[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 17 (Wednesday, January 28, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4929-4936]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1721]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

(A-570-939)


Certain Tow Behind Lawn Groomers and Certain Parts Thereof from 
the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Determination of Sales at 
Less Than Fair Value and Postponement of Final Determination

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

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 28, 2009.
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (the ``Department'') preliminarily 
determines that certain tow behind lawn groomers and certain parts 
thereof (``lawn groomers'') from the People's Republic of China 
(``PRC'') are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at 
less than fair value (``LTFV''), as provided in section 733(b) of the 
Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the ``Act''). The estimated dumping 
margins are shown in the ``Preliminary Determination Margins'' section 
of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karine Gziryan or Thomas Martin, AD/
CVD Operations, Office 4, Import Administration, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-
4081or (202) 482-3936, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On June 24, 2008, the Department received a petition concerning 
imports of certain non-motorized tow behind lawn groomers and certain 
parts thereof from the PRC filed in proper form by Agri-Fab Inc. 
(``Agri-Fab'', hereafter referred to as ``Petitioner''). See Petition 
for the Imposition of Antidumping Duties: Certain Tow Behind Lawn 
Groomers and Parts Thereof from the People's Republic of China, dated 
June 24, 2008 (``Petition''). The Department initiated an antidumping 
duty investigation of lawn groomers from the PRC on July 21, 2008. See 
Certain Tow Behind Lawn Groomers and Certain Parts Thereof from the 
People's Republic of China: Initiation of Antidumping Duty 
Investigation, 73 FR 42315 (July 21, 2008) (``Initiation Notice'').
    On July 14, 2008, the Department requested quantity and value 
(``Q&V'') information from the twelve companies that were identified in 
the Petition as potential producers or exporters of lawn groomers from 
the PRC. See Exhibit I-19 of the Petition. The Department received 
timely responses to its Q&V questionnaire from the following companies: 
Qingdao Huatian Hand Truck Co., Ltd., Jiashan Superpower Tools Co., 
Ltd., T.N. International, Inc., Nantong Duobang Machinery Co., Ltd., 
and Princeway Furniture (Dong Guan) Co., Ltd. Five companies to which 
the Department sent the Q&V questionnaire received the questionnaire 
but did not respond. These non-responsive companies were: Hangzhou 
Geesun International Co., Ltd., Qingdao Huandai Tools Co., Ltd., 
Qingdao Taifa Group Co., Ltd., Maxchief Investments Ltd., and Qingdao 
EA Huabang Instrument Co., Ltd.
    With regard to two additional companies, World Factory, Inc., and 
Sidepin, Ltd., on July 21, 2008, we spoke with Federal Express, via 
telephone, and were informed that, although World Factory, Inc., 
originally accepted delivery of the Q&V questionnaire, it ultimately 
rejected our mailing and returned the package to Federal Express. In 
addition, on July 21, 2008, we spoke via telephone with DHL and were 
informed that DHL was unable to deliver our mailing to Sidepin, Ltd., 
due to a ``bad address.''\1\ See Memorandum to The File, from Maisha 
Cryor, Senior Import Compliance Specialist, Regarding ``Certain Tow 
Behind Lawn Groomers and Certain Parts Thereof from the People's 
Republic of China: Summary of Issuance of Quantity and Value 
Questionnaires,'' dated July 21, 2008.
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    \1\ The petitioner provided contact information for the twelve 
Chinese producers/exporters of lawn groomers named in the Petition. 
See Petition at Exhibit I-19. However, upon noticing that several of 
the addresses provided were incomplete, the Department asked the 
petitioner to update the aforementioned contact information to 
account for full addresses, e.g., contact name, postal code, street 
names and numbers, etc. See the Department's July 3, 2008, 
supplemental questionnaire at 3. In response, the petitioner 
provided updated contact information, but noted that this 
information represented its ``best attempt using reasonably 
available information to update the Chinese manufacturer and 
exporter contact information.'' See Supplement to the Petition at 2 
and Exhibit 2, dated July 8, 2008.
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    On August 21, 2008, the International Trade Commission (``ITC'') 
preliminarily determined that there is a reasonable indication that an 
industry in the United States is materially injured by reason of 
imports of lawn groomers from the PRC. See CertainTow-Behind Lawn 
Groomers and Certain Parts Thereof from China Determinations 
Investigation Nos. 701-TA-457 and 731-TA-1153 (Preliminary), 73 FR 
49489 (August 21, 2008).
    On August 18, 2008, the Department selected Jiashan Superpower 
Tools Co., Ltd. (``Superpower''), and Princeway Furniture (Dong Guan) 
Co., Ltd. (``Princeway''), as mandatory respondents and issued 
antidumping duty questionnaires to the companies. See Memorandum 
regarding ``Selection of Respondents for the Antidumping Duty 
Investigation of Certain Tow Behind Lawn Groomers and Parts Thereof 
from the People's Republic of China,'' dated August 18, 2008 
(``Respondent Selection Memorandum'').
    Superpower and Princeway submitted timely responses to the 
Department's antidumping duty questionnaire on September 24, 2008, and 
October 14, 2008, respectively. On July 23, 2008, and July 30, 2008, 
the Department received separate-rate applications from Nantong D&B 
Machinery Co., Ltd., and Qingdao Huatian Truck Co., Ltd., respectively.
    The Department issued supplemental questionnaires to, and received 
responses from, Superpower and Princeway from September through 
December 2008. Petitioner submitted comments to the Department 
regarding Princeway's and Superpower's responses to sections C and D of 
the antidumping duty questionnaire on October 24, 2008 and additional 
comments on Princeway's submissions on December 2, 2008.
    On September 30, 2008, the Department released a memorandum to 
interested parties which listed potential surrogate countries and 
invited interested parties to comment on surrogate country and 
surrogate value selection. See Memorandum to All Interested Parties 
Regarding Antidumping Duty Investigation of Certain Tow Behind Lawn 
Groomers and Certain Parts Thereof from the People's Republic of China 
(``PRC''). On October 17, 2008, and October 28, 2008, Petitioner and 
Princeway submitted comments and rebuttal comments,

[[Page 4930]]

respectively, on the appropriate surrogate country and surrogate 
values.
    On November 5, 2008, the Petitioner made a request for a 50-day 
postponement of the preliminary determination. On November 17, 2008, 
the Department extended this preliminary determination by fifty days. 
See Certain Tow Behind Lawn Groomers and Certain Parts Thereof from the 
People's Republic of China: Postponement of Preliminary Determination 
of Antidumping Duty Investigation, 73 FR 67836 (November 17, 2008).

