[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 159 (Friday, August 16, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53565-53567]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-20902]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-588-857]


Certain Welded Large Diameter Line Pipe From Japan: Preliminary 
Results of Changed Circumstances Review

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Preliminary results of changed circumstances review and notice 
of intent to revoke in part the antidumping duty order.

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SUMMARY: On June 10, 2002, the Department of Commerce (``the 
Department'') published a notice of initiation of a changed 
circumstances review and consideration of revocation, in part, of the 
antidumping duty order on welded large diameter line pipe from Japan 
with respect to certain welded large diameter line pipe as described 
below. See Certain Welded Large Diameter Line Pipe from Japan: Notice 
of Initiation of Changed Circumstances Review of the Antidumping Order, 
67 FR 39682 (June 10, 2002) (``Initiation Notice''). We now 
preliminarily revoke this order, in part, with respect to future 
entries of certain welded large diameter line pipe as describe below, 
based on the fact that domestic parties have expressed no interest in 
the continuation of the order with respect to these welded large 
diameter line pipes.

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 16, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shireen Pasha, Import Administration, 
International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th 
Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: 
(202) 482-0193.

The Applicable Statute and Regulations

    Unless otherwise indicated, all citations to the statute are 
references to

[[Page 53566]]

the provisions effective January 1, 1995, the effective date of the 
amendments made to the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (``the Act''), by 
the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. In addition, unless otherwise 
indicated, all citations to the Department's regulations are to the 
regulations as codified at 19 CFR part 351 (2002).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On December 6, 2001, the Department published in the Federal 
Register the antidumping duty order on certain welded large diameter 
line pipe from Japan. See Notice of Antidumping Duty Order: Certain 
Welded Large Diameter Line Pipe from Japan, 66 FR 63368 (December 6, 
2001) (``LDLP Order''). On April 17, 2002, BP America, Inc. (``BP 
America''), a U.S. importer, requested that the Department revoke in 
part the antidumping duty order on certain welded large diameter line 
pipe from Japan. Specifically, the U.S. importer requested that the 
Department revoke the order with respect to imports meeting the 
following specifications and sizes: In API grades X80 or above, having 
an outside diameter of 48 inches to and including 52 inches, and with a 
wall thickness of 0.90 inch or more; and, in API grades X100 or above, 
having an outside diameter of 48 inches to and including 52 inches, and 
with a wall thickness of 0.54 inch or more. BP America indicated that, 
based on its consultations with domestic producers, the domestic 
producers lack interest in producing these sizes.
    American Cast Iron Pipe Co., American Steel Pipe Division; Berg 
Steel Pipe Corp.; and Stupp Corp., the petitioners in the underlying 
sales at less-than-fair-value investigation (``the petitioners'') (See 
LDLP Order), filed a letter on May 7, 2002, partially consenting to BP 
America's request. However, on May 21, 2002, the petitioners filed 
another letter rescinding their initial response and fully consenting 
to exclusion of these products from the order, i.e. in API grades X80 
or above, having an outside diameter of 48 inches to and including 52 
inches, and with a wall thickness of 0.90 inch or more; and, in API 
grades X100 or above, having an outside diameter of 48 inches to and 
including 52 inches, and with a wall thickness of 0.54 inch or more. On 
June 10, 2002, the Department published a notice of initiation of a 
changed circumstances review of the antidumping duty order on certain 
welded large diameter line pipe from Japan, meeting the specifications 
mentioned above. See Initiation Notice.

Scope of Review

    The product covered by this antidumping order is certain welded 
carbon and alloy line pipe, of circular cross section and with an 
outside diameter greater than 16 inches, but less than 64 inches, in 
diameter, whether or not stencilled. This product is normally produced 
according to American Petroleum Institute (API) specifications, 
including Grades A25, A, B, and X grades ranging from X42 to X80, but 
can also be produced to other specifications. The product currently is 
classified under U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTSUS) item numbers 
7305.11.10.30, 7305.11.10.60, 7305.11.50.00, 7305.12.10.30, 
7305.12.10.60, 7305.12.50.00, 7305.19.10.30. 7305.19.10.60, and 
7305.19.50.00. Although the HTSUS item numbers are provided for 
convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope 
is dispositive. Specifically not included within the scope of this 
investigation is American Water Works Association (AWWA) specification 
water and sewage pipe and the following size/grade combinations; of 
line pipe:

