[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 172 (Tuesday, September 7, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48579-48581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23209]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A-588-824]
Certain Corrosion-Resistant Carbon Steel Flat Products From
Japan: Notice of Initiation and Preliminary Results of Changed
Circumstances Review and Intent to Revoke Antidumping Order in Part
AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of initiation and preliminary results of changed
circumstances review, and intent to revoke antidumping order in part.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with 19 CFR 351.216(b), Taiho Corporation of
America (Taiho America) requested a changed circumstances review of the
antidumping order on Certain Corrosion-Resistant Carbon Steel Flat
Products from Japan. In response to Taiho's request, the Department of
Commerce (the Department) is initiating a changed circumstances review
and issuing a notice of intent to revoke in part the antidumping duty
order on
[[Page 48580]]
certain corrosion-resistant carbon steel flat products from Japan.
Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.
EFFECTIVE DATE: September 7, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Ellerman or Maureen Flannery,
Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S.
Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20230; telephone: (202) 482-4106, (202) 482-3020,
respectively.
The Applicable Statute and Regulations
Unless otherwise indicated, all citations to the statute are
references to the provisions effective January 1, 1995, the effective
date of the amendments made to the Tariff Act of 1930 (the Act) by the
Uruguay Round Agreements Act. In addition, unless otherwise indicated,
all citations to the Department's regulations are to the regulations as
codified at 19 CFR Part 351 (1998).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On August 27, 1999, Taiho America requested that the Department
revoke in part the antidumping duty order on certain corrosion-
resistant carbon steel flat products from Japan. Specifically, Taiho
America requested that the Department revoke the order with respect to
imports of the following merchandise: (1) Carbon steel flat products
measuring 0.97 mm in thickness and 20 mm in width consisting of carbon
steel coil (SAE 1008) with a two-layer lining, the first layer
consisting of a copper-lead-tin alloy powder that is balance copper,
9%-11% tin, 9%-11% lead, less than 1% zinc, less than 1% other
materials and meeting the requirements of SAE standard 792 for Bearing
and Bushing Alloys, the second layer consists of 45%-55% lead, 38%-50%
polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) and 3%-5% molybdenum disulfide and less
than 2% other materials; and (2) carbon steel flat products measuring
1.84 mm in thickness and 43.6 mm or 16.1 mm in width consisting of
carbon steel coil (SAE 1008) clad with an aluminum alloy that is
balance aluminum, 20% tin, 1% copper, 0.3% silicon, 0.15% nickel less
than 1% other materials and meeting the requirements of SAE standard
783 for Bearing and Bushing Alloys. Taiho America, a domestic
manufacturer of plain sleeve bushings, is an importer of the products
in question.
Scope of Antidumping Order
This antidumping duty order on certain corrosion-resistant steel
flat products covers flat-rolled carbon steel products, of rectangular
shape, either clad, plated, or coated with corrosion-resistant metals
such as zinc, aluminum, or zinc-, aluminum-, nickel-or iron-based
alloys, whether or not corrugated or painted, varnished or coated with
plastics or other nonmetallic substances in addition to the metallic
coating, in coils (whether or not in successively superimposed layers)
and of a width of 0.5 inch or greater, or in straight lengths which, if
of a thickness less than 4.75 millimeters, are of a width of 0.5 inch
or greater and which measures at least 10 times the thickness or if of
a thickness of 4.75 millimeters or more are of a width which exceeds
150 millimeters and measures at least twice the thickness, as currently
classifiable in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) under item numbers
7210.30.0030, 7210.30.0060, 7210.41.0000, 7210.49.0030, 7210.49.0090,
7210.61.0000, 7210.69.0000, 7210.70.6030, 7210.70.6060, 7210.70.6090,
7210.90.1000, 7210.90.6000, 7210.90.9000, 7212.20.0000, 7212.30.1030,
7212.30.1090, 7212.30.3000, 7212.30.5000, 7212.40.1000, 7212.40.5000,
7212.50.0000, 7212.60.0000, 7215.90.1000, 7215.90.3000, 7215.90.5000,
7217.20.1500, 7217.30.1530, 7217.30.1560, 7217.90.1000, 7217.90.5030,
7217.90.5060, and 7217.90.5090. Included are flat-rolled products of
non-rectangular cross-section where such cross-section is achieved
subsequent to the rolling process (i.e., products which have been
``worked after rolling'')--for example, products which have been
bevelled or rounded at the edges. Excluded are flat-rolled steel
products either plated or coated with tin, lead, chromium, chromium
oxides, both tin and lead (``terne plate''), or both chromium and
chromium oxides (``tin-free steel''), whether or not painted, varnished
or coated with plastics or other nonmetallic substances in addition to
the metallic coating. Also excluded are clad products in straight
lengths of 0.1875 inch or more in composite thickness and of a width
which exceeds 150 millimeters and measures at least twice the
thickness. Also excluded are certain clad stainless flat-rolled
products, which are three-layered corrosion-resistant carbon steel
flat-rolled products less than 4.75 millimeters in composite thickness
that consist of a carbon steel flat-rolled product clad on both sides
with stainless steel in a 20%-60%-20% ratio. The HTS item numbers are
provided for convenience and Customs purposes. The written description
remains dispositive of the scope of this review.
