[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 50 (Friday, March 14, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12380-12381]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-6123]



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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. TA-204-9]


Steel: Monitoring Developments in the Domestic Industry

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution and scheduling of an investigation under section 
204(a) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2254(a)) (the Act).

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SUMMARY: The Commission instituted the investigation for the purpose of 
preparing the report to the President and the Congress required by 
section 204(a)(2) of the Trade Act of 1974 on the results of its 
monitoring of developments with respect to the domestic steel industry 
since the President imposed tariffs and tariff-rate quotas on imports 
of certain steel products,\1\ effective March 20, 2002.
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    \1\ Subheadings 9903.72.30 through 9903.74.24 of the Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule of the United States cover the steel products 
included in these safeguard measures as well as specifying products 
and sources excluded from the safeguard measures. In the 2003 HTS, 
subheadings 9903.72.30 through 9903.72.48 cover carbon and alloy 
steel slabs; subheadings 9903.72.50 through 9903.73.39 cover carbon 
and alloy steel flat-rolled products (including plates and other 
hot-rolled steel, cold-rolled steel other than grain-oriented steel, 
and clad, coated, and plated steel); subheadings 9903.73.42 through 
9903.73.62 cover certain carbon and alloy steel bars, rods, and 
light shapes; subheadings 9903.73.65 through 9903.73.71 cover carbon 
steel concrete reinforcing bars (rebars); subheadings 9903.73.74 
through 9903.73.86 cover certain carbon and alloy steel non-seamless 
pipes and tubes; subheadings 9903.73.88 through 9903.73.95 cover 
certain tube and pipe fittings; subheadings 9903.73.97 through 
9903.74.16 cover stainless steel bars, rods, angles, shapes, and 
sections; and subheadings 9903.74.18 through 9903.74.24 cover 
stainless steel wire.
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    For further information concerning the conduct of this 
investigation, 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 and F 
(19 CFR part 206).

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 5, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Haines (202-205-3200), 
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). The public record for this 
investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket 
(EDIS) at http://edis.usitc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background.--Following receipt of a report from the Commission in 
December 2001 under section 202 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
2252) containing affirmative determinations and remedy recommendations, 
the President, on March 5, 2002, pursuant to section 203 of the Trade 
Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2253), issued Proclamation 7529, imposing import 
relief in the form of tariffs and tariff-rate quotas on imports of 
certain steel products for a period of 3 years and 1 day, effective 
March 20, 2002. Section 204(a)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
2254(a)(1)) requires that the Commission, so long as any action under 
section 203 of the Trade Act remains in effect, monitor developments 
with respect to the domestic industry, including the progress and 
specific efforts made by workers and firms in the domestic industry to 
make a positive adjustment to import competition. Section 204(a)(2) 
requires, whenever the initial period of an action under section 203 of 
the Trade Act exceeds 3 years, that the Commission submit a report on 
the results of the monitoring under section 204(a)(1) to the President 
and the Congress not later than the mid-point of the initial period of 
the relief, or by September 19, 2003, in this case. Section 204(a)(3) 
requires that the Commission hold a hearing in the course of preparing 
each such report.
    Participation in the investigation and service list.--Persons 
wishing to participate in the investigation 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 21 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 this 
investigation upon the expiration of the period for filing entries of 
appearance.
    Limited disclosure of confidential business information (CBI).--
Pursuant to section 206.17 of the Commission's rules, the Secretary 
will make CBI gathered in this investigation available to authorized 
applicants under an administrative protective order (APO) issued in the 
investigation, provided that the application is made not later than 21 
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 CBI under the APO.
    Public hearings.--As required by statute, the Commission has 
scheduled hearings in connection with this investigation. The hearings 
will be held beginning at 9:30 a.m. on July 10, 2003 (stainless steel 
products), July 15, 2003 (carbon and alloy flat products), July 17, 
2003 (carbon and alloy long products), and July 22, 2003 (carbon and 
alloy tubular products), at the U.S. International Trade Commission 
Building, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC. Requests to appear at the 
hearings should be filed in writing with the Secretary to the 
Commission on or before June 20, 2003. Requests should identify the 
products to be addressed and the amount of time requested. All persons 
desiring to appear at the hearings and make oral presentations should 
attend a prehearing conference to be held at 9:30 a.m. on July 7, 2003, 
at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building. Oral testimony and 
written materials to be submitted at the hearings are governed by 
sections 201.6(b)(2) and 201.13(f) of the Commission's rules. Parties 
must submit any request to present a portion of their hearing testimony 
in camera no later than 7 days prior to the date of the hearing.
    Written submissions.--Each party is encouraged to submit a 
prehearing brief to the Commission. The deadline for filing prehearing 
briefs is July 2, 2003. Parties may also file posthearing briefs. The 
deadlines for filing posthearing briefs are July 18, 2003 (for material 
covered at the hearing on July 10, 2003), July 25, 2003 (for material 
covered at the hearings on July 15 and 17, 2003) and August 1, 2003 
(for material covered at the hearing on July 22, 2003). In addition, 
any person who has not entered an appearance as a party to the 
investigation may submit, on or before August 1, 2003, a written 
statement concerning the matters to be addressed in the Commission's 
report to the President. All written submissions must conform with the 
provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's rules; any submissions 
that contain confidential business information must also conform with 
the requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's rules. Any CBI 
that is provided will be subject to limited disclosure under the APO 
(see above) and may be included in the report that the Commission sends 
to the President. The Commission's rules do not authorize filing of 
submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or electronic

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means, except to the extent permitted by section 201.8 of the 
Commission's rules, as amended, 67 Fed. Reg. 68036 (November 8, 2002).
    In accordance with section 201.16(c) of the Commission's rules, 
each document filed by a party to the investigation must be served on 
all other parties to the investigation (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.

    Authority: This investigation is being conducted under the 
authority of section 204(a) of the Trade Act of 1974; this notice is 
published pursuant to section 206.3 of the Commission's rules.

    Dated: March 10, 2003.

    By order of the Commission.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 03-6123 Filed 3-13-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P