[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 214 (Thursday, November 5, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68563-68565]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-28260]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation Nos. 701-TA-531-533 and 731-TA-1270-1273 (Final)]


Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Resin From Canada, China, India, 
and Oman; Scheduling of the Final Phase of Countervailing Duty and 
Antidumping Duty Investigations

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives notice of the scheduling of the 
final phase of antidumping and countervailing duty investigation Nos. 
701-TA-531-533 and 731-TA-1270-1273 (Final) pursuant to the Tariff Act 
of 1930 (``the Act'') to determine whether an industry in the United 
States is materially injured or threatened with material injury, or the 
establishment of an industry in the United States is materially 
retarded, by reason of imports of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) 
resin from Canada, China, India, and Oman, provided for in subheading 
3907.60.00 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, 
preliminarily determined by the Department of Commerce to be sold at 
less-than-fair-value and imports of PET resin from China and India

[[Page 68564]]

preliminarily determined to have been subsidized.1 2
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    \1\ For purposes of these investigations, the Department of 
Commerce has defined the subject merchandise as polyethylene 
terephthalate (PET) resin having an intrinsic viscosity of at least 
0.70, but not more than 0.88, deciliters per gram. The scope 
includes blends of virgin PET resin and recycled PET resin 
containing predominantly virgin PET resin content, provided such 
blends meet the intrinsic viscosity requirements above. The scope 
includes all PET resin meeting the above specifications regardless 
of additives introduced in the manufacturing process.
    \2\ The Department of Commerce has preliminarily determined that 
de minimis countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers 
and exporters of PET resin from Oman. 80 FR 48808, August 14, 2015. 
For purposes of efficiency, the Commission hereby waives rule 
207.21(b) so the final phase of these investigations may proceed 
concurrently in the event that Commerce makes final affirmative 
determinations with respect to such imports. Section 207.21(b) of 
the Commission's rules provides that, where the Department of 
Commerce has issued a negative preliminary determination, the 
Commission will publish a Final Phase Notice of Scheduling upon 
receipt of an affirmative final determination from Commerce.