Period of Investigation

    The period of investigation (``POI'') is October 1, 2007, through 
March 31, 2008. This period corresponds to the two most recent fiscal 
quarters prior to the month of the filing of the petition, i.e., June 
2008. See 19 CFR 351.204(b)(1).

Scope of the Investigation

    The scope of this investigation covers certain non-motorized tow 
behind lawn groomers (``lawn groomers''), manufactured from any 
material, and certain parts thereof. Lawn groomers are defined as lawn 
sweepers, aerators, dethatchers, and spreaders. Unless specifically 
excluded, lawn groomers that are designed to perform at least one of 
the functions listed above are included in the scope of these 
investigations, even if the lawn groomer is designed to perform 
additional non-subject functions (e.g., mowing).
    All lawn groomers are designed to incorporate a hitch, of any 
configuration, which allows the product to be towed behind a vehicle. 
Lawn groomers that are designed to incorporate both a hitch and a push 
handle, of any type, are also covered by the scope of these 
investigations. The hitch and handle may be permanently attached or 
removable, and they may be attached on opposite sides or on the same 
side of the lawn groomer. Lawn groomers designed to incorporate a 
hitch, but where the hitch is not attached to the lawn groomer, are 
also included in the scope of the investigations.
    Lawn sweepers consist of a frame, as well as a series of brushes 
attached to an axle or shaft which allows the brushing component to 
rotate. Lawn sweepers also include a container (which is a receptacle 
into which debris swept from the lawn or turf is deposited) supported 
by the frame. Aerators consist of a frame, as well as an aerating 
component that is attached to an axle or shaft which allows the 
aerating component to rotate. The aerating component is made up of a 
set of knives fixed to a plate (known as a ``plug aerator''), a series 
of discs with protruding spikes (a ``spike aerator''), or any other 
configuration, that are designed to create holes or cavities in a lawn 
or turf surface. Dethatchers consist of a frame, as well as a series of 
tines designed to remove material (e.g., dead grass or leaves) or other 
debris from the lawn or turf. The dethatcher tines are attached to and 
suspended from the frame. Lawn spreaders consist of a frame, as well as 
a hopper (i.e., a container of any size, shape, or material) that holds 
a media to be spread on the lawn or turf. The media can be distributed 
by means of a rotating spreader plate that broadcasts the media 
(``broadcast spreader''), a rotating agitator that allows the media to 
be released at a consistent rate (``drop spreader''), or any other 
configuration.
    Lawn dethatchers with a net fully-assembled weight (i.e., without 
packing, additional weights, or accessories) of 100 pounds or less are 
covered by the scope of the investigations. Other lawn groomers-
sweepers, aerators, and spreaders-with a net fully-assembled weight 
(i.e., without packing, additional weights, or accessories) of 200 
pounds or less are covered by the scope of the investigations.
    Also included in the scope of the investigations are modular units, 
consisting of a chassis that is designed to incorporate a hitch, where 
the hitch may or may not be included, which allows modules that perform 
sweeping, aerating, dethatching, or spreading operations to be 
interchanged. Modular units-when imported with one or more lawn 
grooming modules-with a fully assembled net weight (i.e., without 
packing, additional weights, or accessories) of 200 pounds or less when 
including a single module, are included in the scope of the 
investigations. Modular unit chasses, imported without a lawn grooming 
module and with a fully assembled net weight (i.e., without packing, 
additional weights, or accessories) of 125 pounds or less, are also 
covered by the scope of the investigations. When imported separately, 
modules that are designed to perform subject lawn grooming functions 
(i.e., sweeping, aerating, dethatching, or spreading), with a fully 
assembled net weight (i.e., without packing, additional weights, or 
accessories) of 75 pounds or less, and that are imported with or 
without a hitch, are also covered by the scope.
    Lawn groomers, assembled or unassembled, are covered by these 
investigations. For purposes of these investigations, ``unassembled 
lawn groomers'' consist of either 1) all parts necessary to make a 
fully assembled lawn groomer, or 2) any combination of parts, 
constituting a less than complete, unassembled lawn groomer, with a 
minimum of two of the following ``major components'':
    1) an assembled or unassembled brush housing designed to be used in 
a lawn sweeper, where a brush housing is defined as a component housing 
the brush assembly, and consisting of a wrapper which covers the brush 
assembly and two end plates attached to the wrapper;
    2) a sweeper brush;
    3) an aerator or dethatcher weight tray, or similar component 
designed to allow weights of any sort to be added to the unit;
    4) a spreader hopper;
    5) a rotating spreader plate or agitator, or other component 
designed for distributing media in a lawn spreader;
    6) dethatcher tines;
    7) aerator spikes, plugs, or other aerating component; or
    8) a hitch.
    The major components or parts of lawn groomers that are 
individually covered by these investigations under the term ``certain 
parts thereof'' are: (1) brush housings, where the wrapper and end 
plates incorporating the brush assembly may be individual pieces or a 
single piece; and (2) weight trays, or similar components designed to 
allow weights of any sort to be added to a dethatcher or an aerator 
unit.
    The products for which relief is sought specifically exclude the 
following: 1) agricultural implements designed to work (e.g., churn, 
burrow, till, etc.) soil, such as cultivators, harrows, and plows; 2) 
lawn or farm carts and wagons that do not groom lawns; 3) grooming 
products incorporating a motor or an engine for the purpose of 
operating and/or propelling the lawn groomer; 4) lawn groomers that are 
designed to be hand held or are designed to be attached directly to the 
frame of a vehicle, rather than towed; 5) ``push'' lawn grooming 
products that incorporate a push handle rather than a hitch, and which 
are designed solely to be manually operated; 6) dethatchers with a net 
assembled weight (i.e., without packing, additional weights, or 
accessories) of more than 100 pounds, or lawn groomers-sweepers, 
aerators, and spreaders-with a net fully-assembled weight (i.e., 
without packing, additional weights, or accessories) of more than 200 
pounds; and 7) lawn rollers designed to flatten grass and turf, 
including lawn rollers which

