[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 227 (Tuesday, November 30, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 67909]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-26025]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-580-913, C-821-834]


Oil Country Tubular Goods From the Republic of Korea and the 
Russian Federation: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations in the 
Countervailing Duty Investigations

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


DATES: Applicable November 30, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Litwin (Republic of Korea 
(Korea)) and Theodore Pearson (Russian Federation (Russia)), AD/CVD 
Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue 
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-6002 and (202) 482-2631, 
respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On October 26, 2021, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) 
initiated countervailing duty (CVD) investigations of imports of oil 
country tubular goods (OCTG) from Korea and Russia.\1\ Currently, the 
preliminary determinations are due no later than December 30, 2021.
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    \1\ See Oil Country Tubular Goods from the Republic of Korea and 
the Russian Federation: Initiation of Countervailing Duty 
Investigations, 86 FR 60210 (November 1, 2021) (Initiation Notice).
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Postponement of Preliminary Determinations

    Section 703(b)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), 
requires Commerce to issue the preliminary determination in a 
countervailing duty investigation within 65 days after the date on 
which Commerce initiated the investigation. However, section 703(c)(1) 
of the Act permits Commerce to postpone the preliminary determination 
until no later than 130 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, that the investigation is extraordinarily complicated, 
and 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 petitioners are Bomsan Mannesmann Pipe U.S., Inc.; PTC 
Liberty Tubulars LLC; U.S. Steel Tubular Products, Inc.; the United 
Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied 
Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO, CLC; 
and Welded Tube USA, Inc.
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    On November 15, 2021, the petitioners submitted timely requests 
that Commerce postpone the preliminary CVD determinations.\3\ The 
petitioners stated that they request postponement because ``{t{time} he 
current deadline is not realistic for several reasons, including, most 
importantly, the fact that Commerce has not yet received any 
questionnaire responses.'' \4\ In accordance with 19 CFR 351.205(e), 
the petitioners have stated the reasons for requesting a postponement 
of the preliminary determination, and Commerce finds no compelling 
reason to deny the request. Therefore, in accordance with section 
703(c)(1)(A) of the Act, Commerce is postponing the deadline for the 
preliminary determinations to no later than 130 days after the date on 
which these investigations were initiated, i.e., March 7, 2022.\5\ 
Pursuant to section 705(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(1), the 
deadline for the final determinations of these investigations will 
continue to be 75 days after the date of the preliminary 
determinations.
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    \3\ See Petitioners' Letter, ``Oil Country Tubular Goods from 
the Republic of Korea: Request to Extend the Preliminary 
Determination,'' dated November 15, 2021; see also Petitioners' 
Letter, ``Oil Country Tubular Goods from the Russian Federation: 
Request to Extend the Preliminary Determination,'' dated November 
15, 2021.
    \4\ Id.
    \5\ Postponing the preliminary determination to 130 days after 
initiation would place the deadline on Saturday, March 5, 2022. 
Commerce's practice dictates that where a deadline falls on a 
weekend or federal holiday, the appropriate deadline is 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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    This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 703(c)(2) 
of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(f)(1).

    Dated: November 23, 2021.
James Maeder,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty 
Operations.
[FR Doc. 2021-26025 Filed 11-29-21; 8:45 am]
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