[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 160 (Thursday, August 18, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55231-55233]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-19729]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 731-TA-1306 (Final)]


Large Residential Washers From China; Scheduling of the Final 
Phase of an Antidumping Duty Investigation

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

[[Page 55232]]


ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives notice of the scheduling of the 
final phase of antidumping investigation No. 731-TA-1306 (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 large 
residential washers from China, provided for in subheading 8450.20.00 
of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, preliminarily 
determined by the Department of Commerce to be sold at less-than-fair-
value.\1\
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    \1\ For purposes of this investigation, the Department of 
Commerce has defined ``large residential washers'' as ``all 
automatic clothes washing machines, regardless of the orientation of 
the rotational axis, with a cabinet width (measured from its widest 
point) of at least 24.5 inches (62.23 cm) and no more than 32.0 
inches (81.28 cm), except as noted below.
    Also covered are certain parts used in large residential 
washers, namely: (1) All cabinets, or portions thereof, designed for 
use in large residential washers; (2) all assembled tubs designed 
for use in large residential washers which incorporate, at a 
minimum: (a) A tub; and (b) a seal; (3) all assembled 
baskets[thinsp]designed for use in large residential washers which 
incorporate, at a minimum: (a) A side wrapper; (b) a base; and (c) a 
drive hub; and (4) any combination of the foregoing parts or 
subassemblies.
    Excluded from the scope are stacked washer-dryers and commercial 
washers. The term ``stacked washer-dryers'' denotes distinct washing 
and drying machines that are built on a unitary frame and share a 
common console that controls both the washer and the dryer. The term 
``commercial washer'' denotes an automatic clothes washing machine 
designed for the ``pay per use'' segment meeting either of the 
following two definitions:
    (1) (a) It contains payment system electronics; (b) it is 
configured with an externally mounted steel frame at least six 
inches high that is designed to house a coin/token operated payment 
system (whether or not the actual coin/token operated payment system 
is installed at the time of importation); (c) it contains a push 
button user interface with a maximum of six manually selectable wash 
cycle settings, with no ability of the end user to otherwise modify 
water temperature, water level, or spin speed for a selected wash 
cycle setting; and (d) the console containing the user interface is 
made of steel and is assembled with security fasteners; or
    (2) (a) it contains payment system electronics; (b) the payment 
system electronics are enabled (whether or not the payment 
acceptance device has been installed at the time of importation) 
such that, in normal operation, the unit cannot begin a wash cycle 
without first receiving a signal from a bona fide payment acceptance 
device such as an electronic credit card reader; (c) it contains a 
push button user interface with a maximum of six manually selectable 
wash cycle settings, with no ability of the end user to otherwise 
modify water temperature, water level, or spin speed for a selected 
wash cycle setting; and (d) the console containing the user 
interface is made of steel and is assembled with security fasteners.
    Also excluded from the scope are automatic clothes washing 
machines that meet all of the following conditions: (1) Have a 
vertical rotational axis; (2) are top loading; (3) have a drive 
train consisting, inter alia, of (a) a permanent split capacitor 
(PSC) motor, (b) a belt drive, and (c) a flat wrap spring clutch.
    Also excluded from the scope are automatic clothes washing 
machines that meet all of the following conditions: (1) Have a 
horizontal rotational axis; (2) are front loading; and (3) have a 
drive train consisting, inter alia, of (a) a controlled induction 
motor (CIM), and (b) a belt drive.
    Also excluded from the scope are automatic clothes washing 
machines that meet all of the following conditions: (1) Have a 
horizontal rotational axis; (2) are front loading; and (3) have 
cabinet width (measured from its widest point) of more than 28.5 
inches (72.39 cm).''

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DATES: Effective Date: August 15, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Cassise ((202) 708-5408), 
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 this 
investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket 
(EDIS) at http://edis.usitc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background.--The final phase of this investigation is being 
scheduled, pursuant to section 735(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 
U.S.C. 1673d(b)), as a result of an affirmative preliminary 
determination by the Department of Commerce that imports of large 
residential washers from China 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 investigation was requested in a petition filed on 
December 16, 2015, by Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, Michigan.
    For further information concerning the conduct of this phase of the 
investigation, 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 investigation 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 this 
investigation 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 investigation 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 
investigation.
    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 this investigation 
available to authorized applicants under the APO issued in the 
investigation, 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 investigation. A party granted access 
to BPI in the preliminary phase of the investigation 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 
this investigation will be placed in the nonpublic record on November 
22, 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 this investigation beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, 
December 7, 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 November 29, 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 December 1, 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

[[Page 55233]]

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 November 30, 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 December 14, 2016. In addition, any person who has not 
entered an appearance as a party to the investigation may submit a 
written statement of information pertinent to the subject of the 
investigation, including statements of support or opposition to the 
petition, on or before December 14, 2016. On January 3, 2017, 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 January 5, 2017, 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 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 investigation must be 
served on all other parties to the investigation (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: This investigation is 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: August 15, 2016.
Lisa R. Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2016-19729 Filed 8-17-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P