[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 226 (Wednesday, November 22, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70364-70365]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-29894]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigations Nos. 701-TA-404-408 (Preliminary) and 731-TA-898-908 
(Preliminary)]


Hot-Rolled Steel Products From Argentina, China, India, 
Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Romania, South Africa, Taiwan, 
Thailand, and Ukraine

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 investigations Nos. 701-TA-404-408 (Preliminary) under section 
703(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671b(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 Argentina, India, 
Indonesia, South Africa, and Thailand of hot-rolled steel products, 
provided for in headings 7208, 7210, 7211, 7212, 7225, and 7226 of the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, that are alleged to be 
subsidized by the Governments of Argentina, India, Indonesia, South 
Africa, and Thailand. Notice is also hereby given of the institution of 
investigations and commencement of preliminary phase antidumping 
investigations Nos. 731-TA-898-908 (Preliminary) under section 733(a) 
of 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 Argentina, 
China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Romania, South 
Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, and Ukraine of hot-rolled steel products that 
are alleged to be sold in the United States at less than fair value. 
Unless the Department of Commerce extends the time for initiation 
pursuant to sections 702(c)(1)(B) and 732(c)(1)(B) of the Act (19 
U.S.C. 1671a(c)(1)(B) and 19 U.S.C. 1673a(c)(1)(B)), the Commission 
must reach preliminary determinations in countervailing duty and 
antidumping investigations in 45 days, or in this case by December 28, 
2000. The Commission's views are due at the Department of Commerce 
within five business days thereafter, or by January 5, 2001.
    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: November 13, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Woodley Timberlake (202-205-3188), 
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 on November 13, 2000, by Bethlehem Steel Corp. 
(Bethlehem, PA); Gallantin Steel Corp. (Ghent, KY); IPSCO Steel, Inc. 
(Lisle, IL); LTV Steel Company, Inc. (Cleveland, OH); National Steel 
Corp. (Mishawaka, IN); Nucor Corp. (Darlington, SC); Steel Dynamics, 
Inc. (Butler, IN); U.S. Steel Group (a unit of USX Corp.) (Pittsburgh, 
PA); Weirton Steel Corp. (Weirton, WV); and the Independent Steel 
Workers Union, a labor union representing the organized workers at 
Weirton Steel Corp.
    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 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 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. 
Sec. 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 
December 4, 2000, at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 
500 E Street SW, Washington, DC. Parties wishing to participate in the 
conference should contact Woodley Timberlake (202-205-3188) not later 
than November 29, 2000, to arrange for their appearance. Parties in 
support of the imposition of countervailing and 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

[[Page 70365]]

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 December 7, 2000, 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: November 15, 2000.

    By order of the Commission.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-29894 Filed 11-21-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P