particular attention to rookeries, mating grounds, and areas of similar significance, and on the availability of such species or stocks for taking for certain subsistence uses (referred to here as “mitigation”). NMFS must also prescribe requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such takings. The definitions of key terms, such as “take,” “harassment,” and “negligible impact,” can be found in the MMPA and the NMFS' implementing regulations (see 16 U.S.C. 1362; 50 CFR 216.103).

On September 30, 2025, a notice of NMFS' proposal to issue an IHA to CBY for take of marine mammals incidental to the Yakutat Small Boat Harbor Replacement Project Seward Cruise Ship Passenger Dock and Terminal Facility published in the Federal Register (90 FR 46812). Following NMFS' review of the application and subsequent discussions between NMFS and CBY, the application was deemed adequate and complete on September 16, 2025.

CBY's request is for take of nine species of marine mammals by Level B harassment only, and for a subset of these species, Level A harassment. Neither CBY nor NMFS expect serious injury or mortality to result from this activity and, therefore, an IHA is appropriate.

CBY is replacing the existing Yakutat Small Boat Harbor (YSBH) infrastructure which has been in use for approximately 60 years. The replacement project will improve accessibility, public safety, and continue to provide the current level of public service and vessel mooring in Yakutat, Alaska. The existing gangway, headwalk, mainwalk, finger, and seaplane floats will be removed. The existing approach dock will be extended. New modular floats will be installed following completion of the approach dock extension. Temporary and permanent piles will secure the floats during and after installation.

In-water pile driving would occur on approximately 54 non-consecutive days over the course of 1 year. The planned activities that have the potential to take marine mammals, by Level A and Level B harassment, include vibratory removal of current steel and timber piles, vibratory installation and removal of temporary steel pipe piles, vibratory and impact installation of permanent steel pipe piles, and down-the-hole drilling (DTH) of rock sockets.

A detailed description of the planned construction project is provided in the Federal Register notice for the proposed IHA (90 FR 46812, September 30, 2025). Since that time, no changes have been made to the planned activities. Therefore, a detailed description is not provided here. Please refer to that Federal Register notice for the description of the specific activity.

NMFS published a notice of its proposal to issue an IHA to CBY in the Federal Register on September 30, 2025 (90 FR 46812). That notice described, in detail, CBY's specified activities, the marine mammal species that may be affected by the activities, and the anticipated effects on marine mammals. In that notice, we requested public input on the request for authorization described therein, our analyses, the proposed authorization, and any other aspect of the notice of the proposed IHA, and requested that interested persons submit relevant information, suggestions, and comments.

No comments were received during the 30-day public comment period.

Since the publication of the proposed IHA (90 FR 46812, September 30, 2025), NMFS has revised one of the assumptions made about construction processes and has corrected several minor errors and omissions.

Scientific papers by Miner (2020) and Heyvaert and Reyff (2021) were cited in the proposed IHA but were not included in the formal list of References. These items have since been added. A new reference above to Denes et al. (2016) has also been added to the list of References. The updated reference list may be found at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/incidental-take-authorization-city-borough-yakutat-alaskas-yakutat-small-boat-harbor.

Several of the source level (SL) references shown in table 4 in this notice (table 5 in the proposed IHA) have been updated. Additionally, the SL for existing 16-inch (in) steel piles has been corrected to 163 dB RMS in this notice as it was erroneously listed as 160 dB RMS in the proposed notice. Note that 163 dB RMS was used to calculate associated isopleths in table 6 of the proposed notice. Therefore, there are no changes to isopleths derived from the non-impulsive, continuous removal of 16-in steel piles shown in table 6 of this notice.

NMFS has revised our assumptions related to the strike rate used to estimate harassment isopleths for DTH installation of 24-in steel piles. In the notice for the proposed IHA, we used 10 Hertz (Hz). However, upon receipt of updated information that a rate of 13 Hz is more appropriate for 24-in piles, we revised the rate to 13 Hz. This information is included in a new table 5 for this notice which contains all of the inputs applied to the User Spreadsheets used to calculate Level A harassment isopleths. Increasing the repetition rate to 13 Hz for DTH installation of 24-in piles resulted in an increase in auditory injury (AUD INJ) isopleth distances for all hearing groups. This is shown in table 6 in this notice. Shutdown zones for the DTH installation of 24-in piles described in table 9 of this notice have also been revised to reflect the larger Level A harassment isopleths.

