[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 41 (Monday, March 2, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12331-12334]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-04078]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation Nos. 701-TA-432 and 731-TA-1024-1028 (Third Review) and 
AA1921-188 (Fifth Review)]


Prestressed Concrete Steel Wire Strand From Brazil, India, Japan, 
Korea, Mexico, and Thailand; Institution of Five-Year Reviews

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives notice that it has instituted 
reviews pursuant to the Tariff Act of 1930 (``the Act''), as amended, 
to determine whether revocation of the antidumping duty orders on 
prestressed concrete steel wire strand (``PC strand'') from Brazil, 
India, Korea, Mexico, and Thailand, and the antidumping finding on PC 
strand from Japan, as well as revocation of the countervailing duty 
order on PC strand from India, would be likely to lead to continuation 
or recurrence of material injury. Pursuant to the Act, interested 
parties are requested to respond to this notice by submitting the 
information specified below to the Commission.

DATES: Instituted March 2, 2020. To be assured of consideration, the 
deadline for responses is April 1, 2020. Comments on the adequacy of 
responses may be filed with the Commission by May 14, 2020.

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 proceeding may be 
viewed on the Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background.--On December 8, 1978, the Department of the Treasury 
issued an antidumping finding on imports of PC strand from Japan (43 FR 
57599). Following first five-year reviews by the Department of Commerce 
(``Commerce'') and the Commission, effective February 3, 1999, Commerce 
issued a continuation of the antidumping finding on imports of PC 
strand from Japan (64 FR 40554, July 27, 1999). Following second five-
year reviews by Commerce and the Commission, effective June 25, 2004, 
Commerce issued a continuation of the antidumping finding on imports of 
PC strand from Japan (69 FR 35584). On January 28, 2004, Commerce 
issued antidumping duty orders on imports of PC strand from Brazil, 
India, Korea, Mexico, and Thailand (69 FR 4109-4113). On February 4, 
2004, Commerce issued a countervailing duty order on imports of PC 
strand from India (69 FR 5319). In 2009, the Commission conducted 
grouped first five-year reviews of the antidumping duty orders on 
imports of PC strand from Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, and Thailand; 
the first five-year review of the countervailing duty order on imports 
of PC strand from India; and the third five-year review of the 
antidumping finding on imports of PC strand from Japan (``2009 
reviews''). Following the Commission's 2009 reviews, Commerce issued a 
continuation of the antidumping duty orders on imports of PC strand 
from Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, and Thailand; the countervailing 
duty order on imports of PC strand from India; and the

[[Page 12332]]

