[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 10, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47481-47484]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19511]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-122-864]


Certain Fabricated Structural Steel From Canada: Preliminary 
Negative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and 
Postponement of Final Determination

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

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines 
that certain fabricated structural steel (fabricated structural steel) 
from Canada is not being, or is not likely to be, sold in the United 
States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation 
(POI) is January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018. Interested parties 
are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

DATES: Applicable September 10, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Goldberger or Ajay Menon, AD/CVD 
Operations, Office II, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue 
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-4136 or (202) 482-1993, 
respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section 
733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Commerce 
published the notice of initiation of this investigation on March 4, 
2019.\1\ On July 1, 2019, Commerce postponed the preliminary 
determination of this investigation and the revised deadline is now 
September 3, 2019.\2\ For a complete description of the events that 
followed the initiation of this investigation, see the Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum.\3\ A list of topics included in the Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum is included as Appendix II to this notice. The 
Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file 
electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's 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 
Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/. The signed and the electronic versions of 
the Preliminary Decision Memorandum are identical in content.
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    \1\ See Certain Fabricated Structural Steel from Canada, Mexico, 
and the People's Republic of China: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-
Value Investigations, 84 FR 7330 (March 4, 2019) (Initiation 
Notice).
    \2\ See Certain Fabricated Structural Steel from Canada, Mexico, 
and the People's Republic of China: Postponement of Preliminary 
Determinations of Antidumping Duty Investigations, 84 FR 31301 (July 
1, 2019).
    \3\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary 
Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation of Certain 
Fabricated Structural Steel from Canada'' dated concurrently with, 
and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum).
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Scope of the Investigation

    The product covered by this investigation is fabricated structural 
steel from Canada. For a complete description of the scope of this 
investigation, see Appendix I.

Scope Comments

    In accordance with the preamble to Commerce's regulations,\4\ the 
Initiation Notice set aside a period of time for parties to raise 
issues regarding product coverage (i.e., scope).\5\ Certain interested 
parties commented on the scope of the investigation as it appeared in 
the Initiation Notice. For a summary of the product coverage comments 
and rebuttal responses submitted on the record for this preliminary 
determination, and accompanying discussion and analysis of all comments 
timely received, see the Preliminary Scope Decision Memoranda.\6\ 
Commerce is preliminarily modifying the scope language as it appeared 
in the Initiation Notice. See the revised scope in Appendix I to this 
notice.
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    \4\ See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, Final Rule, 
62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997).
    \5\ See Initiation Notice, 83 FR at 7331.
    \6\ See Memorandum, ``Fabricated Structural Steel from Canada, 
Mexico, and the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Scope 
Decision Memorandum,'' dated July 5, 2019; see also Memorandum, 
``Fabricated Structural Steel from Canada, Mexico, and the People's 
Republic of China: Second Preliminary Scope Memorandum,'' dated 
concurrently with this notice (collectively, Preliminary Scope 
Decision Memoranda).
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Methodology

    Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with 
section 731 of the Act. Commerce has calculated export prices in 
accordance with section 772(a) of the Act. Commerce calculated 
constructed export prices have been calculated in accordance with 
section 772(b) of the Act. Normal value is calculated in accordance 
with section 773 of the Act. For a full description of the methodology 
underlying the preliminary determination, see the Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum.

Preliminary Determination

    For this preliminary determination, Commerce calculated a zero or 
de minimis estimated weighted-average dumping margin for each 
individually examined producer and/or exporter of the subject 
merchandise. Consistent with section 733(b)(3) of the Act, Commerce 
disregards de minimis rates and preliminarily determines that these 
individually examined respondents with de minimis rates have not made 
sales of subject merchandise at LTFV.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            Estimated weighted- average
            Exporter/producer                dumping margin (percent)
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Les Constructions Beauce-Atlas, Inc \7\.  0.69 (de minimis).
Canatal Industries, Inc.................  0.00.
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    Consistent with section 733(d) of the Act, Commerce has not 
calculated an estimated weighted-average dumping margin for all other 
producers and exporters because it has not made an