Also excluded are certain corrosion-resistant carbon steel flat
products meeting the following specifications: (1) widths ranging from
10 millimeters (0.394 inches) through 100 millimeters (3.94 inches);
(2) thicknesses, including coatings, ranging from 0.11 millimeters
(0.004 inches) through 0.60 millimeters (0.024 inches); and (3) a
coating that is from 0.003 millimeters (0.00012 inches) through 0.005
millimeters (0.000196 inches) in thickness and that is comprised of
either two evenly applied layers, the first layer consisting of 99%
zinc, 0.5% cobalt, and 0.5% molybdenum, followed by a layer consisting
of chromate, or three evenly applied layers, the first layer consisting
of 99% zinc, 0.5% cobalt, and 0.5% molybdenum followed by a layer
consisting of chromate, and finally a layer consisting of silicate.
Initiation and Preliminary Results of Changed Circumstances Review,
and Intent To Revoke Order in Part
Pursuant to sections 751(d)(1) and 782(h)(2) of the Act, the
Department may revoke an antidumping or countervailing duty order, in
whole or in part, based on a review under section 751(b) of the Act
(i.e., a changed circumstances review). Section 751(b)(1) of the Act
requires a changed circumstances review to be conducted upon receipt of
a request which shows changed circumstances sufficient to warrant a
review. Section 351.222(g) of the Department's regulations provides
that the Department will conduct a changed circumstances review under
19 CFR 351.216, and may revoke an order (in whole or in part), if it
determines that producers accounting for substantially all of the
production of the domestic like product have expressed a lack of
interest in the relief provided by the order, in whole or in part, or
if other changed circumstances sufficient to warrant revocation exist.
In addition, in the event that the Department concludes that expedited
action is warranted, 19 CFR 351.221(c)(3)(ii) permits the Department to
combine the notices of initiation and preliminary results.
In accordance with sections 751(d)(1) and 782(h)(2) of the Act, and
19 CFR 351.216 and 351.222(g), based on affirmative statements by
domestic producers of the like product, Bethlehem Steel Corporation,
Ispat Inland Steel Industries, Inc, LTV Steel Co., Inc., National Steel
Corporation,
[[Page 48581]]
and U.S. Steel Group, a unit of USX Corporation, of no further interest
in continuing the order with respect to corrosion-resistant carbon
steel flat products measuring 0.97 mm in thickness and 20 mm in width
consisting of carbon steel coil, SAE 1010 or 1012, with a two-layer
lining, the first layer consisting of a copper-lead-tin alloy powder
that is 76%-80% copper, 9%-11% tin, 9%-11% lead, and under 1% zinc and
meeting the requirements of SAE standard 792 for Bearing and Bushing
Alloys, the second layer consisting of 45%-55% lead, 38%-50% PTFE, and
3%-5% molybdenum disulfide, we are initiating this changed
circumstances review. We are also initiating a changed circumstances
review, based on affirmative statements, by the domestic producers
listed above, of no further interest in continuing the order with
respect to corrosion-resistant carbon steel flat products measuring
1.84 mm in thickness and 43.6 mm or 16.1 mm in width consisting of
carbon steel coil (SAE 1008) clad with an aluminum alloy that is
balance aluminum, 20% tin, 1% copper, 0.3% silicon, 0.15% nickel less
than 1% other materials and meeting the requirements of SAE standard
783 for Bearing and Bushing Alloys. Furthermore, we determine that
expedited action is warranted, and we preliminarily determine that
continued application of the order with respect to corrosion-resistant
carbon steel flat products falling within the descriptions above is no
longer of interest to domestic interested parties. Because we have
concluded that expedited action is warranted, we are combining these
notices of initiation and preliminary results. Therefore, we are hereby
notifying the public of our intent to revoke in part the antidumping
duty order on certain corrosion-resistant carbon steel flat products
from Japan with respect to imports of the above-specified products.
If the final revocation, in part, occurs, we intend to instruct the
U.S. Customs Service (Customs) to liquidate without regard to
antidumping duties, as applicable, and to refund any estimated
antidumping duties collected for all unliquidated entries of corrosion-
resistant carbon steel flat products, with the dimensions and chemical
composition of coatings indicated above, not subject to final results
of administrative review as of the date of publication in the Federal
Register of the final results of this changed circumstances review in
accordance with 19 CFR 351.222. We will also instruct Customs to pay
interest on such refunds in accordance with section 778 of the Act. The
current requirement for a cash deposit of estimated antidumping duties
on corrosion-resistant carbon steel flat products, with the dimensions
and coatings indicated above, will continue unless and until we publish
a final determination to revoke in part.
Public Comment
Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary
results. Parties who submit argument in this proceeding are requested
to submit with the argument (1) a statement of the issue, and (2) a
brief summary of the argument. Parties to the proceedings may request a
hearing within 14 days of publication. Any hearing, if requested, will
be held no later than 2 days after the deadline for the submission of
rebuttal briefs, or the first workday thereafter. Case briefs may be
submitted by interested parties not later than 14 days after the date
of publication of this notice. Rebuttal briefs, limited to the issues
raised in the case briefs, may be filed not later than 5 days after the
deadline for submission of case briefs. All written comments shall be
submitted in accordance with 19 CFR 351.303 and shall be served on all
interested parties on the Department's service list in accordance with
19 CFR 351.303. Persons interested in attending the hearing should
contact the Department for the date and time of the hearing. The
Department will publish the final results of this changed circumstances
review, including the results of its analysis of issues raised in any
written comments.
This notice is published in accordance with section 751(b)(1) of
the Act and 19 CFR 351.216 and 351.222.
Dated: August 30, 1999.
Robert S. LaRussa,
Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-23209 Filed 9-3-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P
