[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 9, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13585-13586]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-04860]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation Nos. 731-TA-1534-1536 (Final)]


Methionine From France, Japan, and Spain; Scheduling of the Final 
Phase of Antidumping Duty Investigations

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives notice of the scheduling of the 
final phase of antidumping investigation Nos. 731-TA-1534-1536 (Final) 
pursuant to the Tariff Act of 1930 (``the Act'') to determine whether 
an industry in the United States is materially injured or threatened 
with material injury, or the establishment of an industry in the United 
States is materially retarded, by reason of imports of methionine from 
France, Japan, and Spain, provided for in subheadings 2930.40.00 and 
2930.90.46 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, 
preliminarily determined by the Department of Commerce (``Commerce'') 
to be sold at less-than-fair-value.

DATES: February 24, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Calvin Chang (202-205-3062), 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 these investigations may 
be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Scope.--For purposes of these investigations, Commerce has defined 
the subject merchandise as methionine and dl-Hydroxy analogue of 
dlmethionine, also known as 2-Hydroxy 4-(Methylthio) Butanoic acid 
(HMTBa), regardless of purity, particle size, grade, or physical form. 
Methionine has the chemical formula C5H11NO2S, liquid HMTBa has the 
chemical formula C5H10O3S, and dry HMTBa has the chemical formula 
(C5H9O3S)2Ca. Subject merchandise also includes methionine processed in 
a third country including, but not limited to, refining, converting 
from liquid to dry or dry to liquid form, or any other processing that 
would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of these 
investigations if performed in the country of manufacture of the in-
scope methionine or dl-Hydroxy analogue of dl-methionine.
    The scope also includes methionine that is commingled (i.e., mixed 
or combined) with methionine from sources not subject to these 
investigations. Only the subject component of such commingled products 
is covered by the scope of these investigations. Excluded from these 
investigations is United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) grade methionine. 
In order to qualify for this exclusion, USP grade methionine must meet 
or exceed all of the chemical, purity, performance, and labeling 
requirements of the United States Pharmacopeia and the National 
Formulary for USP grade methionine.
    Methionine is currently classified under subheadings 2930.40.00 and 
2930.90.46 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 
(HTSUS). Methionine has the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) registry 
numbers 583-91-5, 4857-44-7, 59-51-8 and 922-50-9. While the HTSUS 
subheadings and CAS registry numbers are provided for convenience and 
customs purposes, the written description of the scope of these 
investigations is dispositive.
    Background.--The final phase of these investigations is being 
scheduled, pursuant to section 735(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 
U.S.C. 1673d(b)), as a result of affirmative preliminary determinations 
by Commerce that imports of methionine from France, Japan, and Spain 
are being sold in the United States at less than fair value within the 
meaning of Sec.  733 of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1673b). The investigations 
were requested in petitions filed on July 29, 2020, by Novus 
International, Inc., St. Charles, Missouri.
    For further information concerning the conduct of this phase of the 
investigations, 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 207, subparts A and C (19 
CFR part 207).
    Participation in the investigations 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 final phase of these 
investigations as parties must file an entry of appearance with the 
Secretary to the Commission, as provided in Sec.  201.11 of the 
Commission's rules, no later than 21 days prior to the hearing date 
specified in this notice. A party that filed a notice of appearance 
during the preliminary phase of the investigations need not file an 
additional notice of appearance during this final phase. The Secretary 
will maintain a public service list containing the names and addresses 
of all persons, or their representatives, who are parties to the 
investigations.
    Please note the Secretary's Office will accept only electronic 
filings during this time. Filings must be made through the Commission's 
Electronic Document Information System (EDIS, https://edis.usitc.gov.) 
No in-person paper-based filings or paper copies of any electronic 
filings will be accepted until further notice.
    Limited disclosure of business proprietary information (BPI) under 
an administrative protective order (APO) and BPI service list.--
Pursuant to Sec.  207.7(a) of the Commission's rules, the Secretary 
will make BPI gathered in the final phase of these investigations 
available to authorized applicants under the APO issued in the 
investigations, provided that the application is made no later than 21 
days prior to the hearing date specified in this notice. Authorized 
applicants must represent interested parties, as defined by 19 U.S.C. 
1677(9), who are parties to the investigations. A party granted access 
to BPI in the preliminary phase of the investigations need not reapply 
for such access. A separate service list will be maintained by the 
Secretary for those parties authorized to receive BPI under the APO.
    Staff report.--The prehearing staff report in the final phase of 
these investigations will be placed in the nonpublic record on April 
27, 2021, and a public version will be issued thereafter, pursuant to 
Sec.  207.22 of the Commission's rules.
    Hearing.-- The Commission will hold a hearing in connection with 
the final phase of these investigations beginning at 9:30 a.m. on May 
11, 2021. Information about the place and form of the hearing, 
including about how to participate in and/or view the hearing, will be 
posted on the Commission's website at https://www.usitc.gov/

[[Page 13586]]

calendarpad/calendar.html. Interested parties should check the 
Commission's website periodically for updates. Requests to appear at 
the hearing should be filed in writing with the Secretary to the 
Commission on or before May 6, 2021. A nonparty who has testimony that 
may aid the Commission's deliberations may request permission to 
present a short statement at the hearing. All parties and nonparties 
desiring to appear at the hearing and make oral presentations should 
attend a prehearing conference to be held at 9:30 a.m. on May 7, 2021, 
if deemed necessary. Oral testimony and written materials to be 
submitted at the public hearing are governed by sections 201.6(b)(2), 
201.13(f), and 207.24 of the Commission's rules. Parties must submit 
any request to present a portion of their hearing testimony in camera 
no later than 7 business days prior to the date of the hearing.
    Written submissions.--Each party who is an interested party shall 
submit a prehearing brief to the Commission. Prehearing briefs must 
conform with the provisions of Sec.  207.23 of the Commission's rules; 
the deadline for filing is May 4, 2021. Parties may also file written 
testimony in connection with their presentation at the hearing, as 
provided in Sec.  207.24 of the Commission's rules, and posthearing 
briefs, which must conform with the provisions of section 207.25 of the 
Commission's rules. The deadline for filing posthearing briefs is May 
17, 2021. In addition, any person who has not entered an appearance as 
a party to the investigations may submit a written statement of 
information pertinent to the subject of the investigations, including 
statements of support or opposition to the petition, on or before May 
17, 2021. On June 4, 2021, the Commission will make available to 
parties all information on which they have not had an opportunity to 
comment. Parties may submit final comments on this information on or 
before June 8, 2021, but such final comments must not contain new 
factual information and must otherwise comply with Sec.  207.30 of the 
Commission's rules. All written submissions must conform with the 
provisions of Sec.  201.8 of the Commission's rules; any submissions 
that contain BPI must also conform with the requirements of Sec. Sec.  
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.
    Additional written submissions to the Commission, including 
requests pursuant to Sec.  201.12 of the Commission's rules, shall 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 Sec. Sec.  201.16(c) and 207.3 of the 
Commission's rules, each document filed by a party to the 
investigations must be served on all other parties to the 
investigations (as identified by either the public or BPI 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: These investigations are being conducted under 
authority of title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930; this notice is 
published pursuant to Sec.  207.21 of the Commission's rules.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: March 4, 2021.
Lisa Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2021-04860 Filed 3-8-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P