antidumping finding on imports of PC strand from Japan, effective 
December 11, 2009 (74 FR 65739). Following the Commission's grouped 
second five-year reviews of the antidumping duty orders on imports of 
PC strand from Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, and Thailand; the second 
five-year review of the countervailing duty order on imports of PC 
strand from India; and the fourth five-year review of the antidumping 
finding on imports of PC strand from Japan (``2015 reviews''), Commerce 
issued a continuation of the antidumping duty orders on imports of PC 
strand from Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, and Thailand; the 
countervailing duty order on imports of PC strand from India; and the 
antidumping finding on imports of PC strand from Japan, effective April 
23, 2015 (80 FR 22708). The Commission is now conducting grouped third 
five-year reviews of the antidumping duty orders on imports of PC 
strand from Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, and Thailand; the third five-
year review of the countervailing duty order on imports of PC strand 
from India; and the fifth five-year review of the antidumping finding 
on imports of PC strand from Japan pursuant to section 751(c) of the 
Act, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1675(c)), to determine whether revocation 
would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material 
injury to the domestic industry within a reasonably foreseeable time. 
Provisions concerning the conduct of this proceeding may be found in 
the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure at 19 CFR part 201, 
subparts A and B, and 19 CFR part 207, subparts A and F. The Commission 
will assess the adequacy of interested party responses to this notice 
of institution to determine whether to conduct full or expedited 
reviews. The Commission's determinations in any expedited reviews will 
be based on the facts available, which may include information provided 
in response to this notice.
    Definitions.--The following definitions apply to these reviews:
    (1) Subject Merchandise is the class or kind of merchandise that is 
within the scope of the five-year reviews, as defined by Commerce.
    (2) The Subject Countries in these reviews are Brazil, India, 
Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Thailand.
    (3) The Domestic Like Product is the domestically produced product 
or products which are like, or in the absence of like, most similar in 
characteristics and uses with, the Subject Merchandise. In its 
expedited first and second five-year reviews of the antidumping finding 
concerning Japan, the Commission found that the appropriate definition 
of the Domestic Like Product was the same as Commerce's scope: All 
steel wire strand, other than alloy steel, not galvanized, which has 
been stress-relieved and is suitable for use in prestressed concrete. 
(The Commission did not explicitly make a like product determination in 
its original determination concerning Japan.) In its original 
determinations concerning Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, and Thailand, 
the Commission found the Domestic Like Product to be all PC strand co-
extensive with Commerce's scope, that is, steel strand produced from 
wire of non-stainless, non-galvanized steel that is suitable for use in 
prestressed concrete (both pre-tensioned and post-tensioned) 
applications and that encompasses covered and uncovered strand and all 
types, grades, and diameters of prestressed concrete steel wire strand. 
In its grouped full 2009 review determinations and its grouped 
expedited 2015 review determinations, the Commission defined the 
Domestic Like Product consistent with its prior determinations, that 
is, steel strand produced from wire of non-stainless, non-galvanized 
steel that is suitable for use in prestressed concrete (both pre-
tensioned and post-tensioned) applications and that encompasses covered 
and uncovered strand and all types, grades, and diameters of 
prestressed concrete steel wire strand. The Commission recognized that 
the description of the scope of the finding concerning Japan and the 
scope of the orders concerning Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, and 
Thailand differed in a number of technical respects but found that 
those differences lacked significance.
    (4) The Domestic Industry is the U.S. producers as a whole of the 
Domestic Like Product, or those producers whose collective output of 
the Domestic Like Product constitutes a major proportion of the total 
domestic production of the product. In its original determination and 
its expedited first and second reviews of the antidumping finding 
concerning Japan, the Commission defined the Domestic Industry as all 
producers of PC strand. Likewise, in its original determinations 
concerning Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, and Thailand, the Commission 
found the Domestic Industry to be all producers of PC strand. The 
Commission also determined that plastic coating did not constitute 
sufficient production-related activity to qualify coaters as members of 
the domestic industry producing PC strand. In its grouped full 2009 
review determinations and its grouped expedited 2015 review 
determinations, the Commission defined the Domestic Industry to include 
all producers of the Domestic Like Product.
    (5) An Importer is any person or firm engaged, either directly or 
through a parent company or subsidiary, in importing the Subject 
Merchandise into the United States from a foreign manufacturer or 
through its selling agent.
    Participation in the proceeding and public service list.--Persons, 
including industrial users of the Subject Merchandise and, if the 
merchandise is sold at the retail level, representative consumer 
organizations, wishing to participate in the proceeding as parties must 
file an entry of appearance with the Secretary to the Commission, as 
provided in section 201.11(b)(4) of the Commission's rules, no later 
than 21 days after publication of this notice in the Federal Register. 
The Secretary will maintain a public service list containing the names 
and addresses of all persons, or their representatives, who are parties 
to the proceeding.
    Former Commission employees who are seeking to appear in Commission 
five-year reviews are advised that they may appear in a review even if 
they participated personally and substantially in the corresponding 
underlying original investigation or an earlier review of the same 
underlying investigation. The Commission's designated agency ethics 
official has advised that a five-year review is not the same particular 
matter as the underlying original investigation, and a five-year review 
is not the same particular matter as an earlier review of the same 
underlying investigation for purposes of 18 U.S.C. 207, the post 
employment statute for Federal employees, and Commission rule 201.15(b) 
(19 CFR 201.15(b)), 79 FR 3246 (Jan. 17, 2014), 73 FR 24609 (May 5, 
2008). Consequently, former employees are not required to seek 
Commission approval to appear in a review under Commission rule 19 CFR 
201.15, even if the corresponding underlying original investigation or 
an earlier review of the same underlying investigation was pending when 
they were Commission employees. For further ethics advice on this 
matter, contact Charles Smith, Office of the General Counsel, at 202-
205-3408.
    Limited disclosure of business proprietary information (BPI) under 
an administrative protective order (APO) and APO service list.--
Pursuant to section 207.7(a) of the Commission's rules, the Secretary 
will make BPI submitted in this proceeding available