[[Page 4931]]

incorporate an aerator component (e.g., ``drum-style'' spike aerators).
    The lawn groomers that are the subject of these investigations are 
currently classifiable in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United 
States (``HTSUS'') statistical reporting numbers 8432.40.0000, 
8432.80.0000, 8432.80.0010, 8432.90.0030, 8432.90.0080, 8479.89.9896, 
8479.89.9897, 8479.90.9496, and 9603.50.0000. These HTSUS provisions 
are given for reference and customs purposes only, and the description 
of merchandise is dispositive for determining the scope of the product 
included in these investigations.

Scope Comments

    In accordance with the preamble to the Department's regulations, we 
set aside a period of time in our Initiation Notice for parties to 
raise issues regarding product coverage, and encouraged all parties to 
submit comments within 21 calendar days of issuance of that notice. See 
Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, 62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 
1997) and Initiation Notice, 73 FR at 42316. On December 30, 2008, 
Brinly-Hardy Company (``Brinly-Hardy''), a domestic producer of the 
subject merchandise, submitted comments on the scope of the 
investigation. We have given all interested parties an opportunity to 
submit comments. See Memorandum from Thomas Martin, International Trade 
Compliance Analyst, to file, ``Deadline for Comments on Brinly-Hardy 
Company's December 30, 2008 Submission: Antidumping Duty Investigation 
of Certain Tow Behind Lawn Groomers from the People's Republic of 
China,'' dated January 5, 2009. We will evaluate the comments for the 
final results.

Non-Market Economy Treatment

    The Department considers the PRC to be a non-market economy 
(``NME'') country. In accordance with section 771(18)(C)(i) of the Act, 
any determination that a country is an NME country shall remain in 
effect until revoked by the administering authority. See, e.g., Tapered 
Roller Bearings and Parts Thereof (TRBs), Finished and Unfinished, From 
the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of 2001-2002 
Administrative Review and Partial Rescission of Review, 68 FR 7500 
(February 14, 2003), unchanged in TRBs, Finished and Unfinished, from 
the People's Republic of China: Final Results of 2001-2002 
Administrative Review and Partial Rescission of Review, 68 FR 70488 
(December 18, 2003). The Department has not revoked the PRC's status as 
an NME country. Therefore, in this preliminary determination, we have 
treated the PRC as an NME country and applied our current NME 
methodology.

Selection of a Surrogate Country

    In antidumping proceedings involving NME countries, where the 
available information does not allow the Department to determine normal 
value (``NV'') pursuant to section 773(a) of the Act, the Department 
will base NV on the value of the NME producer's factors of production. 
See section 773(c)(1) of the Act. In accordance with section 773(c)(4) 
of the Act, in valuing the factors of production, the Department shall 
utilize, to the extent possible, the prices or costs of factors of 
production in one or more market economy countries that are at a level 
of economic development comparable to that of the NME country and are 
significant producers of merchandise comparable to the subject 
merchandise. The Department has determined that India, Indonesia, the 
Philippines, Colombia, and Thailand are countries that are at a level 
of economic development comparable to that of the PRC. See Memorandum 
regarding Request for a List of Surrogate Countries for the Antidumping 
Duty Investigation of Tow-Behind Lawn Groomers (``TBLG'') from the 
People's Republic of China (``PRC'')'' dated September 30, 2008 
(``Policy Memorandum'').
    As noted above, in October 2008, Petitioner and Princeway submitted 
comments on the appropriate surrogate country. In their comments, each 
party stated that India satisfies the statutory criteria for surrogate 
country selection because it is at a comparable level of economic 
development with the PRC and it is a significant producer of comparable 
merchandise that is sufficiently similar to the subject merchandise. 
However, since India does not produce or export lawn groomers, 
Petitioner and Princeway disagreed on the definition of what 
constitutes comparable merchandise. In its comments, Petitioner claimed 
that hand trucks represent the most comparable merchandise to lawn 
groomers. Princeway, in its comments, argued that agricultural 
implements should be used as comparable merchandise.
    After evaluating interested parties' comments, the Department 
selected India as the surrogate country for this investigation and 
decided that because the lawn groomers and hand trucks industries use 
many of the same raw material inputs and similar production processes, 
hand trucks constitute comparable merchandise. For further discussion, 
see Memorandum from Zhulieta Willbrand, International Trade Compliance 
Analyst, to Abdelali Elouaradia, Office Director, ``Antidumping Duty 
Investigation of Certain Tow Behind Lawn Groomers and Certain Parts 
Thereof from the People's Republic of China: Selection of a Surrogate 
Country,'' dated January 21, 2009. In sum, the Department determined 
that: 1) India is at a level of economic development comparable to that 
of the PRC; and 2) India is a significant producer of merchandise 
comparable to the subject merchandise. Upon the publication of the 
preliminary results, the Department notes that interested parties may 
submit additional information on comparable merchandise within the 
confines of the new factual information submission deadlines. See 19 
CFR 351.301(b)(1).

