[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 4 (Friday, January 6, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1693-1694]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00035]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-533-807]


Sulfanilic Acid From India: Final Results of Expedited Sunset 
Review of the Countervailing Duty Order

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

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (the Department) finds that 
revocation of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on sulfanilic acid 
from India would likely lead to the continuation or recurrence of a 
countervailable subsidy at the levels indicated in the Final Results of 
Review section of this notice.

DATES: Effective January 6, 2017.

[[Page 1694]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Conniff, Office III, AD/CVD 
Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-
1009.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On September 1, 2016, the Department initiated this fourth sunset 
review of the CVD order on sulfanilic acid from India pursuant to 
section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act).\1\ The 
Department received a notice of intent to participate from Nation Ford 
Chemical Company (NFC) (domestic interested party), within the deadline 
specified in 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1)(i). The domestic interested party 
claimed interested party status under section 771(9)(C) of the Act as a 
domestic producer of sulfanilic acid in the United States.
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    \1\ See Initiation of Five-Year (Sunset) Review, 81 FR 60343 
(September 1, 2016).
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    The Department received an adequate substantive response from the 
domestic interested party within the 30-day deadline specified in 19 
CFR 351.218(d)(3)(i). The Department also received a response from a 
domestic importer of sulfanilic acid, which we rejected as inadequate 
under 19 CFR 351.218(d)(3)(ii).\2\ As a result, pursuant to section 
751(c)(3)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(e)(1)(ii)(C)(2), the 
Department conducted an expedited review of the CVD order.
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    \2\ See Memorandum from Christian Marsh, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, to Paul Piquado, Assistant 
Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance regarding, ``Issues and 
Decision Memorandum for the Final Results of Expedited Sunset Review 
of the Countervailing Duty Order on Sulfanilic Acid from India,'' 
dated concurrently with this notice (Sulfanilic Acid from India IDM) 
for more information on the reasons for the Department's rejection.
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Scope of the Order

    The merchandise covered by the CVD order are all grades of 
sulfanilic acid, which include technical (or crude) sulfanilic acid, 
refined (or purified) sulfanilic acid and sodium salt of sulfanilic 
acid (sodium sulfanilate).
    Sulfanilic acid is a synthetic organic chemical produced from the 
direct sulfonation of aniline with sulfuric acid. Sulfanilic acid is 
used as a raw material in the production of optical brighteners, food 
colors, specialty dyes, and concrete additives. The principal 
differences between the grades are the undesirable quantities of 
residual aniline and alkali insoluble materials present in the 
sulfanilic acid. All grades are available as dry free flowing powders.
    Technical sulfanilic acid contains 96 percent minimum sulfanilic 
acid, 1.0 percent maximum aniline, and 1.0 percent maximum alkali 
insoluble materials. Refined sulfanilic acid contains 98 percent 
minimum sulfanilic acid, 0.5 percent maximum aniline, and 0.25 percent 
maximum alkali insoluble materials. Sodium salt of sulfanilic acid 
(sodium sulfanilate) is a granular or crystalline material containing 
75 percent minimum sulfanilic acid, 0.5 percent maximum aniline, and 
0.25 percent maximum alkali insoluble materials based on the equivalent 
sulfanilic acid content.
    In response to a request from 3V Corporation, on May 5, 1999, the 
Department determined that sodium sulfanilate processed in Italy from 
sulfanilic acid produced in India is within the scope of the order. See 
Notice of Scope Rulings and Anticircumvention Inquiries, 65 FR 41957 
(July 7, 2000).
    The merchandise is currently classifiable under Harmonized Tariff 
Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheadings 2921.42.22 and 
2921.42.90. Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience 
and customs purposes, our written description of the scope of the order 
is dispositive.

Analysis of Comments Received

    All issues raised in this review are addressed in the Issues and 
Decision Memorandum, which is dated concurrently with and adopted by 
this notice.\3\ The issues discussed in the Issues and Decision 
Memorandum include the likelihood of continuation or recurrence of a 
countervailable subsidy and the net countervailable subsidy likely to 
prevail if the order were revoked. Parties can find a complete 
discussion of all issues raised in this expedited sunset review and the 
corresponding recommendations in this public memorandum, which is on 
file electronically via the Enforcement and Compliance Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). 
ACCESS is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov and 
to all parties in the Central Records Unit, Room B8024 of the main 
Department of Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the 
Issues and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly on the Internet 
at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/index.html. The signed Issues and 
Decision Memorandum and the electronic versions of the Issues and 
Decision Memorandum are identical in content.
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    \3\ See Sulfanilic Acid from India IDM.
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Final Results of Review

    Pursuant to sections 752(b)(1) and (3) of the Act, we determine 
that revocation of the Order on sulfanilic acid from India would be 
likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of a net countervailable 
subsidy at the rate listed below: \4\
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    \4\ Id.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Net
                                                        countervailable
          Manufacturers/producers/exporters              subsidy rate
                                                           (percent)
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All-Others..........................................              43.71
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Notification Regarding Administrative Protective Order

    This notice serves as the only reminder to parties subject to 
administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility 
concerning the return or destruction of proprietary information 
disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305. Timely 
notification of return/destruction of APO materials or conversion to 
judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply with 
the regulations and the terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.
    The Department is issuing and publishing these final results and 
this notice in accordance with sections 751(c), 752(b), and 777(i)(1) 
of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(e)(1)(ii)(c)(2).

    Dated: December 29, 2016.
Paul Piquado,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix

List of Topics Discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum

I. Summary
II. History of the Order
III. Background
IV. Scope
V. Discussion of the Issues
    1. Continuation or Recurrence of a Countervailable Subsidy
    2. Net Countervailable Subsidy Likely To Prevail
    3. Nature of the Subsidy
V. Final Results of Review
VI. Recommendation

[FR Doc. 2017-00035 Filed 1-5-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P