[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 23, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 74253]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-31655]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-288]


Ethyl Alcohol for Fuel Use: Determination of the Base Quantity of 
Imports

AGENCY: International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice of determination.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: December 15, 2003.
SUMMARY: Section 7 of the Steel Trade Liberalization Program 
Implementation Act of 1989 (``the Act''), as amended (19 U.S.C. 2703 
note), which concerns local feedstock requirements for fuel ethyl 
alcohol imported by the United States from CBERA-beneficiary countries, 
requires the Commission to determine annually the U.S. domestic market 
for fuel ethyl alcohol during the 12-month period ending on the 
preceding September 30. The domestic market determination made by the 
Commission is to be used to establish the ``base quantity'' of imports 
that can be imported with a zero percent local feedstock requirement. 
The base quantity to be used by the U.S. Customs Service in the 
administration of the law is the greater of 60 million gallons or 7 
percent of U.S. consumption as determined by the Commission. Beyond the 
base quantity of imports, progressively higher local feedstock 
requirements are placed on imports of fuel ethyl alcohol and mixtures 
from the CBERA-beneficiary countries.
    For the 12-month period ending September 30, 2003, the Commission 
has determined the level of U.S. consumption of fuel ethyl alcohol to 
be 2.67 billion gallons. Seven percent of this amount is 186.9 million 
gallons (these figures have been rounded). Therefore, the base quantity 
for 2004 should be 186.9 million gallons.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Devry Boughner (202) 205-3313, 
[email protected], in the Commission's Office of Industries. For 
information on legal aspects of the investigation contact Mr. William 
Gearhart, [email protected], of the Commission's Office of the 
General Counsel at (202) 205-3091.
    Hearing-impaired individuals are advised that information on this 
matter can be obtained by contacting our TDD terminal on (202) 205-
1810.
    Background: For purposes of making determinations of the U.S. 
market for fuel ethyl alcohol as required by section 7 of the Act, the 
Commission instituted Investigation No. 332-288, Ethyl Alcohol for Fuel 
Use: Determination of the Base Quantity of Imports, in March 1990. The 
Commission uses official statistics of the U.S. Department of Energy to 
make these determinations as well as the PIERS database of the Journal 
of Commerce, which is based on U.S. export declarations.
    Section 225 of the Customs and Trade Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-382, 
August 20, 1990) amended the original language set forth in the Steel 
Trade Liberalization Program Implementation Act of 1989. The amendment 
requires the Commission to make a determination of the U.S. domestic 
market for fuel ethyl alcohol for each year after 1989.

    Issued: December 18, 2003.

    By order of the Commission.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 03-31655 Filed 12-22-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P