[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 1, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19050-19051]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08899]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-570-071]


Sodium Gluconate, Gluconic Acid, and Derivative Products From the 
People's Republic of China: Postponement of Preliminary Determination 
in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation

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

DATES: Applicable May 1, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Magd Zalok at (202) 482-4162; Stephen 
Bailey at (202) 482-0193, AD/CVD Operations, Office IV, Enforcement and 
Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On December 20, 2017, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) 
initiated a less-than-fair-value (LTFV) investigation of imports of 
sodium gluconate, gluconic acid, and derivative products from the 
People's Republic of China.\1\ Currently, the preliminary determination 
is due no later than May 14, 2018.
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    \1\ See Sodium Gluconate, Gluconic Acid, and Derivative Products 
from France and the People's Republic of China: Initiation of Less-
Than-Fair-Value Investigations, 83 FR 516 (January 4, 2018) 
(Initiation Notice).
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Postponement of Preliminary Determination

    Section 733(b)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the 
Act), requires Commerce to issue the preliminary determination in an 
LTFV investigation within 140 days after the date on which Commerce 
initiated the investigation. However, section 733(c)(1) of the Act 
permits Commerce to postpone the preliminary determination until no 
later than 190 days after the date on which Commerce initiated the 
investigation if: (A) The petitioner \2\ makes a timely request for a 
postponement; or (B) Commerce concludes that the parties concerned are 
cooperating, and determines that the investigation is extraordinarily 
complicated such 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. Commerce will grant the request unless it finds compelling 
reasons to deny the request.
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    \2\ The petitioner is PMP Fermentation Products, Inc.
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    On April 4, 2018, the petitioner submitted a timely request that 
Commerce postpone the preliminary determination in the LTFV 
investigation.\3\ The petitioner stated that it requests the 
postponement in order to provide Commerce with sufficient time to 
develop the record in this proceeding through additional questionnaires 
and gather information from the interested parties on the surrogate 
values used to value the mandatory respondents' factors of 
production.\4\
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    \3\ See Letter from the petitioner titled ``Antidumping Duty 
Investigation of Sodium Gluconate, Gluconic Acid, and Derivative 
Products from the People's Republic of China: Petitioner's Request 
for Postponement of the Preliminary Determination,'' dated April 4, 
2018.
    \4\ Id.
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    For the reasons stated above and because there are no compelling 
reasons to deny the request, Commerce, in accordance with section 
733(c)(1)(A) of the Act, is postponing the deadline for the preliminary 
determination by 50 days (i.e., 190 days after the date on which this 
investigation was initiated). As a result, Commerce will issue its 
preliminary determination no later than July 2, 2018.\5\ In accordance 
with section 735(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(1), the 
deadline for the final determination of this investigation will 
continue to be 75 days after the date of the preliminary determination, 
unless postponed at a later date.
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    \5\ See Memorandum, ``Deadlines Affected by the Shutdown of the 
Federal Government,'' dated January 23, 2018. All deadlines in this 
segment of the proceeding have been extended by 3 days. If the new 
deadline falls on a non-business day, in accordance with Commerce's 
practice, the deadline will become 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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[[Page 19051]]

    This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 733(c)(2) 
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of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(f)(1).

    Dated: April 23, 2018.
Gary Taverman,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty 
Operations, performing the non-exclusive functions and duties of the 
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2018-08899 Filed 4-30-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P