[[Page 47482]]

affirmative preliminary determination of sales at LTFV.
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    \7\ Commerce preliminarily determined that Beauce-Atlas, 
Fabrication Beauce-Atlas, and Structure Beauce-Atlas are a single 
entity. See Memorandum, ``Antidumping Duty Investigation of 
Fabricated Structural Steel from Canada: Les Constructions Beauce-
Atlas Preliminary Affiliation and Collapsing Memorandum,'' dated 
August 9, 2019.
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Suspension of Liquidation

    Because Commerce has made a negative preliminary determination of 
sales at LTFV with regard to subject merchandise, Commerce will not 
direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to suspend liquidation or to 
require a cash deposit of estimated antidumping duties for any such 
entries.

Disclosure

    Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis 
performed to interested parties in this preliminary determination 
within five days of any public announcement or, if there is no public 
announcement, within five days of the date of publication of this 
notice in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

Verification

    As provided in section 782(i)(1) of the Act, Commerce intends to 
verify the information relied upon in making its final determination.

Public Comment

    Case briefs or other written comments may be submitted to the 
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance no later than seven 
days after the date on which the last verification report is issued in 
this investigation. Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in case 
briefs, may be submitted no later than five days after the deadline 
date for case briefs.\8\ Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2), 
parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this investigation 
are encouraged to submit with each argument: (1) A statement of the 
issue; (2) a brief summary of the argument; and (3) a table of 
authorities.
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    \8\ See 19 CFR 351.309; see also 19 CFR 351.303 (for general 
filing requirements).
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    Interested parties may address Commerce's preliminary scope 
determinations in scope briefs which may be submitted no later than 21 
days after the publication of the preliminary antidumping duty (AD) 
determinations on fabricated structural steel from Canada, China, and 
Mexico in the Federal Register. Scope rebuttal briefs, limited to 
issues raised in the scope case briefs, may be submitted no later than 
five days after the deadline for the scope case briefs. These 
deadlines, which are based on publication in the Federal Register of 
the preliminary determinations in the AD investigations of fabricated 
structural steel, apply to both the on-going AD and countervailing duty 
(CVD) fabricated structural steel investigations. Thus, there is only 
one briefing schedule for scope case and rebuttal briefs in the AD and 
CVD fabricated structural steel investigations. For all scope issues, 
parties must file separate and identical documents on the records of 
all of the ongoing AD and CVD investigations of fabricated structural 
steel from Canada, China, and Mexico through ACCESS. No new factual 
information may be included in scope case or rebuttal briefs.
    Parties should include all arguments about scope-related issues in 
the scope case and rebuttal briefs. Commerce does not intend to permit 
arguments about scope-related issues in the investigation-specific case 
and rebuttal briefs regarding other issues. Should these investigations 
result in the imposition of orders, interested parties may submit 
requests for a scope ruling after the publication of any such orders in 
the Federal Register.
    Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to 
request a hearing, limited to issues raised in the case and rebuttal 
briefs, must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for 
Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce, within 30 days 
after the date of publication of this notice. Requests should contain 
the party's name, address, and telephone number, the number of 
participants, whether any participant is a foreign national, and a list 
of the issues to be discussed. If a request for a hearing is made, 
Commerce intends to hold the hearing at the U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230, at a time 
and date to be determined. Parties should confirm by telephone the 
date, time, and location of the hearing two days before the scheduled 
date.

