[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 135 (Friday, July 15, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42498-42500]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-15101]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation Nos. 731-TA-1575 & 731-TA-1577 (Final)]


Emulsion Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (ESBR) From Czechia and Russia; 
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-1575 & 731-TA-1577 
(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 
emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber (``ESBR'') from Czechia and Russia, 
provided for in statistical reporting numbers 4002.19.0015 and 
4002.19.0019 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: June 27, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles Cummings ((202) 708-1666), 
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 ``cold-polymerized emulsion styrene-
butadiene rubber (ESBR). The scope of the investigations includes, but 
is not limited to, ESBR in primary forms, bales, granules, crumbs, 
pellets, powders, plates, sheets, strip, etc. ESBR consists of 
nonpigmented rubbers and oil-extended nonpigmented rubbers, both of 
which contain at least one percent of organic acids from the emulsion 
polymerization process. ESBR is produced and sold in accordance with a 
generally accepted set of product specifications issued by the 
International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers (IISRP). The 
scope of the investigations covers grades of ESBR included in the IISRP 
1500 and 1700 series of synthetic rubbers. The 1500 grades are light in 
color and are often described as ``Clear'' or ``White Rubber.'' The 
1700 grades are oil-extended and thus darker in color and are often 
called ``Brown Rubber.'' Specifically excluded from the scope of the 
investigations are products which are manufactured by blending ESBR 
with other polymers, high styrene resin master batch, carbon black 
master batch (i.e., IISRP 1600 series and 1800 series) and latex (an 
intermediate product).''
    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 ESBR from Czechia and Russia 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 a petition filed effective November 15, 2021, by Lion 
Elastomers LLC (Port Neches, Texas).
    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 October 
14, 2022, 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 November 
8, 2022. 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/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 
November 1, 2022. 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 November 3, 2022. 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 October 24, 2022. 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 
November 15,

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2022. 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 
November 15, 2022. On December 1, 2022, 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 December 5, 2022, 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.

    Issued: July 11, 2022.
Katherine Hiner,
Acting Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2022-15101 Filed 7-14-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P