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DATES: Effective Date: October 15, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Haberstroh, (202-205-3390), 
Office of Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20436. Hearing-impaired persons can obtain 
information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal 
on 202-205-1810. 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. General information 
concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing its 
internet server (http://www.usitc.gov). The public record for these 
investigations may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket 
(EDIS) at http://edis.usitc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background.--The final phase of these investigations is being 
scheduled pursuant to sections 705(b) and 731(b) of the Tariff Act of 
1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671d(b) and 1673d(b)), as a result of affirmative 
preliminary determinations by the Department of Commerce that certain 
benefits which constitute subsidies within the meaning of section 703 
of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1671b) are being provided to manufacturers, 
producers, or exporters in China and India of polyethylene 
terephthalate (PET) resin, and that such products from Canada, China, 
India, and Oman are being sold in the United States at less than fair 
value within the meaning of section 733 of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1673b). 
The investigations were requested in petitions filed on March 10, 2015, 
by DAK Americas, LLC, Charlotte, NC; M&G Chemicals, Houston, TX; and 
Nan Ya Plastics Corporation, America, Lake City, SC.
    For further information concerning the conduct of this phase of the 
investigations, hearing procedures, and rules of general application, 
consult the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, part 201, 
subparts A and B (19 CFR part 201), and part 207, subparts A and C (19 
CFR part 207).
    Participation in the investigations and public service list.--
Persons, including industrial users of the subject merchandise and, if 
the merchandise is sold at the retail level, representative consumer 
organizations, wishing to participate in the final phase of these 
investigations as parties must file an entry of appearance with the 
Secretary to the Commission, as provided in section 201.11 of the 
Commission's rules, no later than 21 days prior to the hearing date 
specified in this notice. A party that filed a notice of appearance 
during the preliminary phase of the investigations need not file an 
additional notice of appearance during this final phase. The Secretary 
will maintain a public service list containing the names and addresses 
of all persons, or their representatives, who are parties to the 
investigations.
    Limited disclosure of business proprietary information (BPI) under 
an administrative protective order (APO) and BPI service list.--
Pursuant to section 207.7(a) of the Commission's rules, the Secretary 
will make BPI gathered in the final phase of these investigations 
available to authorized applicants under the APO issued in the 
investigations, provided that the application is made no later than 21 
days prior to the hearing date specified in this notice. Authorized 
applicants must represent interested parties, as defined by 19 U.S.C. 
1677(9), who are parties to the investigations. A party granted access 
to BPI in the preliminary phase of the investigations need not reapply 
for such access. A separate service list will be maintained by the 
Secretary for those parties authorized to receive BPI under the APO.
    Staff report.--The prehearing staff report in the final phase of 
these investigations will be placed in the nonpublic record on February 
16, 2016, and a public version will be issued thereafter, pursuant to 
section 207.22 of the Commission's rules.
    Hearing.--The Commission will hold a hearing in connection with the 
final phase of these investigations beginning at 9:30 a.m. on March 1, 
2016, at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building. Requests to 
appear at the hearing should be filed in writing with the Secretary to 
the Commission on or before February 24, 2016. A nonparty who has 
testimony that may aid the Commission's deliberations may request 
permission to present a short statement at the hearing. All parties and 
nonparties desiring to appear at the hearing and make oral 
presentations should participate in a prehearing conference to be held 
on February 26, 2016, at the U.S. International Trade Commission 
Building, if deemed necessary. Oral testimony and written materials to 
be submitted at the public hearing are governed by sections 
201.6(b)(2), 201.13(f), and 207.24 of the Commission's rules. Parties 
must submit any request to present a portion of their hearing testimony 
in camera no later than 7 business days prior to the date of the 
hearing.
    Written submissions.--Each party who is an interested party shall 
submit a prehearing brief to the Commission. Prehearing briefs must 
conform with the provisions of section 207.23 of the Commission's 
rules; the deadline for filing is February 23, 2016. Parties may also 
file written testimony in connection with their presentation at the 
hearing, as provided in section 207.24 of the Commission's rules, and 
posthearing briefs, which must conform with the provisions of section 
207.25 of the Commission's rules. The deadline for filing posthearing 
briefs is March 8, 2016. In addition, any person who has not entered an 
appearance as a party to the investigations may submit a written 
statement of information pertinent to the subject of the 
investigations, including statements of support or opposition to the 
petition, on or before March 8, 2016. On March 24, 2016, the Commission 
will make available to parties all information on which they have not 
had an opportunity to comment. Parties may submit final comments on 
this information on or before March 28, 2016, but such final comments 
must not contain new factual information and must otherwise comply with 
section 207.30 of the Commission's rules. All written submissions must 
conform with the provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's rules; 
any submissions that contain BPI must also conform with the 
requirements of sections 201.6, 207.3, and 207.7 of the Commission's 
rules. The Commission's Handbook on E-Filing, available on the 
Commission's Web site at http://edis.usitc.gov, elaborates upon the 
Commission's rules with respect to electronic filing.
    Additional written submissions to the Commission, including 
requests pursuant to section 201.12 of the

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Commission's rules, shall not be accepted unless good cause is shown 
for accepting such submissions, or unless the submission is pursuant to 
a specific request by a Commissioner or Commission staff.
    In accordance with sections 201.16(c) and 207.3 of the Commission's 
rules, each document filed by a party to the investigations must be 
served on all other parties to the investigations (as identified by 
either the public or BPI service list), and a certificate of service 
must be timely filed. The Secretary will not accept a document for 
filing without a certificate of service.

    Authority:  These investigations are being conducted under 
authority of title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930; this notice is 
published pursuant to section 207.21 of the Commission's rules.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: November 2, 2015.
Lisa R. Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2015-28260 Filed 11-4-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P