Postponement of Final Determination

    Section 735(a)(2)(B) of the Act provides that a final determination 
may be postponed until not later than 135 days after the date of the 
publication of the preliminary determination if, in the event of a 
negative preliminary determination, a request for such postponement is 
made by the petitioner. On July 23, 2019, the petitioner requested that 
Commerce postpone the final determination.\9\ In accordance with 
section 735(a)(2)(B) of the Act, because the preliminary determination 
is negative, and the petitioner has requested the postponement of the 
final determination, Commerce is postponing the final determination. 
Accordingly, Commerce will make its final determination by no later 
than 135 days after the date of publication of this preliminary 
determination, pursuant to section 735(a)(2) of the Act.
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    \9\ See Petitioner's Letter, ``Certain Fabricated Structural 
Steel from Canada, Mexico, and the People's Republic of China: 
Request to Extend Final Determination,'' dated July 23, 2019.
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International Trade Commission Notification

    In accordance with section 733(f) of the Act, Commerce will notify 
the International Trade Commission (ITC) of its preliminary 
determination. If the final determination is affirmative, the ITC will 
determine 75 days after the final determination whether these imports 
are materially injuring, or threaten material injury to, the U.S. 
industry.

Notification to Interested Parties

    This determination is issued and published in accordance with 
sections 733(f) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(c).

    Dated: September 3, 2019.
Jeffrey I. Kessler,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix I

Scope of the Investigation

    The merchandise covered by the investigation is carbon and alloy 
fabricated structural steel. Fabricated structural steel is made 
from steel in which: (1) Iron predominates, by weight, over each of 
the other contained elements; and (2) the carbon content is two 
percent or less by weight. Fabricated structural steel products are 
steel products that have been fabricated for erection or assembly 
into structures, including, but not limited to, buildings 
(commercial, office, institutional, and multi-family residential); 
industrial and utility projects; parking decks; arenas and 
convention centers; medical facilities; and ports, transportation 
and infrastructure facilities. Fabricated structural steel is 
manufactured from carbon and alloy (including stainless) steel 
products such as angles, columns, beams, girders, plates, flange 
shapes (including manufactured structural shapes utilizing welded 
plates as a substitute for rolled wide flange sections), channels, 
hollow structural section (HSS) shapes, base plates, and plate-work 
components. Fabrication includes, but is not limited to cutting, 
drilling, welding, joining, bolting, bending, punching, pressure 
fitting, molding, grooving, adhesion, beveling, and riveting and may 
include items such as fasteners, nuts, bolts, rivets, screws, 
hinges, or joints.
    The inclusion, attachment, joining, or assembly of non-steel 
components with fabricated structural steel does not remove the 
fabricated structural steel from the scope.
    Fabricated structural steel is covered by the scope of the 
investigation regardless of whether it is painted, varnished, or 
coated

[[Page 47483]]