Sections 3 and 4 of the application summarize available information regarding status and trends, distribution and habitat preferences, and behavior and life history of the potentially affected species. NMFS fully considered all this information, and we refer the reader to these descriptions, instead of reprinting the information. Additional information regarding population trends and threats may be found in NMFS' Stock Assessment Reports (SARs; https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-stock-assessments ) and more general information about these species ( e.g., physical and behavioral descriptions) may be found on NMFS' website ( https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/find-species).

Table 1 lists all species or stocks for which take is expected and authorized for this activity and summarizes information related to the population or stock, including regulatory status under the MMPA and Endangered Species Act (ESA) and potential biological removal (PBR), where known. PBR is defined by the MMPA as the maximum number of animals, not including natural mortalities, that may be removed from a marine mammal stock while allowing that stock to reach or maintain its optimum sustainable population (as described in NMFS' SARs). While no serious injury or mortality is anticipated or authorized here, PBR and annual serious injury and mortality (M/SI) from anthropogenic sources are included here as gross indicators of the status of the species or stocks and other threats.

Marine mammal abundance estimates presented in this document represent the total number of individuals that make up a given stock or the total number estimated within a particular study or survey area. NMFS' stock abundance estimates for most species represent the total estimate of individuals within the geographic area, if known, that comprises that stock. For some species, this geographic area may extend beyond U.S. waters. All managed stocks in this region are assessed in NMFS' U.S. Marine Mammal SARs. All values presented in table 1 are the most recent available at the time of publication (including from the draft 2024 SARs) and are available online at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-stock-assessments.

As indicated above, all 9 species (with 13 managed stocks) in table 1 temporally and spatially co-occur with the activity to the degree that take is reasonably likely to occur.

In addition to what is included in sections 3 and 4 of the IHA application, and NMFS' website ( https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/find-species ), further detail informing the regional occurrence for select species of particularly or unique vulnerability ( i.e., information regarding ESA listed or MMPA depleted species, information regarding current Unusual Mortality Events (UME) and known important habitat areas such as Biologically Important Areas (BIAs)) (Van Parijs, 2015) were provided in the Federal Register notice for the proposed IHA (90 FR 46812, September 30, 2025). Since that time, we are not aware of any changes in the status of these species and stocks; therefore, detailed descriptions are not provided here. Please refer to the Federal Register notice for these descriptions.

Hearing is the most important sensory modality for marine mammals underwater, and exposure to anthropogenic sound can have deleterious effects. To appropriately assess the potential effects of exposure to sound, it is necessary to understand the frequency ranges marine mammals are able to hear. Not all marine mammal species have equal hearing capabilities ( e.g., Richardson et al., 1995; Wartzok and Ketten, 1999; Au and Hastings, 2008). To reflect this, Southall et al. (2007; 2019) recommended that marine mammals be divided into hearing groups based on directly measured (behavioral or auditory evoked potential techniques) or estimated hearing ranges (behavioral response data, anatomical modeling, etc. ). Generalized hearing ranges were chosen based on the ~65 decibel (dB) threshold from composite audiograms, previous analyses in NMFS (2018), and/or data from Southall et al. (2007) and Southall et al. (2019). We note that the names of two hearing groups and the generalized hearing ranges of all marine mammal hearing groups have been recently updated (NMFS, 2024) as reflected below in table 2.

Through the USD(R&E), the Secretary of Defense exercises the authorities granted to the Office of Personnel Management under title 5 of United States Code (U.S.C.) section 4703 to conduct personnel demonstration projects at DoD laboratories designated as STRLs. All STRLs authorized pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 4121(a) and (b) may use the provisions described in this FRN. STRLs implementing these flexibilities must have an approved personnel demonstration project plan published in an FRN. Each STRL will establish internal operating procedures (IOPs) as appropriate.

