[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 14, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2112-2113]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-831]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-122-838]


Certain Softwood Lumber Products from Canada: Extension of the 
Time Limit for the Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty 
Administrative Review

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

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 14, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Constance Handley at (202) 482-0631 or 
David Layton at (202) 482-0371, Office 5, AD/CVD Enforcement, Import 
Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 
20230.

Statutory Time Limits

    Section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the 
Act), requires the Department of Commerce (the Department) to complete 
the preliminary results of an administrative review within 245 days 
after the last day of the anniversary month of an order/finding for 
which a review is requested and the final results within 120 days after 
the date on which the preliminary results are published. However, if it 
is not practicable to complete the review within these time periods, 
section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act allows the Department to extend the 
time limit for the preliminary results to a maximum of 365 days after 
the last day of the anniversary month of an order/finding for which a 
review is requested, and for the final results to 180 days (or 300 days 
if the Department does not extend the time limit for the preliminary 
results) from the date of publication of the preliminary results.

Background

    On May 1, 2003, the Department published a notice of opportunity to 
request the first administrative review of this order. See Antidumping 
or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended Investigation; 
Opportunity to Request Administrative Review, 68

[[Page 2113]]

FR 23281 (May 1, 2003). On May 30, 2003, in accordance with 19 CFR 
351.213(b), the Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports Executive Committee 
(the petitioner) requested a review of producers/exporters of certain 
softwood lumber products. Also, between May 7, and June 2, 2003, 
Canadian producers requested a review on their own behalf or had a 
review of their company requested by a U.S. importer.
    On July 1, 2003, the Department of Commerce (the Department) 
published a notice of initiation of administrative review of the 
antidumping duty order on certain softwood lumber products from Canada, 
covering the period May 22, 2002, through April 30, 2003. See Notice of 
Initiation of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 68 FR 39059 (July 
1, 2003). The preliminary results are currently due no later than 
February 2, 2004.

Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results of Review

    We determine that it is not practicable to complete the preliminary 
results of this review within the original time limit due to a number 
of complex issues which must be addressed prior to the issuance of 
those results. For example, the Department must analyze the complex 
corporate structures and affiliations of the eight respondents in this 
review, including affiliated mills and other entities both in Canada 
and the United States. In addition, the Department must evaluate and 
address a myriad of issues pertaining to the allocation of production 
costs and the calculation of adjustments for differences in 
merchandise. Further, the Department needs to evaluate and resolve the 
complicated issue involving treatment of random length tally sales, 
which are defined as sales which contain multiple lengths, for which a 
blended (i.e. average) price has been reported by the respondents. 
Finally, as is our practice, the Department intends to conduct 
verification of the eight respondents prior to the issuance of the 
preliminary results. We estimate that the sales and cost of production 
verifications will take approximately two months to complete.
    Accordingly, the Department is extending the time limit for 
completion of the preliminary results of this administrative review 
until no later than June 1, 2004. We intend to issue the final results 
no later than 120 days after publication of the preliminary results 
notice.

    Dated: January 8, 2004.
Holly Kuga,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for AD/CVD Enforcement II.
[FR Doc. 04-831 Filed 1-13-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S