[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 155 (Thursday, August 12, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49862-49863]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-18455]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-570-897]


Postponement of Preliminary Determination of Antidumping Duty 
Investigation: Certain Circular Welded Carbon Quality Line Pipe From 
the People's Republic of China

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (``the Department'') is postponing 
the preliminary determination in the antidumping duty investigations of 
certain circular carbon quality line pipe from the People's Republic of 
China (``PRC'') until no later than September 29, 2004. This 
postponement is made pursuant to section 733(c)(1)(B) of the Tariff Act 
of 1930, as amended (``the Act'').

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 12, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Williams or Jim Nunno, at (202) 
482-4619 or (202) 482-0783, respectively, Import Administration, 
International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th 
Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On March 23, 2004, the Department initiated antidumping duty 
investigations of imports of certain circular welded carbon quality 
line pipe (``line pipe'') from Mexico, the Republic of Korea 
(``Korea''), and the PRC. See Notice of Initiation of Antidumping Duty 
Investigations: Certain Circular Welded Carbon Quality Line Pipe from 
Mexico, the Republic of Korea, and the People's Republic of China, 69 
FR 16521 (March 30, 2004) (``Initiation Notice''). Section 733(b) of 
the Act requires the Department to make a preliminary determination no 
later than 140 days after the date of initiation. On July 21, 2004, the 
Department extended the preliminary determinations of the line pipe 
investigations for Mexico and Korea in accordance with section 
733(c)(1)(B) of the Act. See Postponement of Preliminary Determinations 
of Antidumping Duty Investigations: Certain Circular Welded Carbon 
Quality Line Pipe from Mexico and the Republic of Korea 69 FR 44641 
(July 27, 2004). The preliminary determinations in the investigation of 
line pipe with respect to Mexico and Korea are now due not later than 
September 29, 2004.
    On August 5, 2004, the Department received a request from American 
Steel Pipe Division of ACIPC, IPSCO Tubulars Inc., Lone Star Steel 
Company, Maverick Tube Corporation, Northwest Pipe Company, and Stupp 
Corporation, petitioners in these investigations, a request for an 
extension of the preliminary determination with respect to line pipe 
from the PRC. See Letter from Petitioners requesting an extension of 
the preliminary determination on certain circular welded carbon quality 
line pipe from China, dated August 5, 2004 (``Extension Request'').

Postponement of Preliminary Determinations

    19 CFR 351.205(e) states that a petitioner can request a 
postponement of the preliminary determination 25 days or more before 
the scheduled date of the preliminary determination and must state the 
reasons for the request. Notification of such a postponement will be 
given by the Department no later than 20 days before the scheduled date 
of the preliminary determination. See 19 CFR 351.205(f).
    Although the petitioners' request was filed beyond the deadline of 
25 days and this notice to the parties is delayed, pursuant to 19 CFR 
351.302(b), the Department ``may, for good cause, extend any time limit 
established by this Part.'' In this instance, the

[[Page 49863]]

Department finds good cause to extend the time limit for notification 
of the extension of the preliminary determination for the reasons 
stated below.
    To begin, the period of investigation (``POI'') in the line pipe 
investigation of the PRC, a non-market economy (``NME''), is July 1, 
2003, through December 31, 2003. In NME cases, the Department values 
data using prices from a comparable market economy that is a 
significant producer of comparable merchandise. However, the 
availability of such prices that are properly contemporaneous with the 
POI is limited at this time. The Department needs additional time in 
order for the Department to have contemporaneous information from a 
comparable market economy on the record to corroborate properly the 
secondary information to be used as the basis of the margin for the PRC 
entity.
    In addition, as stated in the Extension Request, the U.S. 
International Trade Commission (``ITC'') reached its affirmative 
preliminary injury determination for Mexico, Korea, and the PRC on May 
3, 2004. Were the Department to proceed with its preliminary 
determination with respect to the PRC, it would be necessary that the 
ITC issue a separate final determination for the PRC, much earlier than 
with respect to Mexico and Korea. The petitioners in this investigation 
have requested that the Department align these cases at its preliminary 
determination to eliminate the necessity for separate ITC 
determinations. In the interest of administrative efficiency, the 
Department concludes that the Mexico, Korea, and PRC cases should 
remain on a consistent timeline.
    For the reasons identified above, we are postponing the preliminary 
determinations under Section 733(c)(1)(A) of the Act by 50 days, to no 
later than September 29, 2004. The deadline for the final 
determinations will continue to be 75 days after the date of the 
preliminary determinations. This notice is issued and published 
pursuant to sections 733(f) and 777(i) of the Act.

    Dated: August 6, 2004.
Joseph A. Spetrini,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. 04-18455 Filed 8-11-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P