01-17022. Certain Welded Large Diameter Line Pipe from Japan and Mexico

AGENCY:

United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION:

Scheduling of the final phase of antidumping investigations.

SUMMARY:

The Commission hereby gives notice of the scheduling of the final phase of antidumping investigations Nos. 731-TA-919-920 (Final) under section 735(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1673d(b)) (the Act) to determine whether an industry in the United States is materially injured or threatened with material injury, or the establishment of an industry in the United States is materially retarded, by reason of less-than-fair-value (LTFV) imports from Japan and alleged LTFV imports from Mexico of certain welded large diameter line pipe.^{[1,] [2]}

For further information concerning the conduct of this phase of the investigations, hearing procedures, and rules of general application, consult the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, part 201, subparts A through E (19 CFR part 201), and part 207, subparts A and C (19 CFR part 207).

EFFECTIVE DATE:

June 27, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Diane J. Mazur (202-205-3184), Office of Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436. Hearing-impaired persons can obtain information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal on 202-205-1810. Persons with mobility impairments who will need special assistance in gaining access to the Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000. General information concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing its internet server (http://www.usitc.gov). The public record for these investigations may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket (EDIS-ON-LINE) at http://dockets.usitc.gov/​eol/​public.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The final phase of these investigations is being scheduled as a result of an affirmative preliminary determination by the Department of Commerce that imports of certain welded large diameter line pipe from Japan are being sold in the United States at less than fair value within the meaning of section 733 of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1673b). The investigations (including the antidumping investigation relating to Mexico) were requested in a petition filed on January 10, 2001, by Berg Steel Pipe Corp., Panama City, FL; American Steel Pipe Division of American Cast Iron Pipe Co., Birmingham, AL; and Stupp Corp., Baton Rouge, LA.

Participation in the Investigations and Public Service List

Persons, including industrial users of the subject merchandise and, if the merchandise is sold at the retail level, representative consumer organizations, wishing to participate in the final phase of these investigations as parties must file an entry of appearance with the Secretary to the Commission, as provided in section 201.11 of the Commission's rules, no later than 21 days prior to the hearing date specified in this notice. A party that filed a notice of appearance during the preliminary phase of the investigations need not file an additional notice of appearance during this final phase. The Secretary will maintain a public service list containing the names and addresses of all persons, or their representatives, who are parties to the investigations.

Limited Disclosure of Business Proprietary Information (BPI) Under an Administrative Protective Order (APO) and BPI Service List

Pursuant to section 207.7(a) of the Commission's rules, the Secretary will make BPI gathered in the final phase of these investigations available to authorized applicants under the APO issued in the investigations, provided that the application is made no later than 21 days prior to the hearing date specified in this notice. Authorized applicants must represent interested parties, as defined by 19 U.S.C. 1677(9), who are parties to the investigations. A party granted access to BPI in the preliminary phase of the investigations need not reapply for such access. A separate service list will be maintained by the Secretary for those parties authorized to receive BPI under the APO.

Staff Report

The prehearing staff report in the final phase of these investigations will be placed in the nonpublic record on August 28, 2001, and a public version will be issued thereafter, pursuant to section 207.22 of the Commission's rules.

Hearing

The Commission will hold a hearing in connection with the final phase of these investigations beginning at 9:30 a.m. on September 11, 2001, at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building. Requests to appear at the hearing should be filed in writing with the Secretary to the Commission on or before September 4, 2001. A nonparty who has testimony that may aid the Commission's deliberations may request permission to present a short statement at the hearing. All parties and nonparties desiring to appear at the hearing and make oral presentations should attend a prehearing conference to be held at 9:30 a.m. on September 6, 2001, at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building. Oral testimony and written materials to be submitted at the public hearing are governed by sections 201.6(b)(2), 201.13(f), and 207.24 of the Commission's rules. Parties must submit any request to present a portion of their hearing testimony in camera no later than 7 days prior to the date of the hearing.

Written Submissions

Each party who is an interested party shall submit a prehearing brief to the Commission. Prehearing briefs must conform with the provisions of section 207.23 of the Commission's rules; the deadline for filing is September 5, 2001. Parties may also file written testimony in connection with their presentation at the hearing, as provided in section 207.24 of the Commission's rules, and posthearing briefs, which must conform with the provisions of section 207.25 of the Commission's rules. The deadline for filing posthearing briefs is September 18, 2001; witness testimony must be filed no later than three days before the hearing. In addition, any person who has not entered an appearance as a party to the investigations may submit a written statement of information pertinent to the subject of the investigations on or before September 18, 2001. On October 9, 2001, the Commission will make available to parties all information on which they have not had an opportunity to comment. Parties may submit final comments on this information on or before October 11, 2001, but such final comments must not contain new factual information and must otherwise comply with section 207.30 of the Commission's rules. All written submissions must conform with the provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's rules; any submissions that contain BPI must also conform with the requirements of sections 201.6, 207.3, and 207.7 of the Commission's rules. The Commission's rules do not authorize filing of submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or electronic means.

In accordance with sections 201.16(c) and 207.3 of the Commission's rules, each document filed by a party to the investigations must be served on all other parties to the investigations (as identified by either the public or BPI service list), and a certificate of service must be timely filed. The Secretary will not accept a document for filing without a certificate of service.

Authority: These investigations are being conducted under authority of title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930; this notice is published pursuant to section 207.21 of the Commission's rules.

Issued: June 29, 2001.

By order of the Commission.

Donna R. Koehnke,

Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  For purposes of these investigations the Department of Commerce has defined the subject merchandise as certain welded carbon and alloy line pipe, of circular cross section and with an outside diameter greater than 16 inches (406.4 mm), but less than 64 inches (162.56 cm), whether or not stenciled. This product is normally produced according to American Petroleum Institute (API) specifications, including grades A25, A, B, and X grades ranging from X42 to X80, but can also be produced to other specifications. The products are imported under statistical reporting numbers 7305.11.1030, 7305.11.1060, 7305.11.5000, 7305.12.1030, 7305.12.1060, 7305.12.5000, 7305.19.1030, 7305.19.1060, and 7305.19.5000 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States. Excluded from the scope of Commerce's investigation are American Water Works Association (AWWA) specification water and sewage pipe and certain other size and grade combinations of line pipe (see Notice of Preliminary Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: Welded Large Diameter Line Pipe from Japan, 66 FR 34151, June 27, 2001).

2.  Commerce has postponed its preliminary determination of sales at LTFV regarding Mexico (66 FR 31211, June 11, 2001). The Commission, for administrative convenience, will apply the current schedule for the final phase of its investigation concerning Mexico. When notified of Commerce's preliminary determination regarding Mexico, if affirmative, the Commission will issue a revised schedule accordingly.