The 24 current STRLs are:

This FRN grants a new authority to establish SBTM positions, above the GS-15 level, for STRL senior business administration, operations, and technology functions that support and enable the laboratories' research and development missions. A strong business and operations support framework and staff are essential to ensuring the STRLs are prepared and able to advance military technology and capability in accordance with the National Defense Strategy.

The SBTM category encompasses positions that would exceed the GS-15 classification criteria of the General Schedule and contain characteristics of SES and Senior Leader (SL).

The SL classification designation would not be appropriate because SBTM positions may direct the work of an organizational unit; be held accountable for the success of one or more specific programs; monitor the progress toward organizational goals and objectives and periodically evaluate and make appropriate adjustments to such goals; supervise the work of employees other than personal assistants; or otherwise exercise important policy-development and implementation, or other executive level functions. SES classification designation would also not be appropriate because SBTMs do not exercise the full scope of managerial authority and impact required of SES positions. The SBTMs establish a separate pay band level or career track. This notice implements the SBTM authority.

Waivers and adaptations of certain 5 U.S.C. and title 5, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) provisions are required only to the extent that these statutory and regulatory provisions limit or are inconsistent with the actions authorized under this demonstration project.

Appendix A lists waivers needed to enact authorities described in this FRN. Nothing in this plan is intended to preclude the demonstration project from adopting or incorporating any law or regulation enacted, adopted, or amended after the effective date of this FRN.

The SBTM authority is expected to:

(1) Allow proper classification of positions that are engaged in operationalizing laboratory management functions, recognizing the exceptionally high level of expertise required to oversee enterprise-wide business and technical operations, such as financial management, information technology and information assurance, contract management, facilities and infrastructure management, and human capital management.

(2) Attract, retain, and appropriately compensate highly qualified business and technology professionals with significant experience and expertise managing the supporting business elements of highly complex and technology-focused organizations.

(3) Provide the opportunity for career development and expand the pool of experienced, prominent business and technical candidates meeting the levels of proficiency and leadership essential for enabling the operation of world-class DoD laboratories.

All current STRL demonstration project plans are hereby amended to add the following:

The number of authorized SBTM positions in each STRL shall not exceed one percent of the number of civilian and military positions employed at such laboratory, inclusive of positions both within and outside the STRL's personnel demonstration project, which are filled as of the close of the preceding fiscal year. If one percent of authorized positions does not equate to a whole number, the STRL shall round down to the next lower number; however, each STRL shall be authorized at least one SBTM position regardless of the number of positions employed at such laboratory. Though the authorized number of SBTM positions may increase or decrease as the overall civilian and military workforce increases or decreases, no SBTM employee will have their classification as a SBTM changed or their pay reduced, because the size of the STRL's civilian and military workforce has decreased. In such circumstances, an STRL may temporarily exceed its new SBTM authorized number until attrition occurs.

At a minimum, all SBTM positions require senior manager up to executive level knowledge, skills, and abilities in competencies related to STRL business and operations of highly complex technical organizations or business units. SBTMs have a crucial role in driving strategic direction, supporting research and development in defense planning, ensuring operational excellence, and fostering a culture of integrity and innovation to achieve sustainable success. Incumbents will typically possess extensive knowledge and experience in one or more business or technical requirements below or another area determined by the STRL director:

• Implementing and managing major policies and programs and advising senior officials on programs such as human capital, contracting, financial management, operations, facility management, or environmental policy and their impact on research programs.

• Managing defense acquisition policy and familiarity with policies concerning contracting for services.

• Managing information technology, including policy formulation and technical expertise across all aspects of information management at the STRL, with a special focus on creating visionary plans for future mission and business information systems.

• Managing defense cyber competencies that support science and technology initiatives to contribute to the development of cyber resilient transformation and readiness technologies.

Examples of other requirements may include strategic and operational leadership, configuration management, quality assurance, stakeholder engagement, laboratory governance, leadership development, strategic partnership, regulatory compliance, crisis management, and innovation and adaption.

SBTMs typically report to an SES or an SES equivalent-level position. Since all SBTM positions will typically be administrative supervisors, they may be eligible for a supervisory pay differential at the discretion of the STRL director.