Separate Rates

    In the Initiation Notice, the Department notified parties of the 
application process by which exporters and producers may obtain 
separate-rate status in NME investigations. See Initiation Notice, 73 
FR at 42318-19. The process requires exporters and producers to submit 
a separate-rate status application. See Policy Bulletin 05.1: Separate-
Rates Practice and Application of Combination Rates in Antidumping 
Investigations involving Non-Market Economy Countries, (April 5, 2005) 
(``Policy Bulletin 05.1''), available at http://ia.ita.doc.gov/policy/bull05-1.pdf. However, the standard for eligibility for a separate 
rate, which is whether a firm can demonstrate an absence of both de 
jure and de facto governmental control over its export activities, has 
not changed.
    In proceedings involving NME countries, the Department begins with 
a rebuttable presumption that all companies within the country are 
subject to government control and thus should be assessed a single 
antidumping duty rate. It is the Department's practice to assign all 
exporters of merchandise subject to investigation in an NME country 
this single rate unless an exporter can demonstrate that it is 
sufficiently independent so as to be entitled to a separate rate. 
Exporters can demonstrate this independence through the absence of both 
de jure and de facto governmental control over export activities. The 
Department analyzes each entity exporting the subject merchandise under 
a test arising from the Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair 
Value: Sparklers from the People's Republic of China, 56 FR 20588 (May 
6, 1991) (``Sparklers''), as further developed in Notice of Final

[[Page 4932]]

Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: Silicon Carbide from 
the People's Republic of China, 59 FR 22585 (May 2, 1994) (``Silicon 
Carbide''). In accordance with the separate-rate criteria, the 
Department assigns separate rates in NME cases only if respondents can 
demonstrate the absence of both de jure and de facto governmental 
control over export activities.
    Two separate rate applicants, Qingdao Huatian Truck Co., Ltd. 
(``Huatian''), and Nantong D & B Machinery Co., Ltd. (``Nantong''), and 
one mandatory respondent, Superpower, stated that they are partially 
Chinese-owned companies. Therefore, the Department must analyze whether 
the mandatory respondent and separate rate applicants can demonstrate 
the absence of both de jure and de facto governmental control over 
export activities. Each company provided company-specific information 
to demonstrate that it operates free from de jure and de facto 
government control, and therefore, is entitled to a separate rate.
    An additional mandatory respondent, Princeway, provided company-
specific separate-rate information and stated that the standards for 
the assignment of separate rates have been met because it is a 
privately-owned company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands and 
based in Hong Kong. See Princeway's ``Separate Rate Application,'' 
dated September 19, 2008, and ``Separate Rate Application Supplemental 
Response Questionnaire,'' dated October 21, 2008. Because Princeway is 
foreign owned, it is not necessary to undertake additional separate-
rates analysis for the Department to determine that the export 
activities of Princeway are independent from the PRC government's 
control. Accordingly, Princeway is eligible for a separate rate. See, 
e.g., Brake Rotors From the People's Republic of China: Final Results 
of the Tenth New Shipper Review, 69 FR 52228 (August 25, 2004).

Absence of De Jure Control

    The Department considers the following de jure criteria in 
determining whether an individual company may be granted a separate 
rate: (1) an absence of restrictive stipulations associated with an 
individual exporter's business and export licenses; (2) any legislative 
enactments decentralizing control of companies; and (3) other formal 
measures by the government decentralizing control of companies. See 
Sparklers, 56 FR at 20589.
    The evidence provided by Huatian, Nantong and Superpower indicates 
that there are no restrictive stipulations associated with their export 
and/or business licenses and that there are legislative enactments 
decentralizing control of the companies. The Department's analysis of 
the record evidence supports a preliminary finding of absence of de 
jure control. See ``Response to the Separate Rate Application'', dated 
September 4, 2008, ``Response to the Separate Rate Application 
Supplemental Questionnaire,'' dated September 27, 2008, and ``Response 
to the Separate Rate Application Supplemental Questionnaire dated 
October 7, 2008,'' dated October 15, 2008, from Nantong (``Nantong's 
SRA''). See also ``Huatian's Separate Rate Application,'' dated 
September 29, 2008, ``Response to the Separate Rate Application 
Supplemental Questionnaire,'' dated October 9, 2008, and ``Response to 
the Separate Rate Application Supplemental Questionnaire,'' dated 
November 4, 2008 (``Huatian's SRA''). For Superpower, see ``Response to 
the Separate Rate Application,'' dated September 24, 2008, and 
``Response to the Separate Rate Application Supplemental 
Questionnaire,'' dated October 23, 2008 (``Superpower's SRA'').

Absence of De Facto Control

    Typically the Department considers four factors in evaluating 
whether each respondent is subject to de facto governmental control of 
its export functions: (1) whether the export prices are set by or are 
subject to the approval of a governmental agency; (2) whether the 
respondent has authority to negotiate and sign contracts and other 
agreements; (3) whether the respondent has autonomy from the government 
in making decisions regarding the selection of management; and (4) 
whether the respondent retains the proceeds of its export sales and 
makes independent decisions regarding disposition of profits or 
financing of losses. See Silicon Carbide, 59 FR at 22586-87; see also 
Notice of Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: 
Furfuryl Alcohol From the People's Republic of China, 60 FR 22544, 
22545 (May 8, 1995). The Department has determined that an analysis of 
de facto control is critical in determining whether respondents are, in 
fact, subject to a degree of governmental control which would preclude 
the Department from assigning separate rates.
    In this case, we determine that the evidence on the record supports 
a preliminary finding of de facto absence of governmental control with 
respect to Huatian, Nantong and Superpower based on record statements 
and supporting documentation showing that the companies: (1) set their 
own export prices independent of the government and without the 
approval of a government authority; (2) retain their proceeds from 
sales and make independent decisions regarding disposition of profits 
or financing of losses; (3) have the authority to negotiate and sign 
contracts and other agreements; and (4) have autonomy from the 
government regarding the selection of management. See Nantong's SRA, 
Huatian's SRA and Superpower's SRA.
    The evidence placed on the record of this investigation by Huatian, 
Nantong and Superpower demonstrates an absence of de jure and de facto 
government control with respect to these exporters' sales of the 
merchandise under investigation, in accordance with the criteria 
identified in Sparklers and Silicon Carbide. Therefore, we have 
preliminarily granted a separate rate to all three exporters. The 
Department has calculated company-specific dumping margins for the two 
mandatory respondents, Superpower and Princeway, and assigned to 
Huation and Nantong, a dumping margin equal to a simple average of the 
dumping margins calculated for the two mandatory respondents.
    Additionally, we note that while we received the Q&V information 
from T.N. International, Inc., one of the five companies which 
responded to the Q&V questionnaire, the company was not selected by the 
Department as a mandatory respondent. As indicated in the Initiation 
Notice, where T.N. International, Inc., had an opportunity to request a 
separate rate, it failed to do so. Consequently and according to our 
practice, we assigned to T.N. International, Inc., preliminarily the 
PRC-wide rate.

