[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 117 (Friday, June 17, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35400-35401]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-15129]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-821-809]


Continuation of Suspended Antidumping Duty Investigation on 
Certain Hot-Rolled Flat-Rolled Carbon-Quality Steel Products From the 
Russian Federation

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY: As a result of the determination by the Department of Commerce 
(``the Department'') and the International Trade Commission (``ITC'') 
that termination of the suspended antidumping duty investigation on 
certain hot-rolled flat-rolled carbon quality steel products (``hot-
rolled steel'') from the Russian Federation (``Russia'') would likely 
lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping, and material injury to 
an industry in the United States, the Department is publishing notice 
of the continuation of this suspended antidumping duty investigation.

DATES: Effective Date: June 17, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anne D'Alauro or Sally Gannon, Import 
Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20230; telephone (202) 482-4830 or (202) 482-0162, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On April 1, 2010, the Department initiated, and the ITC instituted, 
a sunset review of the suspended antidumping duty investigation on hot-
rolled steel from Russia (``the Agreement''), pursuant to section 
751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (``the Act''). See 
Initiation of Five-year (``Sunset'') Review, 75 FR 16437 (April 1, 
2010). As a result of its review, the Department determined that 
termination of the suspended antidumping duty investigation on hot-
rolled steel from Russia would likely lead to a continuation or 
recurrence of dumping and notified the ITC of the magnitude of the 
margins likely to prevail, should the Agreement be terminated. See 
Certain Hot-Rolled Flat-Rolled Steel Products from the Russian 
Federation; Final Results of the Expedited Sunset Review of Antidumping 
Duty Suspended Investigation, 75 FR 47263 (August 5, 2010).
    On June 2, 2011, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act, the ITC 
determined that termination of the Agreement on hot-rolled steel from 
Russia would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of 
material injury to an industry in the United States within a reasonably 
foreseeable time. See Hot-Rolled Flat-Rolled Carbon-Quality Steel 
Products from Brazil, Japan, and Russia, 76 FR 34101 (June 10, 2011).
    Therefore, pursuant to section 351.218(f)(4) of the Department's 
regulations, the Department is publishing this notice of the 
continuation of the Agreement on hot-rolled steel from Russia.

Scope

    See Appendix 1.

Continuation

    As a result of the respective determinations by the Department 
and the ITC that termination of the Agreement on hot-rolled steel 
from Russia would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of 
dumping and material injury to an industry in the United States, 
pursuant to section 751(d)(2) of the Act, the Department hereby 
gives notice of the continuation of the Agreement on hot-rolled 
steel from Russia. The effective date of continuation will be the 
date of publication in the Federal Register of this Continuation 
Notice. Pursuant to sections 751(c)(2) of the Act, the Department 
intends to initiate the next five-year sunset review of the 
Agreement on hot-rolled steel from Russia not later than May 2016.
    This five-year (sunset) review and notice are in accordance with 
section 751(c) of the Act and published pursuant to section 
777(i)(1) of the Act.

    Dated: June 9, 2011.
Ronald K. Lorentzen,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.

