[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 122 (Wednesday, June 25, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36012-36013]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-14908]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-570-938]


Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts: Preliminary Results of 
Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2012

AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting an 
administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on citric 
acid and certain citrate salts from the People's Republic of China 
(PRC) for the period of review (POR) covering January 1, 2012, through 
December 31, 2012. These preliminary results cover RZBC Group 
Shareholding Co., Ltd., RZBC Co., Ltd., RZBC Juxian Co., Ltd., and RZBC 
Imp. & Exp. Co., Ltd. (collectively, RZBC or the RZBC Companies). We 
preliminarily determine that the RZBC Companies received 
countervailable subsidies during the POR. Interested parties are 
invited to comment on these preliminary results.

DATES: Effective: June 25, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia M. Tran and Raquel Silva, AD/
CVD Operations, Office III, Enforcement and Compliance, International 
Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone (202) 482-1503 
and (202) 482-6475, respectively.

Scope of the Order

    The merchandise subject to the order is citric acid and certain 
citrate salts. The product is currently classified under the Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) item numbers 2918.14.0000, 
2918.15.1000, 2918.15.5000, 3824.90.9290, and 3824.90.9290. Although 
the HTSUS numbers are provided for convenience and customs purposes, 
the written product description remains dispositive.
    A full description of the scope of the order is contained in the 
memorandum from Christian Marsh, Deputy Assistant Secretary for 
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operations to Ronald K. Lorentzen, 
Acting Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, ``Decision 
Memorandum for the Preliminary Results of the Countervailing Duty 
Administrative Review: Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts; 2012'' 
(Preliminary Decision Memorandum), dated concurrently with this notice, 
and hereby adopted by this notice.
    The Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on 
file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (IA ACCESS). 
IA ACCESS is available to registered users at http://iaaccess.trade.gov 
and in the Central Records Unit, Room 7046 of the main Department of 
Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly on the internet at http://www.trade.gov/enforcement/. The signed Preliminary Decision Memorandum 
and the electronic versions of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum are 
identical in content.

Methodology

    The Department conducted this review in accordance with section 
751(a)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). For each 
of the subsidy programs found countervailable, we preliminarily 
determine that there is a subsidy, i.e., a financial contribution from 
an authority that gives rise to a benefit to the recipient, and that 
the subsidy is specific.\1\
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    \1\ See sections 771(5)(B) and (D) of the Act regarding 
financial contribution; section 771(5)(E) of the Act regarding 
benefit; and section 771(5A) of the Act regarding specificity.
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    In making these findings, we relied, in part, on facts available 
and, because the Government of the PRC did not act to the best of its 
ability to respond to the Department's requests for information, we 
drew an adverse inference in selecting from among the facts otherwise 
available.\2\ For further information, see ``Use of Facts Otherwise 
Available and Adverse Inferences'' in the Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum.
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    \2\ See sections 776(a) and (b) of the Act.
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    For a full description of the methodology underlying the 
Department's conclusions, see Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Preliminary Results of the Review

    As a result of this review, we preliminarily determine a net 
countervailable subsidy rate of 11.68 percent ad valorem for the RZBC 
Companies, for the period January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2012.

Disclosure and Public Comment

    The Department will disclose to parties to this proceeding the 
calculations performed in reaching the preliminary results within five 
days of the date of publication of these

[[Page 36013]]

preliminary results.\3\ Due to the anticipated timing of the release of 
post-preliminary analysis memoranda and the final verification reports, 
interested parties may submit written comments (case briefs) for this 
administrative review no later than one week after the issuance of the 
last post-preliminary analysis memorandum and final verification 
reports, and rebuttal comments (rebuttal briefs) within five days after 
the time limit for filing case briefs.\4\ Pursuant to 19 CFR 
351.309(d)(2), rebuttal briefs must be limited to issues raised in the 
case briefs. Parties who submit arguments are requested to submit with 
the argument: (1) Statement of the issue; (2) a brief summary of the 
argument; and (3) a table of authorities.
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    \3\ See 19 CFR 351.224(b).
    \4\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(1)(ii) and 351.309(d)(1).
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    Interested parties who wish to request a hearing, or to participate 
if one is requested, must submit a written request to the Assistant 
Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce 
within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice.\5\ 
Requests should contain the party's name, address, and telephone 
number, the number of participants, and a list of the issues to be 
discussed. If a request for a hearing is made, we will inform parties 
of the scheduled date for the hearing, which will be held at the U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20230, at a time and location to be determined.\6\ 
Parties should confirm by telephone the date, time, and location of the 
hearing.
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    \5\ See 19 CFR 351.310(c).
    \6\ See 19 CFR 351.310.
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    Parties are reminded that briefs and hearing requests are to be 
filed electronically using IA ACCESS and that electronically filed 
documents must be received successfully in their entirety by 5:00 p.m. 
Eastern Time on the due date.
    Unless the deadline is extended pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of 
the Act, the Department will issue the final results of this 
administrative review, including the results of our analysis of the 
issues raised by parties in their comments, within 120 days after 
issuance of these preliminary results.

Assessment Rates

    Upon issuance of the final results, the Department shall determine, 
and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall assess, CVDs on all 
appropriate entries covered by this review. We intend to issue 
instructions to CBP 15 days after publication of the final results of 
this review.

Cash Deposit Instructions

    The Department also intends to instruct CBP to collect cash 
deposits of estimated CVDs in the amounts shown above. For all non-
reviewed firms, we will instruct CBP to collect cash deposits of 
estimated countervailing duties at the most recent company-specific or 
all-others rate applicable to the company. These cash deposit 
requirements, when imposed, shall remain in effect until further 
notice.
    This administrative review and notice are in accordance with 
sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213.

    Dated: June 18, 2014.
Ronald K. Lorentzen,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

1. Summary
2. Background
3. Scope of the Order
4. Use of Facts Otherwise Available and Adverse Inferences
5. Subsidies Valuation Information
6. Benchmarks and Discount Rates
7. Analysis of Programs
8. Conclusion

[FR Doc. 2014-14908 Filed 6-24-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P