[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 21 (Thursday, February 2, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9055-9056]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-02207]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-122-858]


Certain Softwood Lumber Products From Canada: Postponement of 
Preliminary Determination in the Countervailing Duty Investigation

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

DATES: Effective February 2, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Toby Vandall at (202) 482-1664, or 
Peter Zukowski at (202) 482-0189, AD/CVD Operations, Office I, 
Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 
20230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On December 15, 2016, the Department of Commerce (the Department) 
initiated a countervailing duty investigation on certain softwood 
lumber products from Canada.\1\ Currently, the preliminary 
determination is due no later than February 21, 2017.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See Certain Softwood Lumber Products from Canada: Initiation 
of Countervailing Duty Investigation, 81 FR 93897 (December 22, 
2016).
    \2\ The actual deadline is February 18, 2017, which is a 
Saturday. The Department's 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).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 investigation within 65 days after the date on 
which the Department initiated the investigation. However, section 
703(c)(1) of the Act permits the Department to postpone the preliminary 
determination until no later than 130 days after the date on which the 
Department initiated the investigation if: (A) The petitioner \3\ makes 
a timely request for a postponement; or (B) the Department concludes 
that the parties concerned are cooperating, that the investigation is 
extraordinarily complicated, and that additional time is necessary to 
make a preliminary determination. Under 19 CFR 351.205(e), the 
petitioner must submit a request for postponement 25 days or more 
before the scheduled date of the preliminary determination and must 
state the reasons for the request. The Department will grant the 
request unless it finds compelling reasons to deny the request.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ In this investigation, the petitioner is the Committee 
Overseeing Action for Lumber International Trade Investigations or 
Negotiations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    On January 26, 2017, the petitioner submitted a timely request that 
we postpone the preliminary CVD determination.\4\ The petitioner stated 
that it requests postponement ``in light of the number of programs 
under investigation, the number of company and government respondents, 
and the expected complexity of the issues.'' \5\ In accordance with 19 
CFR 351.205(e), the petitioner has stated the reasons for requesting a 
postponement of the preliminary determination, and the Department finds 
no compelling reason to deny the request. Therefore, pursuant to 
section 703(c)(1)(A) of the Act, we are extending the due date for the 
preliminary determination to no later than 130 days after the date on 
which this investigation was initiated, i.e., to April 24, 2017. 
Pursuant to section 705(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(1), the 
deadline for the final determination will continue to be 75 days after 
the date of the preliminary determination.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ See Letter from the petitioner, ``Certain Softwood Lumber 
Products from Canada: Request for Extension of the Preliminary 
Determination,'' (January 26, 2017).
    \5\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 703(c)(2) 
of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(f)(l).


[[Page 9056]]


    Dated: January 27, 2017.
Ronald K. Lorentzen,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2017-02207 Filed 2-1-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P