The PRC-Wide Entity

    Although PRC exporters of subject merchandise to the United States 
were given an opportunity to provide Q&V information to the Department, 
not all exporters responded to the Department's request for Q&V 
information.\2\ Based upon our knowledge of the volume of imports of 
subject merchandise from the PRC, we have concluded that the companies 
that responded to the Q&V questionnaire do not account for all U.S. 
imports of subject merchandise from the PRC made during the POI.\3\ We 
have

[[Page 4933]]

treated the non-responsive PRC producers/exporters as part of the PRC-
wide entity because they have not demonstrated their eligibility for a 
separate rate.
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    \2\ The Department received only five timely responses to the 
requests for Q&V information that it sent to twelve potential 
exporters identified in the Petition.
    \3\ See Respondent Selection Memorandum.
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    Section 776(a)(2) of the Act provides that the Department shall, 
subject to subsection 782(d) of the Act, use facts otherwise available 
in reaching the applicable determination if an interested party: (A) 
withholds information that has been requested by the Department; (B) 
fails to provide such information in a timely manner or in the form or 
manner requested, subject to subsections 782(c)(1) and (e) of the Act; 
(C) significantly impedes a proceeding under the antidumping statute; 
or (D) provides such information but the information cannot be 
verified.
    As noted above, the PRC-wide entity withheld information requested 
by the Department. As a result, pursuant to section 776(a)(2)(A) of the 
Act, we find it appropriate to base the PRC-wide dumping margin on 
facts available. See, e.g., Notice of Preliminary Determination of 
Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Affirmative Preliminary Determination of 
Critical Circumstances and Postponement of Final Determination: Certain 
Frozen Fish Fillets From the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, 68 FR 4986, 
4991-92 (January 31, 2003), unchanged in Notice of Final Antidumping 
Duty Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Affirmative 
Critical Circumstances: Certain Frozen Fish Fillets from the Socialist 
Republic of Vietnam, 68 FR 37116 (June 23, 2003).
    Section 776(b) of the Act provides that, in selecting from among 
the facts otherwise available, the Department may employ an adverse 
inference if an interested party fails to cooperate by not acting to 
the best of its ability to comply with requests for information. See, 
e.g., Notice of Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: 
Certain Cold-Rolled Flat-Rolled Carbon-Quality Steel Products From the 
Russian Federation, 65 FR 5510, 5518 (February 4, 2000); see also 
Statement of Administrative Action, accompanying the Uruguay Round 
Agreements Act , H.R. Rep. No. 103-316, Vol. I at 843 (1994) (``SAA''), 
reprinted in 1994 U.S.C.C.A.N. 4040 at 870. Because the PRC-wide entity 
did not respond to the Department's request for information, the 
Department has concluded that the PRC-wide entity has failed to 
cooperate to the best of its ability. Therefore, the Department 
preliminarily finds that, in selecting from among the facts available, 
an adverse inference is appropriate.
    Section 776(b) of the Act authorizes the Department to use, as 
adverse facts available (``AFA''): (1) information derived from the 
petition; (2) the final determination from the LTFV investigation; (3) 
a previous administrative review; or (4) any other information placed 
on the record. In selecting a rate for AFA, the Department selects one 
that is sufficiently adverse ``as to effectuate the statutory purposes 
of the adverse facts available rule to induce respondents to provide 
the Department with complete and accurate information in a timely 
manner.'' See Notice of Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair 
Value: Static Random Access Memory Semiconductors From Taiwan, 63 FR 
8909, 8932 (February 23, 1998). It is the Department's practice to 
select, as AFA, the higher of: (a) the highest margin alleged in the 
petition, or (b) the highest calculated rate for any respondent in the 
investigation. See Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair 
Value: Certain Cold-Rolled Flat-Rolled Carbon Quality Steel Products 
From the People's Republic of China, 65 FR 34660 (May 31, 2000), and 
accompanying Issues and Decisions Memorandum at ``Facts Available.'' 
Here, we assigned the PRC-wide entity the dumping margin calculated for 
Superpower, which exceeds the highest margin alleged in the petition 
and is the highest rate calculated in this investigation. Pursuant to 
section 776(c) of the Act, we do not need to corroborate this rate 
because it is based on information obtained during the course of this 
investigation rather than secondary information. See also SAA at 870. 
The PRC-wide dumping margin applies to all entries of the merchandise 
under investigation except for entries of subject merchandise from 
Superpower,\4\ Princeway, Nandong and Huatian.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ Because the Department based the PRC-wide dumping margin on 
Superpower's dumping rate, both rates are equal. However, Superpower 
has its own separate rate and is not part of the PRC-wide entity.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fair Value Comparisons

    To determine whether Princeway and Superpower sold lawn groomers to 
the United States at LTFV, we compared the weighted-average export 
price (``EP'') of the lawn groomers to the NV of the lawn groomers, as 
described in the ``U.S. Price,'' and ``Normal Value'' sections of this 
notice.