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to authorized applicants under the APO issued in the proceeding, 
provided that the application is made no later than 21 days after 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register. Authorized 
applicants must represent interested parties, as defined in 19 U.S.C. 
1677(9), who are parties to the proceeding. A separate service list 
will be maintained by the Secretary for those parties authorized to 
receive BPI under the APO.
    Certification.--Pursuant to section 207.3 of the Commission's 
rules, any person submitting information to the Commission in 
connection with this proceeding must certify that the information is 
accurate and complete to the best of the submitter's knowledge. In 
making the certification, the submitter will acknowledge that 
information submitted in response to this request for information and 
throughout this proceeding or other proceeding may be disclosed to and 
used: (i) By 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, solely for cybersecurity 
purposes. All contract personnel will sign appropriate nondisclosure 
agreements.
    Written submissions.--Pursuant to section 207.61 of the 
Commission's rules, each interested party response to this notice must 
provide the information specified below. The deadline for filing such 
responses is April 1, 2020. Pursuant to section 207.62(b) of the 
Commission's rules, eligible parties (as specified in Commission rule 
207.62(b)(1)) may also file comments concerning the adequacy of 
responses to the notice of institution and whether the Commission 
should conduct expedited or full reviews. The deadline for filing such 
comments is May 14, 2020. All written submissions must conform with the 
provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's rules; any submissions 
that contain BPI must also conform with the requirements of sections 
201.6, 207.3, and 207.7 of the Commission's rules. The Commission's 
Handbook on Filing Procedures, available on the Commission's website at 
https://www.usitc.gov/documents/handbook_on_filing_procedures.pdf, 
elaborates upon the Commission's procedures with respect to filings. 
Also, in accordance with sections 201.16(c) and 207.3 of the 
Commission's rules, each document filed by a party to the proceeding 
must be served on all other parties to the proceeding (as identified by 
either the public or APO service list as appropriate), and a 
certificate of service must accompany the document (if you are not a 
party to the proceeding you do not need to serve your response).
    No response to this request for information is required if a 
currently valid Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') number is not 
displayed; the OMB number is 3117 0016/USITC No. 20-5-458, expiration 
date June 30, 2020. Public reporting burden for the request is 
estimated to average 15 hours per response. Please send comments 
regarding the accuracy of this burden estimate to the Office of 
Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20436.
    Inability to provide requested information.--Pursuant to section 
207.61(c) of the Commission's rules, any interested party that cannot 
furnish the information requested by this notice in the requested form 
and manner shall notify the Commission at the earliest possible time, 
provide a full explanation of why it cannot provide the requested 
information, and indicate alternative forms in which it can provide 
equivalent information. If an interested party does not provide this 
notification (or the Commission finds the explanation provided in the 
notification inadequate) and fails to provide a complete response to 
this notice, the Commission may take an adverse inference against the 
party pursuant to section 776(b) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1677e(b)) in 
making its determinations in the reviews.
    Information To Be Provided in Response to This Notice of 
Institution: If you are a domestic producer, union/worker group, or 
trade/business association; import/export Subject Merchandise from more 
than one Subject Country; or produce Subject Merchandise in more than 
one Subject Country, you may file a single response. If you do so, 
please ensure that your response to each question includes the 
information requested for each pertinent Subject Country. As used 
below, the term ``firm'' includes any related firms.
    (1) The name and address of your firm or entity (including World 
Wide Web address) and name, telephone number, fax number, and Email 
address of the certifying official.
    (2) A statement indicating whether your firm/entity is an 
interested party under 19 U.S.C. 1677(9) and if so, how, including 
whether your firm/entity is a U.S. producer of the Domestic Like 
Product, a U.S. union or worker group, a U.S. importer of the Subject 
Merchandise, a foreign producer or exporter of the Subject Merchandise, 
a U.S. or foreign trade or business association (a majority of whose 
members are interested parties under the statute), or another 
interested party (including an explanation). If you are a union/worker 
group or trade/business association, identify the firms in which your 
workers are employed or which are members of your association.
    (3) A statement indicating whether your firm/entity is willing to 
participate in this proceeding by providing information requested by 
the Commission.
    (4) A statement of the likely effects of the revocation of the 
finding/orders on the Domestic Industry in general and/or your firm/
entity specifically. In your response, please discuss the various 
factors specified in section 752(a) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1675a(a)) 
including the likely volume of subject imports, likely price effects of 
subject imports, and likely impact of imports of Subject Merchandise on 
the Domestic Industry.
    (5) A list of all known and currently operating U.S. producers of 
the Domestic Like Product. Identify any known related parties and the 
nature of the relationship as defined in section 771(4)(B) of the Act 
(19 U.S.C. 1677(4)(B)).
    (6) A list of all known and currently operating U.S. importers of 
the Subject Merchandise and producers of the Subject Merchandise in 
each Subject Country that currently export or have exported Subject 
Merchandise to the United States or other countries after 2013.
    (7) A list of 3-5 leading purchasers in the U.S. market for the 
Domestic Like Product and the Subject Merchandise (including street 
address, World Wide Web address, and the name, telephone number, fax 
number, and Email address of a responsible official at each firm).
    (8) A list of known sources of information on national or regional 
prices for the Domestic Like Product or the Subject Merchandise in the 
U.S. or other markets.
    (9) If you are a U.S. producer of the Domestic Like Product, 
provide the following information on your firm's operations on that 
product during calendar year 2019, except as noted (report quantity 
data in pounds and value data in U.S. dollars, f.o.b. plant). If you 
are a union/worker group or trade/business association, provide the 
information, on an aggregate basis, for the firms in which your workers 
are employed/which are members of your association.

