[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 150 (Monday, August 7, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 52122]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-16824]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-570-153; C-533-918]


Certain Paper Shopping Bags From the People's Republic of China 
and India: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations in the 
Countervailing Duty Investigations

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

DATES: Applicable August 7, 2023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Seth Brown (the People's Republic of 
China (China)) and Paul Kebker (India), AD/CVD Operations, Offices IX 
and IV, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, 
DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-0029 or (202) 482-2254, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On June 20, 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) 
initiated countervailing duty (CVD) investigations of imports of 
certain paper shopping bags (paper bags) from China and India.\1\ 
Currently, the preliminary determinations are due no later than August 
24, 2023.
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    \1\ See Certain Paper Shopping Bags from India and the People's 
Republic of China: Initiation of Countervailing Duty Investigations, 
88 FR 41380 (June 26, 2023) (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 CVD 
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 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 it.
    On July 27, 2023, the petitioner submitted timely requests that 
Commerce postpone the preliminary determinations in these 
investigations.\2\ The petitioner stated that, because the mandatory 
respondents have not yet submitted their initial questionnaire 
responses, additional time is needed to identify deficiencies in 
advance of the preliminary determinations so that Commerce can issue 
supplemental questionnaires.\3\
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    \2\ See Petitioner's Letters, ``Petitioner's Request for 
Extension Preliminary Determination Deadline,'' dated July 27, 2023. 
The petitioner is the Coalition for Fair Trade in Shopping Bags the 
members of which are Novolex Holdings, LLC and the United Steel, 
Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial 
and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO, CLC.
    \3\ Id.
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    In accordance with 19 CFR 351.205(e), the petitioner has stated the 
reasons for requesting a postponement of the preliminary 
determinations, and Commerce finds no compelling reason to deny the 
requests. 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 this 
investigation was initiated, i.e., October 30, 2023.\4\ 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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    \4\ Because the extended deadline for these preliminary 
determinations falls on the weekend (i.e., October 28, 2023), the 
deadline becomes 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: August 1, 2023.
Lisa W. Wang,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2023-16824 Filed 8-4-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P