U.S. Price

    In accordance with section 772(a) of the Act, for both Superpower 
and Princeway, we based the U.S. price of sales on EP because the first 
sale to unaffiliated purchasers was made prior to importation and the 
use of constructed export price was not otherwise warranted. In 
accordance with section 772(c) of the Act, we calculated EP for 
Superpower and Princeway by deducting the following expenses from the 
starting price (gross unit price) charged to the first unaffiliated 
customer in the United States: foreign movement expenses and foreign 
brokerage and handling expenses.
    We based these movement expenses on surrogate values where the 
service was purchased from a PRC company. For details regarding our EP 
calculation, see Analysis Memoranda for Superpower and Princeway, dated 
January 21, 2009.

Normal Value

    In accordance with section 773(c) of the Act, we constructed NV 
from the factors of production employed by Princeway and Superpower to 
manufacture subject merchandise during the POI. Specifically, we 
calculated NV by adding together the value of the factors of 
production, general expenses, profit, and packing costs, as well as an 
adjustment for the byproduct. We valued the factors of production using 
prices and financial statements from India, the surrogate country 
selected for this investigation or where appropriate, the prices paid 
for the input, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.408(c)(1).\5\ In selecting 
surrogate values, we followed, to the extent practicable, the 
Department's practice of choosing values which are non-export average 
values, product-specific, tax-exclusive, and contemporaneous with, or 
closest in time to, the POI. See, e.g., Notice of Preliminary 
Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Negative Preliminary 
Determination of Critical Circumstances and Postponement of Final 
Determination: Certain Frozen and Canned Warmwater Shrimp From the 
Socialist Republic of Vietnam, 69 FR 42672, 42682 (July 16, 2004), 
unchanged in Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: 
Certain Frozen and Canned Warmwater Shrimp from the Socialist Republic 
of Vietnam, 69 FR 71005 (December 8, 2004). We also considered the 
quality of the source of surrogate information in selecting surrogate 
values.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ Superpower reported that it purchased no factors of 
production from market economy suppliers during the POI. See 
Superpower's October 14, 2008, Section D Response at D-5. Princeway 
purchased certain factors of production from market economy 
suppliers. See Princeway's October 10, 2008, Section D Response at 8
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We valued material inputs and packing materials by multiplying the 
amount of the factor consumed in producing subject merchandise by the

[[Page 4934]]

average unit value of the factor. In addition, we added freight costs 
to the surrogate costs that we calculated for material inputs. We 
calculated freight costs by multiplying surrogate freight rates by the 
shorter of the reported distance from the domestic supplier to the 
factory that produced the subject merchandise or the distance from the 
nearest seaport to the factory that produced the subject merchandise, 
as appropriate. This adjustment is in accordance with the Court of 
Appeals for the Federal Circuit's decision in Sigma Corp. v. United 
States, 117 F. 3d 1401, 1407 (Fed. Cir. 1997). Where we could only 
obtain surrogate values that were not contemporaneous with the POI, we 
inflated (or deflated) the surrogate values using the Wholesale Price 
Index (``WPI'').
    Further, in calculating surrogate values from Indian imports, we 
disregarded imports from Indonesia, South Korea and Thailand because in 
other proceedings the Department found that these countries maintain 
broadly available, non-industry-specific export subsidies. Therefore, 
it is reasonable to infer that all exports to all markets from these 
countries may be subsidized. See Final Determination of Sales at Less 
Than Fair Value: Certain Automotive Replacement Glass Windshields from 
the People's Republic of China, 67 FR 6482 (February 12, 2002), and 
accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum at Comment 1; see also 
Notice of Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and 
Negative Final Determination of Critical Circumstances: Certain Color 
Television Receivers From the People's Republic of China, 69 FR 20594 
(April 16, 2004), and accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum at 
Comment 7.\6\ Thus, we have not used prices from these countries in 
calculating the Indian import-based surrogate values.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ In addition, as explained in the legislative history, it is 
the Department's practice not to conduct a formal investigation to 
ensure that such prices are not subsidized. See Omnibus Trade and 
Competitiveness Act of 1988, Conference Report to Accompanying H.R. 
Rep. 100-576 at 590 (1988). As such, it is the Department's practice 
to base its decision on information that is available to it at the 
time it makes its determination.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We valued raw materials and packing materials obtained from non-
market economy suppliers using Indian import statistics. See Surrogate 
Value Memorandum. We valued water using data from the Maharashtra 
Industrial Development Corporation \7\ because that data include a wide 
range of industrial water tariffs. This source provides 344 industrial 
water rates within the Maharashtra province from June 2003: 172 for the 
``inside industrial areas'' usage category, and 172 for the ``outside 
industrial areas'' usage category. See Surrogate Value Memorandum.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ Website available at http://www.midcindia.org.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We valued electricity using price data for small, medium, and large 
industries, as published by the Central Electricity Authority of the 
Government of India in its publication titled Electricity Tariff & Duty 
and Average Rates of Electricity Supply in India, dated July 2006. 
These electricity rates represent actual country-wide, publicly-
available information on tax-exclusive electricity rates charged to 
industries in India. Since the rates are not contemporaneous with the 
POI, we inflated the values using the WPI. See Surrogate Value 
Memorandum.
    For direct labor, indirect labor, and packing labor, consistent 
with 19 CFR 351.408(c)(3), we used the most recently calculated 
regression-based wage rate, which relies on 2005 data. This wage rate 
can be found on the Import Administration's home page. See ``Expected 
Wages of Selected NME Countries,'' available at http://ia.ita.doc.gov/wages/index.html (revised May 2008). The source of these wage rate data 
on the Import Administration's web site is the International Labour 
Organization, Geneva, Labour Statistics Database Chapter 5B: Wages in 
Manufacturing. Since this regression-based wage rate does not separate 
the labor rates into different skill levels or types of labor, we have 
applied the same wage rate to all skill levels and types of labor 
reported by Princeway and Superpower. See Surrogate Value Memorandum.
    As noted above, we valued inland truck freight expenses using a 
deflated per-unit average rate calculated from data on the following 
web site: http://www.infobanc.com/logistics/logtruck.htm. See Surrogate 
Value Memorandum. The logistics section of this website contains inland 
freight truck rates between many large Indian cities. Since this value 
is not contemporaneous with the POI, we deflated the rate using WPI 
data.
    We valued brokerage and handling using a simple average of the 
brokerage and handling costs that were reported in public submissions 
that were filed in three antidumping duty cases. Specifically, we 
averaged the public brokerage and handling expenses reported by: (1) 
Agro Dutch Industries Ltd. in the antidumping duty administrative 
review of certain preserved mushrooms from India, (2) Kejirwal Paper 
Ltd. in the less than fair value investigation of certain lined paper 
products from India, and (3) Essar Steel in the antidumping duty 
administrative review of hot-rolled carbon steel flat products from 
India.\8\ See Certain Preserved Mushrooms From India: Final Results of 
Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 71 FR 10646 (March 2, 2006); 
Notice of Preliminary Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, 
Postponement of Final Determination, and Affirmative Preliminary 
Determination of Critical Circumstances in Part: Certain Lined Paper 
Products From India, 71 FR 19706 (April 17, 2006), unchanged in Notice 
of Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, and Negative 
Determination of Critical Circumstances: Certain Lined Paper Products 
from India, 71 FR 45012 (August 8, 2006); and Certain Hot-Rolled Carbon 
Steel Flat Products From India: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty 
Administrative Review, 71 FR 2018, 2021 (January 12, 2006), unchanged 
in Certain Hot-Rolled Carbon Steel Flat Products From India: Final 
Results of Antidumping Administrative Review, 71 FR 40694 (July 18, 
2006). We inflated the brokerage and handling rate using the 
appropriate WPI inflator. See Surrogate Value Memorandum.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \8\ Use of these averages is consistent with the Department's 
normal practice to calculate brokerage and handling expenses. Absent 
product-specific data, the Department's preference is to average 
these data sources because they represent values for numerous 
transactions that are available for a range of products and minimize 
the potential distortions that might arise from a single price 
source. One value, taken in isolation, could differ significantly 
when compared across a range of products, values, and special 
circumstances of a single transaction. See Final Determination of 
Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Partial Affirmative Determination 
of Critical Circumstances: Certain Polyester Staple Fiber from the 
People's Republic of China, 72 FR 19690 (April 19, 2007), and 
accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum at Comment 5.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We valued factory overhead, selling, general, and administrative 
(``SG&A'') expenses, and profit, using the financial ratios calculated 
from the 2006-2007 audited financial statement of one Indian producer 
of hand trucks: Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Company Limited. See 
Surrogate Value Memorandum.
    In accordance with 19 CFR 351.301(c)(3)(i), interested parties may 
submit publicly available information with which to value factors of 
production in the final determination within 40 days after the date of 
publication of the preliminary determination.