with plastics or other metallic or non-metallic substances and 
regardless of whether it is assembled or partially assembled, such 
as into modules, modularized construction units, or sub-assemblies 
of fabricated structural steel.
    Subject merchandise includes fabricated structural steel that 
has been assembled or further processed in the subject country or a 
third country, including but not limited to painting, varnishing, 
trimming, cutting, drilling, welding, joining, bolting, punching, 
bending, beveling, riveting, galvanizing, coating, and/or slitting 
or any other processing that would not otherwise remove the 
merchandise from the scope of the investigation if performed in the 
country of manufacture of the fabricated structural steel.
    All products that meet the written physical description of the 
merchandise covered by the investigation are within the scope of the 
investigation unless specifically excluded or covered by the scope 
of an existing antidumping duty order.
    Specifically excluded from the scope of the investigation are:
    1. Fabricated steel concrete reinforcing bar (rebar) if: (i) It 
is a unitary piece of fabricated rebar, not joined, welded, or 
otherwise connected with any other steel product or part; or (ii) it 
is joined, welded, or otherwise connected only to other rebar.
    2. Fabricated structural steel for bridges and bridge sections 
that meets American Association of State and Highway and 
Transportation Officials (AASHTO) bridge construction requirements 
or any state or local derivatives of the AASHTO bridge construction 
requirements.
    3. Pre-engineered metal building systems, which are defined as 
complete metal buildings that integrate steel framing, roofing and 
walls to form one, pre-engineered building system, that meet Metal 
Building Manufacturers Association guide specifications. Pre-
engineered metal building systems are typically limited in height to 
no more than 60 feet or two stories.
    4. Steel roof and floor decking systems that meet Steel Deck 
Institute standards.
    5. Open web steel bar joists and joist girders that meet Steel 
Joist Institute specifications.
    6. Also excluded from the scope of the investigation is 
scaffolding, and parts and accessories thereof, that comply with 
ANSI/ASSE A10.8--2011--Scaffolding Safety Requirements, and/or 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations at 29 CFR 
part 1926 subpart L--Scaffolds. The outside diameter of the scaffold 
tubing covered by this exclusion ranges from 25mm to 150mm.
    7. Excluded from the scope of the investigation are access 
flooring systems panels and accessories, where such panels have a 
total thickness ranging from 0.75 inches to 1.75 inches and consist 
of concrete, wood, other non-steel materials, or hollow space 
permanently attached to a top and bottom layer of galvanized or 
painted steel sheet or formed coil steel, the whole of which has 
been formed into a square or rectangle having a measurement of 24 
inches on each side +/- 0.1 inch; 24 inches by 30 inches +/- 0.1 
inch; or 24 by 36 inches +/- 0.1 inch.
    8. Excluded from the investigation are the following types of 
steel poles, segments of steel poles, and steel components of those 
poles:
     Steel Electric Transmission Poles, or segments of such 
poles, that meet (1) the American Society of Civil Engineers 
(ASCE)--Design of Steel Transmission Pole Structures, ASCE/SEI 48 or 
(2) the USDA RUS bulletin 1724E-214 Guide specification for standard 
class Steel Transmission Poles. The exclusion for steel electric 
transmission poles also encompasses the following components 
thereof: Transmission arms which attach to poles; pole bases; angles 
that do not exceed 8'' x 8'' x 0.75''; steel vangs, steel brackets, 
steel flanges, and steel caps; safety climbing cables; ladders; and 
steel templates.
     Steel Electric Substation Poles, or segments of such 
poles, that meet the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)--
Manuals and Reports on Engineering Practice No. 113. The exclusion 
for steel electric substation poles also encompasses the following 
components thereof: Substation dead end poles; substation bus 
stands; substation mast poles, arms, and cross-arms; steel brackets, 
steel flanges, and steel caps; pole bases; safety climbing cables; 
ladders; and steel templates.
     Steel Electric Distribution Poles, or segments of such 
poles, that meet (1) American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)--
Design of Steel Transmission Pole Structures, ASCE/SEI 48, (2) USDA 
RUS bulletin 1724E-204 Guide specification for steel single pole and 
H-frame structures, or (3) ANSI 05.1 height and class requirements 
for steel poles. The exclusion for steel electric distribution poles 
also encompasses the following components thereof: Distribution arms 
and cross-arms; pole bases; angles that do not exceed 8'' x 8'' x 
0.75''; steel vangs, steel brackets, steel flanges, and steel caps; 
safety climbing cables; ladders; and steel templates.
