[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 53 (Monday, March 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11061-11063]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6351]



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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigations Nos. TA-201-65 and NAFTA-302-1]


Broom Corn Brooms

AGENCY: International Trade Commission.


[[Page 11062]]

ACTION: Institution and scheduling of an investigation under section 
202 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. Sec. 2252) (the Trade Act) and 
an investigation under section 302 of the North American Free Trade 
Agreement (NAFTA) Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. Sec. 3352).

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SUMMARY: Following receipt of petitions filed on March 4, 1996, on 
behalf of the U.S. Cornbroom Task Force and its individual members, 
Washington, DC, (petitioner) the United States International Trade 
Commission instituted investigation No. TA-201-65 under section 202(b) 
of the Trade Act, to determine whether an article 1 is being 
imported into the United States in such increased quantities as to be a 
substantial cause of serious injury, or the threat thereof, to the 
domestic industry producing an article like or directly competitive 
with the imported article; and investigation No. NAFTA-302-1 under 
section 302(b) of the NAFTA Implementation Act, to determine whether, 
as a result of the reduction or elimination of a duty provided for 
under the NAFTA, a Mexican article 2 is being imported into the 
United States in such increased quantities (in absolute terms) and 
under such conditions so that imports of the article, alone, constitute 
a substantial cause of serious injury, or a threat of serious injury, 
to the domestic industry producing an article like or directly 
competitive with the imported article.

    \1\ Broom corn brooms provided for in subheadings 9603.10.05, 
9603.10.15, 9603.10.35, 9603.10.40, 9603.10.50, and 9603.10.60 of 
the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS).
    \2\ Id.
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    Further, the petitioner, in its petition filed under section 302 of 
the NAFTA Implementation Act alleged that critical circumstances exist 
and requested, pursuant to section 302(a)(2) of that Act (19 U.S.C. 
Sec. 3352(a)(2)), that provisional relief be provided pending 
completion of the full investigation and consideration by the 
President. Accordingly, if the Commission makes an affirmative injury 
determination under section 302(b) of that Act, it will also determine 
whether delay in taking action would cause damage to the industry that 
would be difficult to repair. If the second Commission determination is 
also in the affirmative, the Commission will find the amount or extent 
of provisional relief that is necessary to prevent or remedy the 
serious injury and forward its recommendation to the President.
    For further information concerning the conduct of these 
investigations, 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, B, 
and D (19 CFR part 206).

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 4, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim McClure (202-205-3191), 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 or ftp://usitc.gov).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Participation in the investigations and service list.--Persons 
wishing to participate in the investigations 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 seven (7) 
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 
these investigations upon the expiration of the period for filing 
entries of appearance.
    Limited disclosure of confidential business information (CBI) under 
an administrative protective order (APO) and CBI service list.--The 
Commission intends to conduct these investigations jointly and maintain 
one information docket in these investigations. Except as provided 
below, the Secretary, pursuant to section 206.17(a) of the Commission's 
rules, will make CBI available to authorized applicants under the APO 
issued in the investigations, provided that the application is made not 
later than seven (7) days after the publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register. Authorized applicants may have access to such 
information notwithstanding any prior action taken in connection with 
the phase of these investigations regarding provisional relief. A 
separate service list will be maintained by the Secretary for those 
parties authorized to receive CBI under the APO.
    Hearings on injury and remedy.--The Commission has scheduled 
separate hearings in connection with the injury and remedy phases of 
these investigations. The hearing on injury will be held beginning at 
9:30 a.m. on May 30, 1996, at the U.S. International Trade Commission 
Building. In the event that the Commission makes an affirmative injury 
determination or is equally divided on the question of injury in these 
investigations, a hearing on the question of remedy will be held 
beginning at 9:30 a.m. on July 11, 1996. Requests to appear at the 
hearings on injury and remedy should be filed in writing with the 
Secretary to the Commission on or before May 16, 1996 and July 3, 1996, 
respectively.
    With regard to the hearings on injury and remedy, all persons 
desiring to appear at the hearings and make oral presentations should 
attend prehearing conferences to be held at 9:30 a.m. on May 21, 1996, 
and July 8, 1996, respectively, 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.
    Written submissions.--Inasmuch as the petitioner has alleged the 
existence of critical circumstances and has requested provisional 
relief, the Commission will, on April 8, 1996, release statistical data 
it has collected to that point in the investigations to enable parties 
to prepare briefs with respect to that issue. The deadline for briefs 
on provisional relief is April 12, 1996. The deadline for filing 
prehearing briefs on injury is May 23, 1996, and that for filing 
prehearing briefs on remedy, including any commitments pursuant to 19 
U.S.C. Sec. 2252(a)(6)(B), is July 8, 1996. The deadline for filing 
posthearing briefs on injury is June 6, 1996, and that for filing 
posthearing briefs on remedy is July 16, 1996.
    In addition, any person who has not entered an appearance as a 
party to the investigations may submit a written statement of 
information pertinent to the consideration of provisional relief on or 
before April 12, 1996, pertinent to the consideration of injury on or 
before June 6, 1996, and pertinent to the consideration of remedy on or 
before July 16, 1996. All written submissions must conform with the 
provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's rules; any submissions 
that contain CBI must also conform with the requirements of section 
201.6 of the rules.
    In accordance with section 201.16(c) of the rules, each document 
filed by a party to the investigations must be served on all other 
parties to the investigations (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.


[[Page 11063]]

    Authority: These investigations are being conducted under the 
authority of section 202 of the Trade Act of 1974 and section 302 of 
the North American Free Trade Implementation Act. This notice is 
published pursuant to section 206.3 of the Commission's rules.

    Issued: March 12, 1996.

    By order of the Commission.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-6351 Filed 3-15-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P