Currency Conversion

    We made currency conversions into U.S. dollars, in accordance with 
section 773A(a) of the Act, based on the

[[Page 4935]]

exchange rates in effect on the dates of the U.S. sales as certified by 
the Federal Reserve Bank.

Verification

    As provided in section 782(i)(1) of the Act, we intend to verify 
the information upon which we will rely in making our final 
determination.

Combination Rates

    In the Initiation Notice, the Department stated that it would 
calculate combination rates for respondents that are eligible for a 
separate rate in this investigation. See Initiation Notice, 73 FR at 
42319. This change in practice is described in Policy Bulletin 05.1, 
which states:
    {W{time} hile continuing the practice of assigning separate rates 
only to exporters, all separate rates that the Department will now 
assign in its NME investigations will be specific to those producers 
that supplied the exporter during the period of investigation. Note, 
however, that one rate is calculated for the exporter and all of the 
producers which supplied subject merchandise to it during the period of 
investigation. This practice applies both to mandatory respondents 
receiving an individually calculated separate rate as well as the pool 
of non-investigated firms receiving the weighted-average of the 
individually calculated rates. This practice is referred to as the 
application of ``combination rates'' because such rates apply to 
specific combinations of exporters and one or more producers. The cash-
deposit rate assigned to an exporter will apply only to merchandise 
both exported by the firm in question and produced by a firm that 
supplied the exporter during the period of investigation.
See Policy Bulletin 05.1 at 6.

Preliminary Determination Margins

    The Department has determined that the following weighted-average 
dumping margins exist for the POI:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Weighted-
                 Manufacturer/Exporter                    Average Margin
                                                            (Percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jiashan Superpower Tools Co., Ltd.\9\..................         324.43
Princeway Furniture (Dong Guan) Co., Ltd.\10\..........          12.07
Nantong D & B Machinery Co., Ltd.\11\..................         168.25
Qingdao Huatian Truck Co., Ltd.\12\....................         168.25
PRC-wide Entity........................................         324.43
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\ Jiashan Superpower Tools Co., Ltd., manufactures and exports subject
  merchandise.
\10\ Princeway Furniture (Dong Guan) Co., Ltd., manufactures and exports
  subject merchandise.
\11\ Nantong D & B Machinery Co., Ltd., manufactures and exports subject
  merchandise.
\12\ Qingdao Huatian Truck Co., Ltd., manufactures and exports subject
  merchandise.

