[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 91 (Thursday, May 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 27437]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11341]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-570-984]


Drawn Stainless Steel Sinks From the People's Republic of China: 
Postponement of Preliminary Determination in the Countervailing Duty 
Investigation

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


DATES: Effective Date: May 10, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shane Subler or Hermes Pinilla, AD/CVD 
Operations, Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-0189 or (202) 482-3477, 
respectively.

Background

    On March 21, 2012, the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') 
initiated an investigation of drawn stainless steel sink from the 
People's Republic of China (``PRC''). See Drawn Stainless Steel Sinks 
from the People's Republic of China: Initiation of Countervailing Duty 
Investigation, 77 FR 18211 (March 27, 2012). Currently, the preliminary 
determination is due no later than May 25, 2012.

Postponement of Due Date for Preliminary Determination

    Section 703(b)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), 
requires the Department to issue the preliminary determination in a 
countervailing duty investigation within 65 days after the date on 
which the Department initiated the investigation. However, if the 
Department concludes that the parties concerned in the investigation 
are cooperating and determines that the investigation is 
extraordinarily complicated, section 703(c)(1)(B) of the Act allows the 
Department to postpone making the preliminary determination until no 
later than 130 days after the date on which the administering authority 
initiates an investigation. The Department finds that the instant case 
is extraordinarily complicated because of the number and complexity of 
the alleged countervailable subsidy practices, and the need to 
determine the extent to which particular countervailable subsidies are 
used by individual manufacturers, producers, and exporters. In 
addition, the Department finds that the parties thus far identified in 
the investigation are cooperating. Therefore, the Department is 
extending the due date for the preliminary determination by 130 days 
after the day on which the investigation was initiated (i.e., until 
July 29, 2012). However, July 29, 2012, falls on a Sunday. It is the 
Department's long-standing practice to issue a determination the next 
business day when the statutory deadline falls on a weekend, federal 
holiday, or any other day when the Department is closed. See Notice of 
Clarification: Application of ``Next Business Day'' Rule for 
Administrative Determination Deadlines Pursuant to the Tariff Act of 
1930, As Amended, 70 FR 24533 (May 10, 2005). Accordingly, the deadline 
for completion of the preliminary determination is no later than July 
30, 2012.
    As the Department is aware, Section 703(c)(2) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.205(f) state that if the Department postpones the preliminary 
determination, it will notify all parties to the proceeding no later 
than 20 days prior to the scheduled date of the preliminary 
determination. The Department acknowledges that it inadvertently missed 
this deadline. The Department received numerous comments regarding the 
respondent selection, which delayed the issuance of questionnaires, and 
intended to extend the deadline to issue the preliminary determination, 
but due to the administrative oversight we did not complete an 
extension notice on time.
    This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 703(c)(2) 
of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(f).

    Dated: May 4, 2012.
Christian Marsh,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-11341 Filed 5-9-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P