[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 23, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51329-51330]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21500]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigations Nos. 731-TA-872-883 (Preliminary)]


Certain Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bars From Austria, Belarus, 
China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, Russia, 
Ukraine, and Venezuela

Determinations

    On the basis of the record \1\ developed in the subject 
investigations, the United States International Trade Commission 
determines, pursuant to section 733(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 
U.S.C. 1673b(a)), that there is a reasonable indication that a regional 
industry in the United States is materially injured or threatened with 
material injury by reason of imports from Belarus, China, Indonesia, 
Korea, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, and Ukraine of certain steel concrete 
reinforcing bars, provided for in subheading 7214.20.00 of the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States,\2\ that are alleged to 
be sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The 
Commission further

[[Page 51330]]

determines, pursuant to section 733(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 
U.S.C. 1673b(a)), that there is no reasonable indication that an 
industry in the United States is materially injured or threatened with 
material injury, or that the establishment of an industry in the United 
States is materially retarded, by reason of such imports from Japan.\3\ 
Finally, pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 1677(24)(A) the Commission determines 
that the subject imports from Austria, Russia, and Venezuela are 
negligible,\4\ and thereby, pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 1673b(a)(1), the 
Commission's investigations with respect to Austria, Russia, and 
Venezuela are terminated.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ The record is defined in sec. 207.2(f) of the Commission's 
Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 207.2(f)).
    \2\ For purposes of these investigations, certain steel concrete 
reinforcing bars are all steel concrete reinforcing bars (``rebar'') 
sold in straight lengths. Specifically excluded are plain rounds 
(i.e., non-deformed or smooth bars) and rebar that has been further 
processed through bending or coating.
    \3\ Commissioner Lynn M. Bragg dissenting.
    \4\ Commissioner Lynn M. Bragg dissenting. Commissioner Bragg 
finds that there is a potential that such imports from Austria, 
Russia, and Venezuela will imminently account for more than 7 
percent of the total import volume of all such merchandise such that 
there is a reasonable indication that a regional industry in the 
United States is threatened with material injury by reason of 
imports of the subject merchandise from Austria, Russia, and 
Venezuela that are alleged to be sold in the United States at LTFV.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Commencement of Final Phase Investigations

    Pursuant to section 207.18 of the Commission's rules, the 
Commission also gives notice of the commencement of the final phase of 
its investigations. The Commission will issue a final phase notice of 
scheduling which will be published in the Federal Register as provided 
in section 207.21 of the Commission's rules upon notice from the 
Department of Commerce (Commerce) of affirmative preliminary 
determinations in the investigations under section 733(b) of the Act, 
or, if the preliminary determinations are negative, upon notice of 
affirmative final determinations in the investigations under section 
735(a) of the Act. Parties that filed entries of appearance in the 
preliminary phase of the investigations need not enter a separate 
appearance for the final phase of the investigations. 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 Commission antidumping and countervailing duty 
investigations. The Secretary will prepare a public service list 
containing the names and addresses of all persons, or their 
representatives, who are parties to the investigations.

Background

    On June 28, 2000, petitions were filed with the Commission and the 
Department of Commerce by the Rebar Trade Action Coalition (RTAC) 
(Washington, DC) and its individual members \5\ alleging that a 
regional industry in the United States is materially injured or 
threatened with material injury by reason of LTFV imports of certain 
steel concrete reinforcing bars from Austria, Belarus, China, 
Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, and 
Venezuela. Accordingly, effective June 28, 2000, the Commission 
instituted antidumping duty investigations Nos. 731-TA-872-883 
(Preliminary).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ The members of RTAC are AmeriSteel (Tampa, FL); Auburn Steel 
Co., Inc. (Auburn, NY); Birmingham Steel Corp. (Birmingham, AL); 
Border Steel, Inc. (El Paso, TX); CMC Steel Group (Seguin, TX); 
Marion Steel Co. (Marion, OH); Riverview Steel (Glassport, PA); and 
Nucor Steel (Darlington, SC). Auburn Steel Co., Inc., is not a 
petitioner with respect to Indonesia and Japan.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Notice of the institution of the Commission's investigations and of 
a public conference to be held in connection therewith was given by 
posting copies of the notice in the Office of the Secretary, U.S. 
International Trade Commission, Washington, DC, and by publishing the 
notice in the Federal Register of July 7, 2000 (65 FR 42029). The 
conference was held in Washington, DC, on July 19, 2000, and all 
persons who requested the opportunity were permitted to appear in 
person or by counsel.
    The Commission transmitted its determinations in these 
investigations to the Secretary of Commerce on August 14, 2000. The 
views of the Commission are contained in USITC Publication 3343 (August 
2000), entitled Certain Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bars from Austria, 
Belarus, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, 
Russia, Ukraine, and Venezuela: Investigations Nos. 731-TA-872-883 
(Preliminary).

    Issued: August 17, 2000.

    By order of the Commission.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-21500 Filed 8-22-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-U