01-7123. Certain Circular Welded Carbon Quality Line Pipe: Monitoring Developments in the Domestic Industry

AGENCY:

United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION:

Institution and scheduling of an investigation under section 204(a) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2254(a)) (the Act).

SUMMARY:

The Commission instituted the investigation for the purpose of preparing the report to the President and the Congress required by section 204(a)(2) of the Trade Act of 1974 on the results of its monitoring of developments with respect to the domestic certain circular welded carbon quality line pipe industry since the President imposed a tariff on imports of certain circular welded carbon quality line pipe ^[1] effective March 1, 2000.

For further information concerning the conduct of this investigation, 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 206, subparts A and F (19 CFR part 206).

EFFECTIVE DATE:

March 15, 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 this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket (EDIS-ON-LINE) at http://dockets.usitc.gov/​eol/​public.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background.—Following receipt of a report from the Commission in December 1999 under section 202 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2252) containing an affirmative determination and remedy recommendations, the President, on February 18, 2000, pursuant to section 203 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2253), issued Proclamation 7274, imposing import relief in the form of a tariff on imports of circular welded carbon quality line pipe for a period of 3 years and 1 day, effective March 1, 2000. Section 204(a)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2254(a)(1)) requires that the Commission, so long as any action under section 203 of the Trade Act remains in effect, monitor developments with respect to the domestic industry, including the progress and specific efforts made by workers and firms in the domestic industry to make a positive adjustment to import competition. Section 204(a)(2) requires, whenever the initial period of an action under section 203 of the Trade Act exceeds 3 years, that the Commission submit a report on the results of the monitoring under section 204(a)(1) to the President and the Congress not later than the mid-point of the initial period of the relief, or by August 30, 2001, in this case. Section 204(a)(3) requires that the Commission hold a hearing in the course of preparing each such report.

Participation in the investigation and service list.—Persons wishing to participate in the investigation 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, not later than 14 days after publication of this notice in the Federal Register. The Secretary will prepare a service list containing the names and addresses of all persons, or their representatives, who are parties to this investigation upon the expiration of the period for filing entries of appearance.

Public hearing.—As required by statute, the Commission has scheduled a hearing in connection with this investigation. The hearing will be held beginning at 9:30 a.m. on June 28, 2001, at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC. Requests to appear at the hearing should be filed in writing with the Secretary to the Commission on or before June 20, 2001. All persons desiring to appear at the hearing and make oral presentations should attend a prehearing conference to be held at 9:30 a.m. on June 25, 2001, at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building. Oral testimony and written materials to be submitted at the hearing are governed by sections 201.6(b)(2) and 201.13(f) 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 is encouraged to submit a prehearing brief to the Commission. The deadline for filing prehearing briefs is June 22, 2001. Parties may also file posthearing briefs. The deadline for filing posthearing briefs is July 6, 2001. In addition, any person who has not entered an appearance as a party to the investigation may submit, on or before July 6, 2001, a written statement concerning the matters to be addressed in the Commission's report to the President. All written submissions must conform with the provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's rules; any submissions that contain confidential business information must also conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's rules. The Commission's rules do not authorize the filing of submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or electronic means.

In accordance with section 201.16(c) of the Commission's rules, each document filed by a party to the investigation must be served on all other parties to the investigation (as identified by the 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: This investigation is being conducted under the authority of section 204(a) of the Trade Act of 1974; this notice is published pursuant to section 206.3 of the Commission's rules.

Issued: March 16, 2001.

By order of the Commission.

Donna R. Koehnke,

Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  Includes welded carbon quality line pipe of circular cross section, of a kind used for oil and gas pipelines, whether or not stenciled, and not more than 16 inches (406.4 mm) in outside diameter. This investigation excludes goods commonly described in commercial usage as arctic grade line pipe. The products are classified in subheadings 7306.10.10 and 7306.10.50 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States. For a detailed description of the subject merchandise, see the annex to Presidential Proclamation 7274 (65 FR 9195, February 23, 2000).