[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 194 (Wednesday, October 7, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53926-53927]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26871]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigations Nos. 701-TA-384 and 731-TA-806-808 (Preliminary)]


Certain Hot-Rolled Steel Products From Brazil, Japan, and Russia

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of countervailing duty and antidumping 
investigations and scheduling of preliminary phase investigations.

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SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives notice of the institution of 
investigations and commencement of preliminary phase countervailing 
duty investigation No. 701-TA-384 (Preliminary) and antidumping 
investigations Nos. 731-TA-806-808 (Preliminary) under sections 703(a) 
and 733(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671b(a) and 19 U.S.C. 
1673b(a)) (the Act) to determine whether there is a reasonable 
indication that an industry in the United States is materially injured 
or threatened with material injury, or the establishment of an industry 
in the United States is materially retarded, by reason of imports from 
Brazil of certain hot-rolled steel products that are alleged to be 
subsidized by the Government of Brazil, and imports from Brazil, Japan, 
and Russia of certain hot-rolled steel products that are alleged to be 
sold in the United States at less than fair value.1 Unless 
the Department of Commerce extends the time for initiation pursuant to 
section 702(c)(1)(B) or 732(c)(1)(B) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 
1671a(c)(1)(B) or 19 U.S.C. 1673a(c)(1)(B)), the Commission must reach 
a preliminary determination in these investigations in 45 days, or in 
this case by November 16, 1998. The Commission's views are due at the 
Department of Commerce within five business days thereafter, or by 
November 23, 1998.
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    \1\ Such imports are provided for in headings 7208, 7210, 7211, 
7212, 7225, and 7226 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United 
States.
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    For further information concerning the conduct of these 
investigations 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 207, subparts A and B (19 CFR 
part 207).

EFFECTIVE DATE: September 30, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas Corkran (202-205-3177), 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).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    These investigations are being instituted in response to a petition 
filed

[[Page 53927]]

on September 30, 1998, by Bethlehem Steel Corp. (Bethlehem, PA), U.S. 
Steel Group, a unit of USX Corp. (Pittsburgh, PA); Ispat Inland Steel 
(East Chicago, IN); LTV Steel Co., Inc. (Cleveland, OH); National Steel 
Corp. (Mishawaka, IN); California Steel Industries (Fontana, CA); 
Gallatin Steel Co. (Ghent, KY); Geneva Steel (Vineyard, UT); Gulf 
States Steel, Inc. (Gadsden, AL); IPSCO Steel Inc. (Muscatine, IA); 
Steel Dynamics (Butler, IN); Weirton Steel Corp. (Weirton, WV); 
Independent Steelworkers Union Weirton, WV); and the United 
Steelworkers of America (Pittsburgh, PA).
    Participation in the investigations and public service list.--
Persons (other than petitioners) wishing to participate in the 
investigations as parties must file an entry of appearance with the 
Secretary to the Commission, as provided in sections 201.11 and 207.10 
of the Commission's rules, not later than seven days after publication 
of this notice in the Federal Register. Industrial users and (if the 
merchandise under investigation is sold at the retail level) 
representative consumer organizations have the right to appear as 
parties in these investigations. The Secretary will prepare a public 
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 business proprietary information (BPI) under 
an administrative protective order (APO) and BPI service list.--
Pursuant to section 207.7(a) of the Commission's rules, the Secretary 
will make BPI gathered in these investigations available to authorized 
applicants representing interested parties (as defined in 19 U.S.C. 
1677(9)) who are parties to the investigations under the APO issued in 
the investigations, provided that the application is made not later 
than seven days after the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register. A separate service list will be maintained by the Secretary 
for those parties authorized to receive BPI under the APO.
    Conference.--The Commission's Director of Operations has scheduled 
a conference in connection with these investigations for 9:30 a.m. on 
October 21, 1998, at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 
500 E Street SW, Washington, DC. Parties wishing to participate in the 
conference should contact Douglas Corkran (202-205-3177) not later than 
October 19, 1998, to arrange for their appearance. Parties in support 
of the imposition of antidumping duties in these investigations and 
parties in opposition to the imposition of such duties will each be 
collectively allocated one hour within which to make an oral 
presentation at the conference. A nonparty who has testimony that may 
aid the Commission's deliberations may request permission to present a 
short statement at the conference.
    Written submissions.--As provided in sections 201.8 and 207.15 of 
the Commission's rules, any person may submit to the Commission on or 
before October 26, 1998, a written brief containing information and 
arguments pertinent to the subject matter of the investigations. 
Parties may file written testimony in connection with their 
presentation at the conference no later than three days before the 
conference. If briefs or written testimony contain BPI, they must 
conform with the requirements of sections 201.6, 207.3, and 207.7 of 
the Commission's rules. The Commission's rules do not authorize filing 
of submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or electronic means.
    In accordance with sections 201.16(c) and 207.3 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 either the public 
or BPI 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: These investigations are being conducted under 
authority of title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930; this notice is 
published pursuant to section 207.12 of the Commission's rules.

    Issued: October 1, 1998.

    By order of the Commission.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-26871 Filed 10-6-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P