2020-16844. Raspberries for Processing: Conditions of Competition Between U.S. and Foreign Suppliers, with a Focus on Washington State; Change in Form of Public Hearing

AGENCY:

United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION:

Change in form of public hearing.

SUMMARY:

The Commission has changed the form of the hearing to be held in Investigation No. 332-577: Raspberries for Processing: Conditions of Competition between U.S. and Foreign Suppliers, with a Focus on Washington State, from an in-person hearing to a videoconference hearing due to COVID-19. With the exception of an additional date for filing electronic copies of oral statements for the hearing, dates previously announced in the notice of investigation remain the same.

DATES:

August 27, 2020: Deadline for filing requests to appear at the public hearing.

September 8, 2020: Deadline for filing prehearing briefs and statements.

September 15, 2020: Deadline for filing electronic copies of oral statements to be presented at the hearing.

September 17, 2020: Public hearing via videoconference.

September 24, 2020: Deadline for filing post-hearing briefs and statements.

December 6, 2020: Deadline for filing all other written submissions.

June 9, 2021: Transmittal of Commission report to the United States Trade Representative.

ADDRESSES:

All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing rooms, are located in the United States International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC. All written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. The public record for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov/​edis3-internal/​app. Please note the Secretary's Office will accept only electronic filings at this time (see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION or Written Submissions for more information).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Project Leader Jessica Pugliese (202-941-9537 or [e-mail]) or Deputy Project Leader Mary Roop (202-708-2277 or [e-mail]) for information specific to this investigation. For information on the legal aspects of these investigations, contact William Gearhart of the Commission's Office of the General Counsel (202-205-3091 or [e-mail]). The media should contact Margaret O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations (202-205-1819 or [e-mail]). Hearing-impaired individuals may obtain information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal at 202-205-1810. General information concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing its internet server (https://www.usitc.gov). 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The public hearing in this investigation will be held beginning at 9:30 a.m. on September 17, 2020, using a videoconference platform. More detailed information about the hearing, including how to participate, will be posted on the Commission's website at https://usitc.gov/​research_​and_​analysis/​what_​we_​are_​working_​on.htm. Once on that web page, scroll down to the entry for investigation No. 332-577, Raspberries for Processing: Conditions of Competition between U.S. and Foreign Suppliers, with a Focus on Washington State, and click on the link to “Hearing Information.” Interested parties should check the Commission's website periodically for updates.

Requests to appear at the public hearing should be filed with the Secretary no later than 5:15 p.m., August 27, 2020, in accordance with the requirements in the “Written Submissions” section below. All prehearing briefs and statements should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., September 8, 2020, and all post-hearing briefs and statements should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., September 24, 2020. Post-hearing briefs and statements should address matters raised at the hearing. To facilitate the hearing, including the preparation of an accurate written transcript of the hearing, oral testimony to be presented at the hearing must be submitted to the Commission electronically no later than the close of business September 15, 2020. In the event that, as of the close of business on September 8, 2020, no witnesses are scheduled to appear at the hearing, the hearing will be canceled.

The Commission published notice of institution of the investigation to the Federal Register on May 20, 2020 (85 FR 30736). In that notice, the Commission announced it would hold a public hearing on September 17, 2020, in the Commission's building and it also set dates by which requests to appear at the hearing, briefs, and other written submissions should be filed. Please note the Secretary's Office will accept only electronic filings at this time. Filings must be made through the Commission's Electronic Document Information System (EDIS, https://edis.usitc.gov). No in-person paper-based filings or paper copies of any electronic filings will be accepted until further notice. The scope of the investigation remains the same as published in the Federal Register on May 20, 2020.

Written submissions: In lieu of or in addition to participating in the hearing, interested parties are invited to file written submissions concerning this investigation. All written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, and should be received not later than 5:15 p.m., December 6, 2020. All written submissions must conform to the provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.8), as temporarily amended by 85 FR 15798 (March 19, 2020). Under that rule waiver, the Office of the Secretary will accept only electronic filings at this time. Filings must be made through the Commission's Electronic Document Information System (EDIS, https://edis.usitc.gov). No in-person paper-based filings or paper copies of any electronic filings will be accepted until further notice. Persons with questions regarding electronic filing should contact the Office of the Secretary, Docket Services Division (202-205-1802) or consult the Commission's Handbook on Filing Procedures.

Confidential business information. Any submissions that contain confidential business information must also conform to the requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.6 of the rules requires that the cover of the document and the individual pages be clearly marked as to whether they are the “confidential” or “non-confidential” version, and that the confidential business information is clearly identified by means of brackets. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be made available for inspection by interested parties.

As requested by the USTR, the Commission will not include any confidential business information in the report that it sends to the USTR or makes available to the public. However, all information, including confidential business information, submitted in this investigation may be disclosed to and used: (i) By the Commission, its employees and Offices, and contract personnel (a) for developing or maintaining the records of this or a related proceeding, or (b) in internal investigations, audits, reviews, and evaluations relating to the programs, personnel, and operations of the Commission including under 5 U.S.C. Appendix 3; or (ii) by U.S. government employees and contract personnel for cybersecurity purposes. The Commission will not otherwise disclose any confidential business information in a manner that would reveal the operations of the firm supplying the information.

Summaries of written submissions: The Commission intends to publish summaries of the positions of interested persons in an appendix to the report. Persons wishing to have a summary of their position included in the report should include a summary with their written submission. The summary may not exceed 500 words, should be in a format that can be easily converted to MS Word, and should not include any confidential business information. The summary will be published as provided if it meets these requirements and is germane to the subject matter of the investigation. The Commission will identify the name of the organization furnishing the summary and will include a link to the Commission's Electronic Document Information System (EDIS) where the full written submission can be found.

By order of the Commission.

Issued: July 29, 2020.

Lisa Barton,

Secretary to the Commission.