Disclosure

    We will disclose the calculations performed within five days of the 
date of publication of this notice to parties in this proceeding in 
accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

Suspension of Liquidation

    In accordance with section 733(d)(2) of the Act, we will instruct 
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (``CBP'') to suspend liquidation of 
all entries of lawn groomers from the PRC as described in the ``Scope 
of Investigation'' section, entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for 
consumption on or after the date of publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register.
    The Department has determined in its Certain Tow-Behind Lawn 
Groomers and Certain Parts Thereof from the People's Republic of China: 
Preliminary Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination and Alignment 
of Final Countervailing Duty Determination with Final Antidumping Duty 
Determination, 73 FR 70971 (November 24, 2008) (``CVD Lawn Groomers 
Prelim''), that the product under investigation, exported and produced 
by Superpower, benefitted from an export subsidy. Normally, where the 
product under investigation is also subject to a concurrent 
countervailing duty investigation, we instruct CBP to require an 
antidumping cash deposit or posting of a bond equal to the weighted-
average amount by which the NV exceeds the EP, as indicated above, 
minus the amount determined to constitute an export subsidy. See, e.g., 
Notice of Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: 
Carbazole Violet Pigment 23 From India, 69 FR 67306, 67307 (November 
17, 2007). Therefore, for merchandise under consideration exported and 
produced by Superpower entered or withdrawn from warehouse, for 
consumption on or after publication date of this preliminary 
determination, we will instruct CBP to require an antidumping cash 
deposit or the posting of a bond for each entry equal to the weighted-
average margin indicated above, adjusted for the export subsidy rate 
determined in CVD Lawn Groomers Prelim (i.e., Income Tax Reduction for 
Export-Oriented Enterprises countervailable subsidy of 0.15 percent ad 
valorem). The adjusted cash deposit rate is 324.28 percent. 
Furthermore, CVD Lawn Groomers Prelim indicates preliminarily that 
Superpower received a countervailable subsidy of 0.64 percent ad 
valorem under the ``Refund of Enterprise Income Taxes on FIE Profits 
Reinvested in an EOE'' program. See CVD Lawn Groomers Prelim at 70978. 
This subsidy contains both domestic and export subsidy components. 
However, for the preliminary results of this investigation, the 
Department will not be able to apply the export subsidy component to 
Superpower's antidumping margin. For the final results, if applicable, 
the Department will calculate the subsidy rates for each component and 
apply the export subsidy portion to Superpower's antidumping margin.
    Regarding all separate-rate recipients that were not selected as 
mandatory respondents, we will instruct CBP to require an antidumping 
cash deposit or the posting of a bond for each entry equal to the 
average of the margins calculated for the mandatory respondents, 
adjusted for their respective export subsidy rates, if applicable, from 
CVD Lawn Groomers Prelim.
    For the remaining exporters, pursuant to section 733(d)(1)(B), we 
will instruct CBP to require a cash deposit or the posting of a bond 
equal to the weighted-average amount by which the normal value exceeds 
U.S. price, as follows: (1) the rate for the exporter/producer 
combinations listed in the chart above will be the rate we have 
determined in this preliminary determination; (2) for all PRC exporters 
of subject merchandise which have not received their own rate, the 
cash-deposit rate will be the PRC-wide rate; and (3) for all non-PRC 
exporters of subject merchandise which have not received their own 
rate, the cash-deposit rate will be the rate applicable to the PRC 
exporter/producer combination that supplied that non-PRC exporter. 
These suspension-of-liquidation instructions will remain in effect 
until further notice.

International Trade Commission Notification

    In accordance with section 733(f) of the Act, we have notified the 
ITC of our preliminary affirmative determination of sales at LTFV. 
Section 735(b)(2) of the Act requires the ITC to make its final 
determination as to whether the domestic industry in the United States

[[Page 4936]]

is materially injured, or threatened with material injury, by reason of 
imports of lawn groomers, or sales (or the likelihood of sales) for 
importation, of the subject merchandise within 45 days of our final 
determination.

Public Comment

    Case briefs or other written comments may be submitted to the 
Assistant Secretary for Import Administration no later than seven days 
after the date the final verification report is issued in this 
proceeding and rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in case 
briefs, no later than five days after the deadline for submitting case 
briefs. See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(1)(i) and 19 CFR 351.309(d)(1) and (2). A 
list of authorities used and an executive summary of issues should 
accompany any briefs submitted to the Department. This summary should 
be limited to five pages total, including footnotes. See 19 CFR 
351.309(c)(2) and 19 CFR 351.309(d)(2).
    In accordance with section 774(a)(1) of the Act, we will hold a 
public hearing, if requested, to afford interested parties an 
opportunity to comment on arguments raised in case or rebuttal briefs. 
If a request for a hearing is made, we intend to hold the hearing three 
days after the deadline of submission of rebuttal briefs at the U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Ave, NW, 
Washington, DC 20230, at a time and location to be determined. Parties 
should confirm by telephone the date, time, and location of the hearing 
two days before the scheduled date.
    Interested parties that wish to request a hearing, or to 
participate if one is requested, must submit a written request to the 
Assistant Secretary for Import Administration, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, Room 1870, within 30 days after the date of publication of 
this notice. See 19 CFR 351.310(c). Requests should contain the party's 
name, address, and telephone number, the number of participants, and a 
list of the issues to be discussed. At the hearing, each party may make 
an affirmative presentation only on issues raised in that party's case 
brief and may make rebuttal presentations only on arguments included in 
that party's rebuttal brief. See 19 CFR 351.310(c).

Postponement of Final Determination

    Pursuant to section 735(a)(2) of the Act, on December 18, 2008, and 
December 23, 2008, Princeway and Superpower, respectively, requested 
that in the event of an affirmative preliminary determination in this 
investigation, the Department postpone its final determination by 60 
days. At the same time, Princeway and Superpower agreed that the 
Department may extend the application of the provisional measures 
prescribed under 19 CFR 351.210(e)(2) from a 4-month period to a 6-
month period. In accordance with section 733(d) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.210(b)(2)(ii), we are granting the request and are postponing the 
final determination until no later than 135 days after the publication 
of this notice in the Federal Register because: (1) our preliminary 
determination is affirmative, (2) the requesting exporters account for 
a significant proportion of exports of the subject merchandise (see 
Respondent Selection Memorandum), and (3) no compelling reasons for 
denial exist. Suspension of liquidation will be extended accordingly.
    This determination is issued and published in accordance with 
sections 733(f) and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

    Dated: January 16, 2009.
Ronald K. Lorentzen,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. E9-1721 Filed 1-28-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S