This FRN authorizes STRLs to either establish a separate or modify an existing pay band or career track level(s) to accommodate the SBTM category. Specific details regarding SBTM pay band or career track levels will be included in STRL IOPs.

STRL directors, or their designees, are designated as the classification officials for SBTM positions. Each STRL's IOP will provide specific details on each STRL's classification process, control, and management of these positions.

(a) Positions may be filled on a temporary, flexible term, or permanent basis utilizing appropriate internal or external competitive recruitment procedures, direct hire authority, or through accretion-of-duties promotions. Positions may also be filled temporarily using noncompetitive procedures ( e.g., detail and temporary promotions).

(b) In addition to permanent appointments, the following appointment types may be used:

This appointment authority may be used to fill SBTM positions for a period of more than one year but not more than five years. The flexible term appointment may be made for a period up to five years, and the STRL director may extend the appointment in up to five-year increments. Prior to extending a term appointment, management will determine if the work or services continue to be temporary in nature, or if they should be made permanent. Candidates selected from outside the Federal government may be hired using the flexible term appointment authority and may be eligible for extension or conversion to career or career-conditional appointment if services are deemed permanent. To be converted, the employee must: (1) have been notified in writing at the time of the initial appointment of the possibility for conversion to a permanent SBTM position at a later date; (2) served a minimum of one year of continuous service; and (3) have at least a fully successful or equivalent SBTM performance rating applicable to the STRLs demonstration project. Additionally, to be eligible for conversion, when positions being filled using the flexible term appointment authority are announced, whether via competitive or merit promotion procedures, the vacancy announcement must contain a statement notifying applicants that the position may be eligible for extension or conversion to a permanent appointment. The probationary or trial period specified in each STRL's FRN in Appendix B will apply to individuals appointed under the Flexible Term Appointment. Personnel appointed under the Flexible-Length and Renewable Term authority described in this section shall be provided with benefits comparable to those provided to status or permanent employees at the STRL concerned, including professional development opportunities, eligibility for all awards programs, and designation as “status applicants” for the purposes of eligibility for positions in the Federal service.

STRLs may use flexible temporary promotions to SBTM positions for not more than five years, with the ability to extend in five-year increments for candidates who are current Federal employees. Prior to extending a temporary promotion, management will determine if the work or services continue to be temporary in nature or should be made permanent. If not extended or made permanent, the employee will return to a position for which they are qualified that is the same grade as previously held before the assignment. Upon termination of temporary promotion, pay will be set in accordance with the STRLs' IOPs. Candidates may be eligible for conversion to a permanent SBTM position if the position requirements are deemed permanent by the STRL director. To be converted, the employee must: (1) have been notified in writing at the time of the initial action of the possibility for conversion to permanent SBTM position at a later date; (2) served a minimum of one year of continuous service in the temporary assignment; and (3) have at least a fully successful or equivalent SBTM performance rating applicable to the STRLs demonstration project.

(c) STRL directors have the discretion to select the recruitment and staffing method most appropriate based on the specialized position requirements and available candidate pool. Each STRL will further describe recruitment and staffing methodologies in their respective IOPs.

STRLs must establish recruitment and staffing methodologies that include:

(1) An internal process that incorporates an impartial, rigorous, and demanding assessment of candidates to evaluate the breadth of their expertise;

(2) an external recruitment process which incorporates an impartial, rigorous, and demanding assessment of candidates to evaluate the breadth of their expertise; or

(3) creation of panels to assist in filling positions or other comparable recruitment or staffing mechanisms.

The minimum basic pay for SBTM positions is 115 percent of the minimum rate of basic pay for GS-15. Maximum SBTM basic pay with locality pay is limited to Executive Level III (EX-III), and maximum salary without locality pay may not exceed EX-IV.

Each STRL will determine the appropriate performance or contribution management system, non-SES/SL/ST or SES/SL/ST program, to be used to evaluate an SBTM employee's performance or contribution. The selected method will be documented in each STRL's IOPs.

Pay retention may be provided to SBTM members under criteria established by each STRL if they are impacted by a reduction in force, work realignment, or other planned management action that would necessitate moving the incumbent to a position in a lower pay band within the STRL. Pay retention may also be provided under criteria established by each STRL when an SES/ST/SL employee is placed in a SBTM position as a result of a reduction in force or other management action. Grade retention is not authorized for SBTM positions.