Appendix I

    For the purposes of this Suspension Agreement, ``hot-rolled 
steel'' means certain hot-rolled flat-rolled carbon-quality steel 
products of a rectangular shape, of a width of 0.5 inch or greater, 
neither clad, plated, nor coated with metal and whether or not 
painted, varnished, or coated with plastics or other non-metallic 
substances, in coils (whether or not in successively superimposed 
layers) regardless of thickness, and in straight lengths, of a 
thickness less than 4.75 mm and of a width measuring at least 10 
times the thickness.
    Universal mill plate (i.e., flat-rolled products rolled on four 
faces or in a closed box pass, of a width exceeding 150 mm but not 
exceeding 1250 mm and of a thickness of not less than 4 mm, not in 
coils and without patterns in relief) of a thickness not less than 
4.0 mm is not included within the scope of this agreement.
    Specifically included in this scope are vacuum degassed, fully 
stabilized (commonly referred to as interstitial-free (``IF'')) 
steels, high strength low alloy (``HSLA'') steels, and the substrate 
for motor lamination steels. IF steels are recognized as low carbon 
steels with micro-alloying levels of elements such as titanium and/
or niobium added to stabilize carbon and nitrogen elements. HSLA 
steels are recognized as steels with micro-alloying levels of 
elements such as chromium, copper, niobium, titanium, vanadium, and 
molybdenum. The substrate for motor lamination steels contains 
micro-alloying levels of elements such as silicon and aluminum.
    Steel products to be included in the scope of this agreement, 
regardless of HTSUS definitions, are products in which: (1) Iron 
predominates, by weight, over each of the other contained elements; 
(2) the carbon content is 2 percent or less, by weight; and (3) none 
of the elements listed below exceeds the quantity, by weight, 
respectively indicated: 1.80 percent of manganese, or 1.50 percent 
of silicon, or 1.00 percent of copper, or 0.50 percent of aluminum, 
or 1.25 percent of chromium, or 0.30 percent of cobalt, or 0.40 
percent of lead, or 1.25 percent of nickel, or 0.30 percent of 
tungsten, or 0.012 percent of boron, or 0.10 percent of molybdenum, 
or 0.10 percent of niobium, or 0.41 percent of titanium, or 0.15 
percent of vanadium, or 0.15 percent of zirconium.
    All products that meet the physical and chemical description 
provided above are within the scope of this agreement unless 
otherwise excluded. The following products, by way of example, are 
outside and/or specifically excluded from the scope of this 
agreement:

--Alloy hot-rolled steel products in which at least one of the 
chemical elements exceeds those listed above (including e.g., ASTM 
specifications A543, A387, A514, A517, and A506).
--SAE/AISI grades of series 2300 and higher.
--Ball bearing steels, as defined in the HTSUS.

[[Page 35401]]

--Tool steels, as defined in the HTSUS.
--Silico-manganese (as defined in the HTSUS) or silicon electrical 
steel with a silicon level exceeding 1.50 percent.
--ASTM specifications A710 and A736.
--USS Abrasion-resistant steels (USS AR 400, USS AR 500).
--Hot-rolled steel coil which meets the following chemical, physical 
and mechanical specifications:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              C                       Mn                 P                 S                Si                Cr               Cu               Ni
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.10-0.14%...................  0.90% Max.......  0.025% Max......  0.005% Max......  0.30-0.50%......  0.50-0.70%.....  0.20-0.40%.....  0.20% Max.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Width = 44.80 inches maximum; Thickness = 0.063-0.198 inches;
    Yield Strength = 50,000 ksi minimum; Tensile Strength = 70,000-
88,000 psi.

--Hot-rolled steel coil which meets the following chemical, physical 
and mechanical specifications:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              C                       Mn                 P                 S                Si                Cr               Cu               Ni
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.10-0.16%...................  0.70-0.90%......  0.025% Max......  0.006% Max......  0.30-0.50%......  0.50-0.70%.....  0.25% Max......  0.20% Max.
Mo 0.21% Max
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Width = 44.80 inches maximum; Thickness = 0.350 inches maximum;
    Yield Strength = 80,000 ksi minimum; Tensile Strength = 105,000 
psi Aim.

--Hot-rolled steel coil which meets the following chemical, physical 
and mechanical specifications:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              C                       Mn                 P                 S                Si                Cr               Cu               Ni
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.10-0.14%...................  1.30-1.80%......  0.025% Max......  0.005% Max......  0.30-0.50%......  0.50-0.70%.....  0.20-0.40%.....  0.20% Max.
V(wt.).......................  Cb.
0.10 Max.....................  0.08% Max.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Width = 44.80 inches maximum; Thickness = 0.350 inches maximum;
    Yield Strength = 80,000 ksi minimum; Tensile Strength = 105,000 
psi Aim.

