[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 240 (Friday, December 12, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75770-75771]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-29455]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-288]


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

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice of determination.

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SUMMARY: Section 423(c) of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, as amended (19 
U.S.C. 2703 note), requires the United States International Trade 
Commission to determine annually the amount (expressed in gallons) that 
is equal to 7 percent of the U.S. domestic market for fuel ethyl 
alcohol during the 12-month period ending on the preceding September 
30. This determination is to be used to establish the ``base quantity'' 
of imports of fuel ethyl alcohol with a zero percent local feedstock 
requirement that can be imported from U.S. insular possessions or 
CBERA-beneficiary countries. The base quantity to be used by U.S. 
Customs and Border Protection

[[Page 75771]]

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.
    For the 12-month period ending September 30, 2008, the Commission 
has determined the level of U.S. consumption of fuel ethyl alcohol to 
be 8.88 billion gallons; 7 percent of this amount is 621.5 million 
gallons (these figures have been rounded). Therefore, the base quantity 
for 2009 should be 621.5 million gallons.

ADDRESSES: All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing 
rooms, are located in the United States International Trade Commission 
Building, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC. All written submissions 
should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade 
Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20436. The public record 
for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic 
docket (EDIS) at http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/edis.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information specific to this 
investigation, contact project leader Douglas Newman (202) 205-3328, 
[email protected], in the Commission's Office of Industries. For 
information on legal aspects of the investigation contact William 
Gearhart, [email protected], of the Commission's Office of the 
General Counsel at (202) 205-3091. The media should contact Margaret 
O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations (202-205-1819 or 
[email protected]). Hearing-impaired individuals may obtain 
information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal 
at 202-205-1810. General information concerning the Commission may also 
be obtained by accessing its Internet server (http://www.usitc.gov). 
Persons with mobility impairments who will need special assistance in 
gaining access to the Commission should contact the Office of the 
Secretary at 202-205-2000.
    Background: Section 423(c) of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, as 
amended, which concerns local feedstock requirements for fuel ethyl 
alcohol imported by the United States from U.S. insular possessions or 
CBERA-beneficiary countries, requires that the Commission determine 
annually the amount that is equal to 7 percent of the U.S. domestic 
market for fuel ethyl alcohol. The Commission published its notice 
instituting this investigation in the Federal Register of March 21, 
1990 (55 FR 10512), and published its most recent previous 
determination for the 2008 amount in the Federal Register of December 
28, 2007 (72 FR 73883). 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.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: December 9, 2008.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
 [FR Doc. E8-29455 Filed 12-11-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P