[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 227 (Monday, November 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68544-68546]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-20012]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-449-804]


Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bars From Latvia; Preliminary Results 
of the Sunset Review of Antidumping Duty Order

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


[[Page 68545]]


SUMMARY: On August 1, 2006, the Department of Commerce (``the 
Department'') initiated a sunset review of the antidumping duty order 
on steel concrete reinforcing bars from Latvia. On the basis of the 
notice of intent to participate by a domestic interested party and 
adequate responses filed on behalf of the domestic and respondent 
interested parties, the Department is conducting a full sunset review 
of the antidumping duty order pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff 
Act of 1930, as amended (``the Act'') and 19 CFR 351.218(e)(2)(i). As a 
result of this sunset review, the Department preliminarily finds that 
revocation of the antidumping duty order would be likely to lead to 
continuation or recurrence of dumping at the levels listed below in the 
section entitled ``Preliminary Results of Review.''

Effective Date:
    November 27, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Audrey R. Twyman, Damian Felton, or 
Brandon Farlander, AD/CVD Operations, Office 1, Import Administration, 
International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th 
Street & Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, 20230; telephone: 
202-482-3534, 202-482-0133, and 202-482-0182, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On August 1, 2006, the Department published its notice of 
initiation of the sunset review of the antidumping duty order on steel 
concrete reinforcing bars from Latvia, in accordance with section 
751(c) of the Act. See Initiation of Five-Year (``Sunset'') Reviews, 71 
FR 43443 (August 1, 2006) (``Notice of Initiation'').
    The Department received a notice of intent to participate from the 
following domestic parties: the Rebar Trade Action Coalition and its 
individual producer members, Nucor Corporation, CMC Steel Group, and 
Gerdau Ameristeel, as well as domestic producers TAMCO Steel and 
Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. (``Schnitzer'') (collectively 
``domestic interested parties''), within the deadline specified in 19 
CFR 351.218(d)(1)(i). The companies claimed interested party status 
under section 771(9)(C) of the Act, as manufacturers of a domestic-like 
product in the United States.
    The Department received a complete substantive response to the 
notice of initiation from the domestic interested parties within the 
30-day deadline specified in 19 CFR 351.218(d)(3)(i). In this response, 
Cascade Steel Rolling Mills, Inc. (``Cascade'') was substituted for 
Schnitzer as a domestic interested party. Cascade is a wholly owned 
subsidiary of Schnitzer. Also, Steel Dynamics, Inc. (``SDI'') was added 
as a domestic producer. Because SDI did not file a notice of intent to 
participate in this review, it is not eligible to file a substantive 
response. See 19 CFR 351.218(d)(iii)(A). Therefore, the domestic 
interested parties are now the Rebar Trade Action Coalition and its 
individual producer members Nucor Corporation, CMC Steel Group, and 
Gerdau Ameristeel, as well as TAMCO Steel, and Cascade.
    The Department received a complete substantive response from 
respondent interested party, Joint Stock Company Liepajas Metalurgs 
(``LM'' or the ``respondent interested party''), within the 30-day 
deadline specified in 19 CFR 351.218(d)(3)(i). On September 5, 2006, 
the Department received a rebuttal to Liepajas Metalurgs' substantive 
response from the domestic interested parties.
    19 CFR 351.218(e)(1)(ii)(A) provides that the Secretary normally 
will conclude that respondent interested parties have provided adequate 
response to a notice of initiation where the Department receives 
complete substantive responses from respondent interested parties 
accounting on average for more than 50 percent, by volume, or value, if 
appropriate, of the total exports of the subject merchandise to the 
United States over the five calendar years preceding the year of 
publication of the notice of initiation. On September 20, 2006, the 
Department found that LM accounted for more than 50 percent of exports 
by volume of the subject merchandise from Latvia to the United States. 
See Memorandum to Susan H. Kuhbach, Director, from Damian Felton 
entitled, ``Adequacy Determination in Antidumping Duty Sunset Review of 
Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bars from Latvia,'' (September 20, 2006). In 
accordance with 19 CFR 351.218(e)(2)(i), the Department determined to 
conduct a full sunset review of this antidumping duty order.
    The final results in the full sunset review of this antidumping 
duty order are due on or before March 29, 2007.

Scope of the Order

    The product covered by this order is all steel concrete reinforcing 
bars sold in straight lengths, currently classifiable in the Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule of the United States (``HTSUS'') under item numbers 
7214.20.00, 7228.30.8050, 7222.11.0050, 7222.30.0000, 7228.60.6000, 
7228.20.1000, or any other tariff item number. Specifically excluded 
are plain rounds (i.e., non-deformed or smooth bars) and rebar that has 
been further processed through bending or coating. HTSUS subheadings 
are provided for convenience and customs purposes. The written 
description of the scope of the order is dispositive.

Analysis of Comments Received

    All issues raised in this sunset review are addressed in the 
``Issues and Decision Memorandum for the Sunset Review of the 
Antidumping Duty Order on Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bars from Latvia; 
Preliminary Results,'' from Stephen J. Claeys, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary for Import Administration, to David M. Spooner, Assistant 
Secretary for Import Administration, dated November 20, 2006 
(``Decision Memo''), which is hereby adopted by this notice. The issues 
discussed in the Decision Memo include the likelihood of continuation 
or recurrence of dumping and the magnitude of the margin likely to 
prevail if the antidumping duty order were revoked. Parties can find a 
complete discussion of all issues raised in this sunset review and the 
corresponding recommendations in this public memo, which is on file in 
room B-099 of the main Department building. In addition, a complete 
version of the Decision Memo can be accessed directly on the Web at 
http://ia.ita.doc.gov/frn. The paper copy and electronic version of the 
Decision Memo are identical in content.

Preliminary Results of Review

    The Department preliminarily determines that revocation of the 
antidumping duty order on steel concrete reinforcing bars from Latvia 
is likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping at the 
following weighted-average margins:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Weighted-
            Manufacturers/Producers/Exporters             average margin
                                                             (percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joint Stock Company Liepajas Metalurgs..................           17.21
All Others..............................................           17.21
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Any interested party may request a hearing within 30 days of 
publication of this notice in accordance with 19 CFR 351.310(c). 
Interested parties may submit case briefs no later than 50 days after 
the date of publication of this notice, in accordance with 19 CFR 
351.309(c)(1)(i). Rebuttal briefs, which must be limited to issues 
raised in the case briefs, may be filed no later than 5 days after the 
case briefs, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.309(d)(1). Any hearing, if 
requested, will be held two days after rebuttal briefs are due, in 
accordance with 19 CFR 351.310(d)(1). The

[[Page 68546]]

Department will issue a notice of final results of this sunset review, 
which will include the results of its analysis of issues raised in any 
such briefs, no later than March 29, 2007.
    This five-year (``sunset'') review and notice are in accordance 
with sections 751(c), 752, and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

    Dated: November 20, 2006.
David M. Spooner,
Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. E6-20012 Filed 11-24-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P