--Having an outside diameter greater than or equal to 18 inches and 
less than or equal to 22 inches, with a wall thickness measuring 0.750 
inch or greater, regardless of grade.
--Having an outside diameter greater than or equal to 24 inches and 
less than 30 inches, with wall thickness measuring greater than 0.875 
inches in grades A, B, and X42, with wall thickness measuring greater 
than 0.750 inches in grades X52 through X56, and with wall thickness 
measuring greater than 0.688 inches in grades X60 or greater.
--Having an outside diameter greater than or equal to 30 inches and 
less than 36 inches, with wall thickness measuring greater than 1.250 
inches in grades A, B, and X42, with wall thickness measuring greater 
than 1.000 inches in grades X52 through X56, and with wall thickness 
measuring greater than 0.875 inches in grades X60 or greater.
--Having an outside diameter greater than or equal to 36 inches and 
less than 42 inches, with wall thickness measuring greater than 1.375 
inches in grades A, B, and X42, with wall thickness measuring greater 
than 1.250 inches in grades X52 through X56, and with wall thickness 
measuring greater than 1.125 inches in grades X60 or greater.
--Having an outside diameter greater than or equal to 42 inches and 
less than 64 inches, with a wall thickness measuring greater than 1.500 
inches in grades A, B, and X42, with wall thickness measuring greater 
than 1.375 inches in grades X52 through X56, and with wall thickness 
measuring greater than 1.250 inches in grades X60 or greater.
--Having an outside diameter equal to 48 inches, with a wall thickness 
measuring 1.0 inch or greater, in grades X-80 or greater.

Preliminary Results of Review and Intent To Revoke in Part the 
Antidumping Duty Order

    Pursuant to sections 751(d)(1) of the Act, the Department may 
revoke an antidumping or countervailing duty order, in whole or in 
part, based on a review under section 751(b) of the Act (i.e., a 
changed circumstances review). Section 751(b)(1) of the Act requires a 
changed circumstances review to be conducted upon receipt of a request, 
which shows changed circumstances sufficient to warrant a review. 
Section 351.222(g)(1) of the Department's regulations provides that the 
Department may revoke an order (in whole or in part) based on changed 
circumstances, if it determines that: (i) Producers accounting for 
substantially all of the production of the domestic like product to 
which the order (or part of the order to be revoked) pertains have 
expressed a lack of interest in the relief provided by the order, in 
whole or in part, or (ii) if other changed circumstances sufficient to 
warrant revocation exist.
    The Department preliminarily determines that it is appropriate to 
revoke the order, in part, on certain welded large diameter line pipe 
from Japan with respect to the specifications and sizes mentioned 
above, because (1) the petitioners have uniformly expressed that they 
do not want relief with respect to this particular sub-product, and (2) 
there have been no contrary expressions from the remainder of the known 
LDLP producers.
    Interested parties wishing to comment on these results may submit 
briefs to the Department no later than 30 days after the publication of 
this notice in the Federal Register. Parties will have five days 
subsequent to this due date to submit rebuttal comments, limited to the 
issues raised in those comments. Parties who submit comments or 
rebuttal comments in this proceeding are requested to submit with the 
argument (1) a statement of the issue and (2) a brief summary of the 
argument (no longer than five pages, including

[[Page 53567]]

footnotes). Any requests for a hearing must be filed within 30 days of 
the publication of this notice in the Federal Register.
    All written comments must be submitted in accordance with 19 CFR 
351.303, and must be served on all interested parties on the 
Department's service list. The Department will also issue its final 
results of review within 270 days after the date on which the changed 
circumstances review is initiated, in accordance with 19 CFR 
351.216(e), and will publish these results in the Federal Register. 
While the changed circumstances review is underway, the current 
requirement for a cash deposit of estimated antidumping duties on all 
subject merchandise, including the merchandise that is the subject of 
this changed circumstances review, will continue unless and until it is 
modified pursuant to the final results of this changed circumstances 
review or an administrative review.
    This notice is in accordance with sections 751(b)(1) and 777(i)(1) 
of the Act and 19 CFR 351.216 and 351.222.

    Dated: August 8, 2002.
Faryar Shirzad,
Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. 02-20902 Filed 8-15-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P