[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 231 (Monday, December 1, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72766-72767]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-28469]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

(A-580-861)


Certain Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Line Pipe from the 
Republic of Korea: Termination of Antidumping Duty Investigation

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

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 1, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Edwards or Dena Crossland, 
Office 7, AD/CVD Operations, Import Administration, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-
8029 or (202) 482-3362, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On April 3, 2008, the Department of Commerce (Department) received 
antidumping duty petitions filed in proper form by the petitioners for 
the imposition of antidumping duties on certain circular welded carbon 
quality steel line pipe (line pipe) from the Republic of Korea (Korea) 
and the People's Republic of China (PRC), alleging that line pipe from 
these countries were being sold, or were likely to be sold, in the 
United States at less than fair value. The petitioners are United 
States Steel Corporation, Maverick Tube Corporation, Tex-Tube Company, 
and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, 
Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, and 
AFL-CIO-CLC (collectively, Petitioners). On April 23, 2008, the 
Department initiated antidumping duty investigations of line pipe from 
Korea and the PRC. See Certain Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel 
Line Pipe From the Republic of Korea and the People's Republic of 
China: Initiation of Antidumping Duty Investigations, 73 FR 23188 
(April 29, 2008) (Initiation Notice).
    On June 3, 2008, the International Trade Commission preliminarily 
determined that there is a reasonable indication that an industry in 
the United States is materially injured or threatened with material 
injury by reason of imports of line pipe from Korea and the PRC. See 
Certain Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Line Pipe from China and 
Korea, 73 FR 31712 (June 3, 2008).
    On November 6, 2008, we published in the Federal Register the 
preliminary determination in the Korean investigation, concurrently 
postponing the final determination until no later than March 21, 2009. 
See Preliminary Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and 
Postponement of the Final Determination: Certain Circular Welded Carbon 
Quality Steel Line Pipe from the Republic of Korea, 73 FR 66020 
(November 6, 2008).

Scope of Investigation

    The merchandise that is the subject of this investigation is 
circular welded carbon quality steel pipe of a kind used for oil and 
gas pipelines (welded line pipe), not more than 406.4 mm (16 inches) in 
outside diameter, regardless of wall thickness, length, surface finish, 
end finish or stenciling.
    The term ``carbon quality steel'' includes both carbon steel and 
carbon steel mixed with small amounts of alloying elements that may 
exceed the individual weight limits for nonalloy steels imposed in the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). Specifically, 
the term ``carbon quality'' includes products in which (1) iron 
predominates by weight over each of the other contained elements, (2) 
the carbon content is 2 percent or less by weight and (3) none of the 
elements listed below exceeds the quantity by weight respectively 
indicated:
    (i) 2.00 percent of manganese,
    (ii) 2.25 percent of silicon,
    (iii) 1.00 percent of copper,
    (iv) 0.50 percent of aluminum,
    (v) 1.25 percent of chromium,
    (vi) 0.30 percent of cobalt,
    (vii) 0.40 percent of lead,
    (viii) 1.25 percent of nickel,
    (ix) 0.30 percent of tungsten,
    (x) 0.012 percent of boron,
    (xi) 0.50 percent of molybdenum,
    (xii) 0.15 percent of niobium,
    (xiii) 0.41 percent of titanium,
    (xiv) 0.15 percent of vanadium, or
    (xv) 0.15 percent of zirconium.
    Welded line pipe is normally produced to specifications published 
by the American Petroleum Institute (API) (or comparable foreign 
specifications) including API A-25, 5LA, 5LB, and X grades from 42 and 
above, and/or any other proprietary grades or non-graded material. 
Nevertheless, all pipe meeting the physical description set forth above 
that is of a kind used in oil and gas pipelines, including all 
multiple-stenciled pipe with an API line pipe stencil is covered by the 
scope of this investigation.
    The line pipe products that are the subject of this investigation 
are currently classifiable in the HTSUS under subheadings 
7306.19.10.10, 7306.19.10.50, 7306.19.51.10, and 7306.19.51.50. While 
HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, 
the written description of the scope of this investigation is 
dispositive.

Termination of Antidumping Duty Investigation

    On November 17, 2008, the Department received a letter from 
Petitioners notifying the Department that they are no longer interested 
in seeking relief and are withdrawing their petition on line pipe from 
Korea. Under section 734(a)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended 
(the Act), upon withdrawal of a petition, the administering authority 
may terminate an investigation after giving notice to all parties to 
the investigation. Further, 19 CFR 351.207(b)(1) states that the 
Department may terminate an investigation upon withdrawal of a 
petition, provided it concludes that termination is in the public 
interest. On November 18, 2008, we notified all interested parties to 
the investigation of our intent to terminate this investigation, and 
provided them an opportunity to comment on the proposed termination. 
See Memorandum to the File from Dena Crossland, Case Analyst, through 
Angelica L. Mendoza, Program Manager, Office 7, dated November 21, 
2008. We received no comments from any party to this investigation.
    As no party objects to this termination and the Department is not 
aware of any evidence to the contrary, the Department finds that 
termination of this investigation is in the public interest. As such, 
we are terminating this antidumping duty investigation and

[[Page 72767]]

will issue instructions directly to U.S. Customs and Border Protection 
(CBP) to terminate the suspension of liquidation of subject merchandise 
and release all bonds and any cash deposits that have been posted, 
where applicable.

Notification Regarding Administrative Protective Orders

    This notice serves as a reminder to parties subject to 
administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility 
concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under 
APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written 
notification of the return or destruction of APO materials or 
conversion to judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to 
comply with the regulations and the terms of an APO is a sanctionable 
violation.
    This determination and notice are published in accordance with 
section 734(a) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.207(b).

    Dated: November 21, 2008.
David M. Spooner,
Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-28469 Filed 11-28-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S