[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 168 (Monday, August 31, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52447-52448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21504]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-421-811]


Purified Carboxymethylcellulose From the Netherlands: Initiation 
and Preliminary Results of Changed Circumstances Review and Intent to 
Revoke the Antidumping Duty Order

AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: In response to a request by Ashland Specialty Ingredients, 
G.P. (Ashland), the Department of Commerce (the Department) is 
initiating a changed circumstances review (CCR) of the antidumping duty 
(AD) order on purified carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) from the 
Netherlands. Based on the information received, we preliminarily intend 
to revoke the Netherlands Order.\1\ Interested parties are invited to 
comment on these preliminary results.
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    \1\ See Notice of Antidumping Duty Orders: Purified 
Carboxymethylcellulose from Finland, Mexico, the Netherlands and 
Sweden, 70 FR 39734 (July 11, 2005) (Netherlands Order).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Drury, or Angelica Townsend, AD/
CVD Operations, Office VI, Enforcement and Compliance, International 
Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-
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0195 or (202) 482-3019, respectively.

DATES: Effective Date: August 31, 2015.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On July 11, 2005, the Department published in the Federal Register 
the AD order on CMC from the Netherlands.\2\ On July 8, 2015, in 
accordance with sections 751(b) and 751(d)(1) of the Act, 19 CFR 
351.216(b), and 19 CFR 351.222(g)(1), Ashland, the petitioner and sole 
domestic producer of CMC, requested revocation of the Netherlands 
Order. Ashland requested that the Department conduct the CCR on an 
expedited basis pursuant to 19 CFR 351.221(c)(3)(ii) and that the 
effective date of the revocation be July 1, 2014.
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    \2\ Id.
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Scope of the Order

    The merchandise covered by this order is all purified CMC, 
sometimes also referred to as purified sodium CMC, polyanionic 
cellulose, or cellulose gum, which is a white to off-white, non-toxic, 
odorless, biodegradable powder, comprising sodium CMC that has been 
refined and purified to a minimum assay of 90 percent. Purified CMC 
does not include unpurified or crude CMC, CMC Fluidized Polymer 
Suspensions, and CMC that is cross-linked through heat treatment. 
Purified CMC is CMC that has undergone one or more purification 
operations which, at a minimum, reduce the remaining salt and other by-
product portion of the product to less than ten percent.
    The merchandise subject to this order is classified in the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States at subheading 
3912.31.00. This tariff classification is provided for convenience and 
customs purposes; however, the written description of the scope of the 
order is dispositive.

Initiation and Preliminary Results of Changed Circumstances Review

    Section 782(h)(2) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.222(g)(1)(i) provide 
that the Department may revoke an order (in whole or in part) if it 
determines that producers accounting for substantially all of the 
production of the domestic like product have no further interest in the 
order, in whole or in part. In addition, in the event the Department 
determines that expedited action is warranted, 19 CFR 351.221(c)(3)(ii) 
permits the Department to combine the notices of initiation and 
preliminary results.
    On July 8, 2015, Ashland requested that the Department conduct the 
CCR on an expedited basis. Ashland stated that, as the sole U.S. 
producer of CMC, it accounts for all of the production of the domestic 
like product. Ashland also stated that it has no interest in the 
continuation of the Netherlands Order.\3\
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    \3\ See Ashland's July 8, 2015, submission to the Department.
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    Therefore, at the request of Ashland and in accordance with 
sections 751(b)(1) and 751(d)(1) of the Act, 19 CFR 351.216, 19 CFR 
351.222(g)(1), and 19 CFR 351.221(c)(3)(ii), we are initiating this CCR 
on CMC from the Netherlands to determine whether revocation of the 
order is warranted with respect to this product. In addition, we 
determine that expedited action is warranted. In accordance with 19 CFR

[[Page 52448]]

351.222(g)(1), we find that the petitioner's affirmative statements of 
no interest constitutes good cause to conduct this review and we find 
that revocation of the order is appropriate for these preliminary 
results. Additionally, our decision to expedite this review by 
combining the notice of initiation and the preliminary results in a 
single notice pursuant to 19 CFR 351.221(c)(3)(ii) stems from the 
domestic industry's lack of interest in applying the Netherlands Order. 
If the final results of this changed circumstances review result in the 
revocation of this order, the Department intends that such revocation 
will be effective the first day of the most recent period not subject 
to administrative review, which is currently July 1, 2014.

Public Comment

    Interested parties may submit case briefs and/or written comments 
in response to these preliminary results not later than 14 days after 
the publication of this notice.\4\ Rebuttal briefs, and rebuttals to 
written comments, which must be limited to issues raised in such briefs 
or comments, may be filed not later than 21 days after the date of 
publication of this notice.\5\ Parties who submit case briefs or 
rebuttal briefs in this changed circumstance review are requested to 
submit with each argument: (1) A statement of the issue; and (2) a 
brief summary of the argument; and (3) a table of authorities.\6\ 
Interested parties who wish to comment on the preliminary results must 
file briefs electronically using Enforcement and Compliance's 
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service 
System (ACCESS).\7\ ACCESS is available to registered users at http://access.trade.gov. An electronically-filed document must be received 
successfully in its entirety by ACCESS by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the 
date the document is due.
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    \4\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(ii).
    \5\ See 19 CFR 351.309(d).
    \6\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2), (d)(2).
    \7\ See 19 CFR 351.303 for general filing requirements.
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    Any interested party may request a hearing within 14 days of 
publication of this notice.\8\ Parties will be notified of the time and 
date of any hearing if requested.\9\
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    \8\ See 19 CFR 351.310(c)
    \9\ See 19 CFR 351.310(d).
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    If final revocation occurs, we will instruct U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection to end the suspension of liquidation for the 
merchandise covered by the revocation on the effective date of the 
notice of revocation and to release any cash deposit or bond.\10\ The 
current requirement for a cash deposit of estimated AD duties on all 
subject merchandise will continue unless and until it is modified 
pursuant to the final results of this changed circumstances review.
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    \10\ See 19 CFR 351.222(g)(4).
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    This initiation and preliminary results of review notice is 
published in accordance with sections 751(b)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the 
Act and 19 CFR 351.216, 19 CFR 351.221(b)(1), (4), and 19 CFR 
351.222(g).

    Dated: August 24, 2015.
Paul Piquado,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2015-21504 Filed 8-28-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P