--Hot-rolled steel coil which meets the following chemical, physical 
and mechanical specifications:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              C                       Mn                 P                 S                Si                Cr               Cu               Ni
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.15% Max....................  1.40% Max.......  0.025% Max......  0.010% Max......  0.50% Max.......  1.00% Max......  0.50% Max......  0.20% Max.
Nb...........................  Ca..............  Al.
0.005% Min...................  Treated.........  0.01-0.07%.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Width = 39.37 inches; Thickness = 0.181 inches maximum; Yield 
Strength = 70,000 psi minimum for thicknesses <= 0.148 inches and 
65,000 psi minimum for thicknesses >0.148 inches; Tensile Strength = 
80,000 psi minimum.

--Hot-rolled dual phase steel, phase-hardened, primarily with a 
ferritic-martensitic microstructure, contains 0.9 percent up to and 
including 1.5 percent silicon by weight, further characterized by 
either (i) tensile strength between 540 N/mm\2\ and 640 N/mm\2\; and 
an elongation percentage >= 26 percent for thicknesses of 2 mm and 
above, or (ii) a tensile strength between 590 N/mm\2\ and 690 N/
mm\2\ and an elongation percentage >= 25 percent for thicknesses of 
2 mm and above.
--Hot-rolled bearing quality steel, SAE grade 1050, in coils, with 
an inclusion rating of 1.0 maximum per ASTM E 45, Method A, with 
excellent surface quality and chemistry restrictions as follows: 
0.012 percent maximum phosphorus, 0.015 percent maximum sulfur, and 
0.20 percent maximum residuals including 0.15 percent maximum 
chromium.

     Grade ASTM A570-50 hot-rolled steel sheet in coils or 
cut lengths, width of 74 inches (nominal, within ASTM tolerances), 
thickness of 11 gauge (0.119 inches nominal), mill edge and skin 
passed, with a minimum copper content of 0.20 percent.
    The covered merchandise is classified in the Harmonized Tariff 
Schedule of the United States (``HTSUS'') at subheadings: 
7208.10.15.00, 7208.10.30.00, 7208.10.60.00, 7208.25.30.00, 
7208.25.60.00, 7208.26.00.30, 7208.26.00.60, 7208.27.00.30, 
7208.27.00.60, 7208.36.00.30, 7208.36.00.60, 7208.37.00.30, 
7208.37.00.60, 7208.38.00.15, 7208.38.00.30, 7208.38.00.90, 
7208.39.00.15, 7208.39.00.30, 7208.39.00.90, 7208.40.60.30, 
7208.40.60.60, 7208.53.00.00, 7208.54.00.00, 7208.90.00.00, 
7210.70.30.00, 7210.90.90.00, 7211.14.00.30, 7211.14.00.90, 
7211.19.15.00, 7211.19.20.00, 7211.19.30.00, 7211.19.45.00, 
7211.19.60.00, 7211.19.75.30, 7211.19.75.60, 7211.19.75.90, 
7212.40.10.00, 7212.40.50.00, 7212.50.00.00. Certain hot-rolled 
flat-rolled carbon-quality steel covered include: Vacuum degassed, 
fully stabilized; high strength low alloy; and the substrate for 
motor lamination steel may also enter under the following tariff 
numbers: 7225.11.00.00, 7225.19.00.00, 7225.30.30.50, 7225.30.70.00, 
7225.40.70.00, 7225.99.00.90, 7226.11.10.00, 7226.11.90.30, 
7226.11.90.60, 7226.19.10.00, 7226.19.90.00, 7226.91.50.00, 
7226.91.70.00, 7226.91.80.00, and 7226.99.00.00. Although the HTSUS 
subheadings are provided for convenience and Customs purposes, the 
written description of the covered merchandise is dispositive.

[FR Doc. 2011-15129 Filed 6-16-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P