[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 62 (Thursday, March 31, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18573-18574]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07314]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-570-041]


Truck and Bus Tires From the People's Republic of China: 
Postponement of Preliminary Determination in the Countervailing Duty 
Investigation

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Shore or Mark Kennedy, AD/CVD 
Operations, Office I, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue 
NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-2778 or (202) 482-7883, 
respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On February 18, 2016, the Department of Commerce (the Department) 
initiated a countervailing duty investigation on Truck and Bus Tires 
From the People's Republic of China (China).\1\ Currently, the 
preliminary determination is due no later than April 25, 2016.\2\
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    \1\ See Truck and Bus Tires From the People's Republic of China: 
Initiation of Countervailing Duty Investigation, 81 FR 9428 
(February 25, 2016).
    \2\ The actual deadline is April 23, 2016, which is a Saturday. 
Department practice dictates that where a deadline falls on a 
weekend or federal holiday, the appropriate deadline is the next 
business day. 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).
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Postponement of the 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

[[Page 18574]]

investigation within 65 days after the date on which the Department 
initiated the investigation. However, in accordance with 19 CFR 
351.205(e), if the petitioner makes a timely request for an extension, 
section 703(c)(1)(A) of the Act allows the Department to postpone the 
preliminary determination until no later than 130 days after the date 
on which the Department initiated the investigation. Under 19 CFR 
351.205(e), a petitioner must submit a request for postponement 25 days 
or more before the scheduled date of the preliminary determination and 
must state the reason for the request. The Department will grant the 
request unless it finds compelling reasons to deny the request.\3\
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    \3\ See 19 CFR 351.205(e).
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    On March 14, 2016, the petitioner \4\ in this investigation 
submitted a timely request pursuant to section 703(c)(1)(A) of the Act 
and 19 CFR 351.205(e) to postpone the preliminary determination due to 
the number and nature of subsidy programs under investigation.\5\
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    \4\ The United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, 
Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, 
AFL-CIO-CLC (collectively, the petitioner).
    \5\ See Letter from the petitioner, entitled ``Truck and Bus 
Tires From People's Republic of China: Petitioner's Request To 
Extend the Deadline for the Preliminary Determination,'' dated March 
14, 2016.
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    The record does not present any compelling reasons to deny the 
petitioner's request. Therefore, in accordance with section 
703(c)(1)(A) of the Act, we are fully postponing the due date for the 
preliminary determination to not later than 130 days after the day on 
which the investigation was initiated. As a result, the deadline for 
completion of the preliminary determination is now June 27, 2016. In 
accordance with section 705(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(1), 
the deadline for the final determinations of this investigation will 
continue to be 75 days after the date of the preliminary determination, 
unless postponed at a later date.
    This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 703(c)(2) 
of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(f)(1).

    Dated: March 24, 2016.
Paul Piquado,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2016-07314 Filed 3-30-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P