     Steel Traffic Signal Poles, Steel Roadway Lighting 
Poles, Steel Parking Lot Lighting Poles, and Steel Sports Lighting 
Poles, or segments of such poles, that meet (1) the American 
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)--
Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, 
Luminaires, and Traffic Signals, (2) any state or local derivatives 
of the AASHTO highway sign, luminaries, and traffic signals 
requirements, or (3) American National Standard Institute (ANSI) 
C136--American National Standard for Roadway and Area Lighting 
Equipment standards. The exclusion for steel traffic signal poles, 
steel roadway lighting poles, steel parking lot lighting poles, and 
steel sports lighting poles also encompasses the following 
components thereof: Luminaire arms; hand hole rims; hand hole 
covers; base plates that connect to either the shaft or the arms; 
mast arm clamps; mast arm tie rods; transformer base boxes; formed 
full base covers that hide anchor bolts; step lugs; internal cable 
guides; lighting cross arms; lighting service platforms; angles that 
do not exceed 8'' x 8'' x 0.75''; stainless steel hand hole door 
hinges and wind restraints; steel brackets, steel flanges, and steel 
caps; safety climbing cables; ladders; and steel templates.
     Communication Poles, or segments of such poles, that 
meet (1) Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) ANSI/TIA-222 
Structural Standards for Steel Antenna Towers and Antenna Supporting 
Structures, or (2) American Association of State Highway and 
Transportation Officials (AASHTO)--Specifications for Structural 
Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires, and Traffic Signals. The 
exclusion for communication poles also encompasses the following 
components thereof: Luminaire arms; hand hole rims; hand hole 
covers; base plate that connects the pole to the foundation or arm 
to the pole; safety climbing cables; ladders; service ground 
platforms; step lugs; pole steps; steel brackets, steel flanges, and 
steel caps; angles that do not exceed 8'' x 8'' x 0.75'', coax, and 
safety brackets; subcomponent kits for antenna mounts weighing 80 
lbs. or less; service platforms; ice bridges; stainless steel hand 
hole door hinges and wind restraints; and steel templates.
     OEM Round or Polygonal Tapered Steel Poles, segments or 
shaft components of such poles, that meet the (1) ASCE 48 or AASHTO, 
(2) ANSI/TIA 222, (3) ANSI 05.1, (4) RUS bulletin 1724E-204, or (5) 
RUS bulletin 1724E-214. The exclusion for OEM round or polygonal 
tapered steel poles also encompasses the following components 
thereof: Subcomponent kits for antenna mounts weighing 80 lbs. or 
less; mounts and platforms; steel brackets, steel flanges, and steel 
caps; angles that do not exceed 8'' x 8'' x 0.75''; bridge kits; 
safety climbing cables; ladders; and steel templates.
    The inclusion or attachment of one or more of the above-
referenced steel poles in a structure containing fabricated 
structural steel (FSS) does not remove the FSS from the scope of the 
investigation. No language included in this exclusion should be read 
or understood to have applicability to any other aspect of this 
scope or to have applicability to or to exclude any product, part, 
or component other than those specifically identified in the 
exclusion.
    9. Also excluded from the scope of the investigation are 
Shuttering, Formworks, Propping and Shoring and parts and 
accessories thereof that comply with ANSI/ASSE A10.9--Safety 
Requirements for Concrete and Masonry Work and ACI-347--Recommended 
Practice for Concrete Formwork. For Shoring and propping made from 
tube, the outside diameter of the tubing covered by this exclusion 
ranges from 48mm to 250mm. For Shuttering and Formworks, the panel 
sizes covered by this exclusion range from 25mm X 600mm to 3000mm X 
3000mm.
    The products subject to the investigation are currently 
classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 
(HTSUS) under subheadings: 7308.90.3000, 7308.90.6000, and 
7308.90.9590.
    The products subject to the investigation may also enter under 
the following HTSUS subheadings: 7216.91.0010, 7216.91.0090, 
7216.99.0010, 7216.99.0090, 7222.40.6000, 7228.70.6000, 
7301.10.0000, 7301.20.1000, 7301.20.5000, 7308.40.0000, 
7308.90.9530, and 9406.90.0030.

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    The HTSUS subheadings above are provided for convenience and 
customs purposes only. The written description of the scope of the 
investigation is dispositive.

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary
II. Background
III. Period of Investigation
IV. Postponement of the Final Determination
V. Scope Comments
VI. Scope of the Investigation
VII. Affiliation and Collapsing
VIII. Discussion of the Methodology
IX. Date of Sale
X. Universe of Sales Examined
XI. Product Comparisons
XII. Export Price/Constructed Export Price
XIII. Normal Value/Constructed Value
XIV. Currency Conversion
XV. Recommendation

[FR Doc. 2019-19511 Filed 9-9-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P