A supervisory pay differential may be used by STRL directors to provide an incentive to appropriately compensate SBTM personnel. This pay differential is a pay incentive that may range up to 5 percent of basic pay (excludes locality pay) for SBTM personnel. It is paid on a pay period basis and must be reviewed annually. This pay differential is not included as part of basic pay for any purpose. Criteria to be considered in determining the amount of the pay differential are:

(a) needs of the organization;

(b) budgetary constraints;

(c) years and quality of related experience;

(d) relevant training;

(e) performance appraisals;

(f) experience as a supervisor or manager;

(g) organizational level of the position; and

(h) impact on the organization.

The pay differential may be terminated or reduced at the discretion of the STRL director based on legitimate business reasons; however, the pay differential must be terminated if the employee is removed from a position for which a pay differential is approved, regardless of cause. Each STRL will document in their IOPs the method used for determining payment, reduction, or discontinuation of the pay differential. All personnel actions involving a supervisory pay differential will require a statement signed by the employee acknowledging that the pay differential may be terminated or reduced at the discretion of the STRL director or his or her designee. The termination or reduction of the pay differential is not an adverse action and is not subject to appeal. The total pay (including locality pay) may not exceed the midpoint between the maximum rate of basic pay of EX-III and the maximum rate of basic pay of EX-II, ( e.g., $213,000; (calculation is rounded up to the next thousand) for calendar year 2024). SBTM employees are subject to the aggregate limitation on pay pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5307 and 5 CFR subpart 530.203.

The program shall be managed and administered by the STRL director or their designee in compliance with the provisions of this FRN and IOPs developed by each STRL.

Procedures for evaluating this authority will be incorporated into the STRL personnel demonstration project evaluation process conducted by the STRLs in conjunction with the USD(R&E) Defense Research Enterprise Office.

The Department is especially interested in public comment addressing the following issues: (1) is this collection necessary to the proper functions of the Department; (2) will this information be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; (4) how might the Department enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (5) how might the Department minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology. Please note that written comments received in response to this notice will be considered public records.

Title of Collection: Annual State Application Under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Act as Amended in 2004.

OMB Control Number: 1820-0030.

Type of Review: A revision of a currently approved ICR.

Respondents/Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Governments.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 60.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 840.

Abstract: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), signed on December 3, 2004, became Public Law 108-446. In accordance with 20 U.S.C. 1412(a), a State is eligible for assistance under Part B for a fiscal year if the State submits a plan that provides assurances to the Secretary that the State has in effect policies and procedures to ensure that the State meets each of the conditions found in 20 U.S.C. 1412. Information Collection 1820-0030 is being revised to remove the Significant Disproportionality data collection under IDEA section 618(d) and 34 CFR 300.646 and 300.647 from Section V of the Annual State Application under Part B of the IDEA. The Department believes that removal of the data collection related to Significant Disproportionality will reduce the burden on respondents when completing the Annual State Application under Part B of IDEA.

The remaining sections of the Annual State Application under Part B of IDEA are being extended so that States can provide assurances that they either have or do not have in effect policies and procedures to meet the eligibility requirements of Part B of the Act as found in Public Law 108-446. Information Collection 1820-0030 corresponds with 34 CFR 300.100-176; 300.199; 300.640-645; and 300.705. These sections include the requirement that the Secretary and local educational agencies located in the State be notified of any State-imposed rule, regulation, or policy that is not required by this title and Federal regulations.

Purpose of the Board: The purpose of the Board is to provide advice and recommendations concerning the following EM site-specific issues: clean-up activities and environmental restoration; waste and nuclear materials management and disposition; excess facilities; future land use and long-term stewardship. The Board may also be asked to provide advice and recommendations on other EM program components. The Board also provides an avenue to fulfill public participation requirements outlined in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERLA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Federal Facility Agreements, Consent Orders, Consent Decrees and Settlement Agreements.

Tentative Agenda: (agenda topics are subject to change; please email orssab@orem.doe.gov for the most current agenda).