[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 117 (Friday, June 17, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39629-39630]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14302]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-570-048, C-580-888]


Countervailing Duty Investigations of Certain Carbon and Alloy 
Steel Cut-to-Length Plate From the People's Republic of China and the 
Republic of Korea: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations

AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

DATES: Effective Date: June 17, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Palmer at (202) 482-9068 (the 
People's Republic of China) or John Corrigan at (202) 482-7438 
(Republic of Korea), AD/CVD Operations, Office VI, Enforcement and 
Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 
20230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On April 28, 2015, the Department of Commerce (the Department) 
initiated countervailing duty (CVD) investigations of imports of 
certain carbon and alloy steel cut-to-length plate (CTL plate) from 
Brazil, the People's Republic of China (PRC), and the Republic of Korea 
(Korea).\1\ The notice of initiation stated that, in accordance with 
section 703(b)(l) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(b)(1), we would issue 
our preliminary determinations no later than 65 days after the date of 
initiation, unless postponed. Currently, the preliminary determinations 
in these investigations are due no later than July 5, 2016.\2\
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    \1\ See Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-to-Length Plate from Brazil, 
the People's Republic of China, and the Republic of Korea: 
Initiation of Countervailing Duty Investigations, 81 FR 27098 (May 
5, 2016). This notice of postponement of preliminary determinations 
applies to the PRC and Korea only, as the International Trade 
Commission terminated the investigation of allegedly subsidized 
imports of certain carbon and alloy steel cut-to-length plate from 
Brazil, pursuant to section 703(a)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as 
amended (the Act). See Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-To-Length 
Plate From Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, 
Japan, Korea, South Africa, Taiwan, and Turkey; Determinations, 81 
FR 33705 (May 27, 2016).
    \2\ See Initiation Notice, 81 FR at 27101. We note that the 
current deadline for the preliminary determinations is July 2, 2016, 
which is a Saturday. Pursuant to Department practice, the signature 
date would be the next business day, which is Tuesday, July 5, 2016. 
See Notice of Clarification: Application of ``Next Business Day'' 
Rule for Administrative Determination Deadlines Pursuant to the 
Tariff Act of 1930, As Amended, 70 FR 24533 (May 10, 2005).
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Postponement of Preliminary Determinations

    Section 703(c)(1)(B) of the Act permits the Department to postpone 
the time limit for the preliminary determination if it concludes that 
the parties concerned are cooperating and determines that the case is 
extraordinarily complicated by reason of the number and complexity of 
the transactions to be investigated or adjustments to be considered, 
the novelty of the issues presented, the need to determine the extent 
to which particular countervailable subsidies are used by individual 
companies, or the number of firms whose activities must be 
investigated, and additional time is necessary to make the preliminary 
determination. Under this section of the Act, the Department may 
postpone the preliminary determination until no later than 130 days 
after the date on which the Department initiated the investigation.
    The Department determines that the parties involved in these CTL 
plate CVD investigations are currently cooperating and that the 
investigations are extraordinarily complicated, such that we will need 
more time to make the preliminary determinations. Specifically, the 
Department finds that these investigations are both extraordinarily 
complicated by reason of the number and complexity of the alleged 
countervailable subsidy practices, and the need to determine the extent 
to which particular countervailable subsidies are used by individual 
manufacturers, producers, and exporters.
    Therefore, in accordance with section 703(c)(l)(B) of the Act and 
19 CFR 351.205(f)(l), the Department is postponing the time period for 
the preliminary determinations of these investigations by 65 days, to 
September 6, 2016.\3\ Pursuant to section 705(a)(1) of the Act and 19 
CFR 351.210(b)(1), the deadline for the final determinations will 
continue to be 75 days after the date of the preliminary 
determinations.
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    \3\ Id. The deadline for the postponed preliminary determination 
would be September 5, 2016, i.e. not later than 130 days after the 
date of initiation. September 5, 2016 is Labor Day. Pursuant to 
Department practice, the signature date will be the next business 
day, which is Tuesday, September 6, 2016.
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    This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 703(c)(2) 
of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(f)(l).


[[Page 39630]]


    Dated: June 10, 2016.
Paul Piquado,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2016-14302 Filed 6-16-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P