[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 148 (Thursday, August 1, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37674-37676]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-16363]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. TA-201-75 (Monitoring)]


Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Partially 
or Fully Assembled Into Other Products: Monitoring Developments in the 
Domestic Industry Institution and Scheduling Notice for the Subject 
Investigation

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Commission has instituted investigation No. TA-201-75 
(Monitoring), Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not 
Partially or Fully Assembled Into Other

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Products: Report on Monitoring of Developments in the Domestic 
Industry, for the purpose of preparing the report to the President and 
the Congress required by section 204(a)(2) of the Trade Act of 1974 on 
its monitoring of developments in the domestic industry following the 
President's decision to impose a safeguard measure on imports of 
certain crystalline silicon photovoltaic (``CSPV'') cells, whether or 
not partially or fully assembled into other products (including, but 
not limited to, modules, laminates, panels, and building-integrated 
materials)(``CSPV products''), as described in Proclamation 9693 of 
January 23, 2018.

DATES: July 25, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Messer (202-205-3193), 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 
(https://www.usitc.gov). The public record for this investigation may 
be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background.--On January 23, 2018, the President, pursuant to 
section 203 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2253) (Trade Act), 
issued Proclamation 9693, imposing a safeguard measure on imports of 
CSPV products, in the form of (a) a tariff-rate quota on imports of 
solar cells not partially or fully assembled into other products and 
(b) an increase in duties on imports of modules. The proclamation was 
published in the Federal Register on January 25, 2018 (83 FR 3541). The 
measure took effect on February 7, 2018, for a period of four years, or 
through February 7, 2022. The President imposed the measure following 
receipt of a report from the Commission in November 2017 under section 
202 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2252) that contained an affirmative 
determination, remedy recommendations, and certain additional findings 
(see Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells (Whether or not Partially 
or Fully Assembled into Other Products), investigation No. TA-201-75, 
USITC Publication 4739, November 2017).
    Section 204(a)(1) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2254(a)(1)) requires 
the Commission to monitor developments with respect to the domestic 
industry, including the progress and specific efforts made by workers 
and firms in the domestic industry to make a positive adjustment to 
import competition, as long as any action under section 203 of the 
Trade Act remains in effect. Whenever the initial period of such an 
action exceeds 3 years, section 204(a)(2) requires the Commission to 
submit a report on the results of the monitoring to the President and 
the Congress no later than the mid-point of the initial period of the 
relief--in this case by February 7, 2020. Section 204(a)(3) requires 
the Commission to hold a hearing in the course of preparing such 
report.
    For further information concerning the conduct of this 
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 206, subparts A and F (19 
CFR part 206).
    Participation in the investigation and service list.--Persons 
wishing to participate in the 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, not later than 21 days 
after publication of this notice in the Federal Register. The Secretary 
will prepare a service list containing the names and addresses of all 
persons, or their representatives, who are parties to this 
investigation upon the expiration of the period for filing entries of 
appearance.
    Limited disclosure of confidential business information (CBI).--
Pursuant to section 206.17 of the Commission's rules, the Secretary 
will make CBI gathered in this investigation available to authorized 
applicants representing interested parties (as defined in 19 CFR 
206.17(a)(3)(iii)) under an administrative protective order (APO) 
issued in the investigation, provided that the application is made not 
later than 21 days after the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register. A separate service list will be maintained by the Secretary 
for those parties authorized to receive CBI under the APO.
    The Commission may include CBI in the report it sends to the 
President and to the U.S. Trade Representative. Additionally, all 
information, including CBI, submitted in this investigation may be 
disclosed to and used by (i) the Commission, its employees and Offices, 
and contract personnel (a) for developing or maintaining the records of 
this or a related proceeding, or (b) in internal investigations, 
audits, reviews, and evaluations relating to the programs, personnel, 
and operations of the Commission including under 5 U.S.C. Appendix 3; 
or (ii) by U.S. government employees and contract personnel for 
cybersecurity purposes.
    The Commission will not release information which the Commission 
considers to be confidential business information unless the party 
submitting the confidential business information had notice, at the 
time of submission, that such information would be released by the 
Commission, or such party subsequently consents to the release of the 
information. The Commission will not otherwise disclose any CBI in a 
manner that would reveal the operations of the firm supplying the 
information.
    Public hearing.--As required by statute, the Commission has 
scheduled a hearing in connection with this investigation. The hearing 
will be held beginning at 9:30 a.m. on December 5, 2019, at the U.S. 
International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street SW, Washington, 
DC. Requests to appear at the hearing should be filed in writing with 
the Secretary to the Commission on or before December 2, 2019. All 
persons desiring to appear at the hearing and make an oral presentation 
should participate in a prehearing conference to be held on December 4, 
2019 at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, if deemed 
necessary. Oral testimony and written materials to be submitted at the 
hearing are governed by sections 201.6(b)(2), and 201.13(f) of the 
Commission's rules. Parties must submit any request to present a 
portion of their hearing testimony in camera no later than 7 days prior 
to the date of the hearing.
    Written submissions.--Each party is encouraged to submit a 
prehearing brief to the Commission. The deadline for filing prehearing 
briefs is November 26, 2019. Parties may also file posthearing briefs. 
The deadline for filing posthearing briefs is December 12, 2019. In 
addition, any person who has not entered an appearance as a party to 
the investigation may submit, on or before December 12, 2019, a written 
statement concerning the matters to be addressed in the Commission's 
report to the President. All written submissions must conform with the 
provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's rules; any submissions 
that contain CBI must also conform with the requirements of section 
201.6 of the Commission's rules. Any CBI that is provided will be 
subject to limited disclosure under the APO (see above) and may be 
included in the

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report that the Commission sends to the President and the U.S. Trade 
Representative. The Commission's Handbook on E-Filing, available on the 
Commission's website at https://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, will 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 section 201.16(c) 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 the 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 the 
authority of section 204(a) of the Trade Act of 1974; this notice is 
published pursuant to section 206.3 of the Commission's rules.

    Numbering of investigations under section 204.--This investigation 
incorporates a new investigation title and numbering system. Under 
section 204, the Commission may be required to prepare up to four types 
of reports under section 204 after the President proclaims relief--
reports on monitoring of the remedy, modification of the remedy, 
extension of the remedy, and evaluation of the effectiveness of the 
remedy. To make it easier for the public to identify the related 
section 201 proceeding, the Commission will use the original 
investigation number, followed by a one-word description of the type of 
report (monitoring, modification, extension, or evaluation), and the 
title of the investigation. The title and number of this investigation 
follow the new format.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: July 26, 2019.
Katherine Hiner,
Supervisory Attorney.
[FR Doc. 2019-16363 Filed 7-31-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7020-02-P