[[Page 12334]]

    (a) Production (quantity) and, if known, an estimate of the 
percentage of total U.S. production of the Domestic Like Product 
accounted for by your firm's(s') production;
    (b) Capacity (quantity) of your firm to produce the Domestic Like 
Product (that is, the level of production that your establishment(s) 
could reasonably have expected to attain during the year, assuming 
normal operating conditions (using equipment and machinery in place and 
ready to operate), normal operating levels (hours per week/weeks per 
year), time for downtime, maintenance, repair, and cleanup, and a 
typical or representative product mix);
    (c) the quantity and value of U.S. commercial shipments of the 
Domestic Like Product produced in your U.S. plant(s);
    (d) the quantity and value of U.S. internal consumption/company 
transfers of the Domestic Like Product produced in your U.S. plant(s); 
and
    (e) the value of (i) net sales, (ii) cost of goods sold (COGS), 
(iii) gross profit, (iv) selling, general and administrative (SG&A) 
expenses, and (v) operating income of the Domestic Like Product 
produced in your U.S. plant(s) (include both U.S. and export commercial 
sales, internal consumption, and company transfers) for your most 
recently completed fiscal year (identify the date on which your fiscal 
year ends).
    (10) If you are a U.S. importer or a trade/business association of 
U.S. importers of the Subject Merchandise from any Subject Country, 
provide the following information on your firm's(s') operations on that 
product during calendar year 2019 (report quantity data in pounds and 
value data in U.S. dollars). If you are a trade/business association, 
provide the information, on an aggregate basis, for the firms which are 
members of your association.
    (a) The quantity and value (landed, duty-paid but not including 
antidumping or countervailing duties) of U.S. imports and, if known, an 
estimate of the percentage of total U.S. imports of Subject Merchandise 
from each Subject Country accounted for by your firm's(s') imports;
    (b) The quantity and value (f.o.b. U.S. port, including antidumping 
and/or countervailing duties) of U.S. commercial shipments of Subject 
Merchandise imported from each Subject Country; and
    (c) The quantity and value (f.o.b. U.S. port, including antidumping 
and/or countervailing duties) of U.S. internal consumption/company 
transfers of Subject Merchandise imported from each Subject Country.
    (11) If you are a producer, an exporter, or a trade/business 
association of producers or exporters of the Subject Merchandise in any 
Subject Country, provide the following information on your firm's(s') 
operations on that product during calendar year 2019 (report quantity 
data in pounds and value data in U.S. dollars, landed and duty-paid at 
the U.S. port but not including antidumping or countervailing duties). 
If you are a trade/business association, provide the information, on an 
aggregate basis, for the firms which are members of your association.
    (a) Production (quantity) and, if known, an estimate of the 
percentage of total production of Subject Merchandise in each Subject 
Country accounted for by your firm's(s') production;
    (b) Capacity (quantity) of your firm(s) to produce the Subject 
Merchandise in each Subject Country (that is, the level of production 
that your establishment(s) could reasonably have expected to attain 
during the year, assuming normal operating conditions (using equipment 
and machinery in place and ready to operate), normal operating levels 
(hours per week/weeks per year), time for downtime, maintenance, 
repair, and cleanup, and a typical or representative product mix); and
    (c) The quantity and value of your firm's(s') exports to the United 
States of Subject Merchandise and, if known, an estimate of the 
percentage of total exports to the United States of Subject Merchandise 
from each Subject Country accounted for by your firm's(s') exports.
    (12) Identify significant changes, if any, in the supply and demand 
conditions or business cycle for the Domestic Like Product that have 
occurred in the United States or in the market for the Subject 
Merchandise in each Subject Country after 2013, and significant 
changes, if any, that are likely to occur within a reasonably 
foreseeable time. Supply conditions to consider include technology; 
production methods; development efforts; ability to increase production 
(including the shift of production facilities used for other products 
and the use, cost, or availability of major inputs into production); 
and factors related to the ability to shift supply among different 
national markets (including barriers to importation in foreign markets 
or changes in market demand abroad). Demand conditions to consider 
include end uses and applications; the existence and availability of 
substitute products; and the level of competition among the Domestic 
Like Product produced in the United States, Subject Merchandise 
produced in each Subject Country, and such merchandise from other 
countries.
    (13) (OPTIONAL) A statement of whether you agree with the above 
definitions of the Domestic Like Product and Domestic Industry; if you 
disagree with either or both of these definitions, please explain why 
and provide alternative definitions.

Authority

    This proceeding is being conducted under authority of title VII of 
the Tariff Act of 1930; this notice is published pursuant to section 
207.61 of the Commission's rules.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: February 24, 2020.
Lisa Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2020-04078 Filed 2-28-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7020-02-P