[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 76 (Thursday, April 18, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27714-27715]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-08269]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-428-853, C-533-925, C-518-002, C-274-811]


Melamine From Germany, India, Qatar, and Trinidad and Tobago: 
Postponement of Preliminary Determinations in the Countervailing Duty 
Investigations

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


DATES: Applicable April 18, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Palmer or Faris Montgomery, Office 
VIII (Germany), Paul Kebker or Dylan Hill, Office IV (India), Sofia 
Pedrelli or Samantha Kinney, Office II (Qatar), or Colin Thrasher, 
Office V (Trinidad and Tobago), AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and 
Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230, telephone: 
(202) 482-9068, (202) 482-1537, (202) 482-2254, (202) 482-1197, (202) 
482-4310, (202) 482-2285, and (202) 482-3004, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On March 5, 2024, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) 
initiated countervailing duty (CVD) investigations of U.S. imports of 
melamine from Germany, India, Qatar, and Trinidad and Tobago (the 
investigations).\1\ Currently, the preliminary determinations in the 
investigations are due no later than May 9, 2024.
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    \1\ See Melamine from Germany, India, Qatar, and Trinidad and 
Tobago: Initiation of Countervailing Duty Investigations, 89 FR 
17381 (March 11, 2024).
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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 in a CVD 
investigation until no later than 130 days after the date on which 
Commerce initiated the investigation if: (A) the petitioner makes a 
timely request for an extension of the period within which the 
determination must be made; or (B) Commerce concludes that the parties 
concerned are cooperating, that the investigation is extraordinarily 
complicated, and that additional time is necessary to make the 
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.
    On April 4, 2024, Cornerstone Chemical Company, the petitioner in 
the investigations, timely requested that Commerce postpone the 
preliminary determinations in the investigations.\2\ The petitioner 
requested postponement of the preliminary determinations in the 
investigations so that Commerce can fully analyze the forthcoming 
questionnaire responses of the mandatory respondents and issue 
supplemental questionnaires, as necessary.\3\
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    \2\ See Petitioner's Letters, ``Petitioner's Request For 
Postponement Of The Preliminary Determination,'' dated April 4, 
2024.
    \3\ Id.
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    In accordance with 19 CFR 351.205(e), the petitioner submitted its 
requests for postponement of the preliminary determinations in the 
investigations 25 days or more before the scheduled date of the 
preliminary determinations and stated the reasons for its requests. 
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 in the

[[Page 27715]]

investigations to no later than 130 days after the date on which it 
initiated the investigations, i.e., July 15, 2024.\4\
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    \4\ Postponing the preliminary determinations to 130 days after 
initiation of the investigations would make the deadline on 
Saturday, July 13, 2024. Commerce's practice dictates that where a 
deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday, the appropriate 
deadline is the next business day, in this case Monday, July 15, 
2024. 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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    Pursuant to section 705(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(1), 
the deadline for the final determinations in the investigations will 
continue to be 75 days after the date of the preliminary 
determinations.
    This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 703(c)(2) 
of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(f)(1).

    Dated: April 11, 2024.
Ryan Majerus,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, performing the 
non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for 
Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2024-08269 Filed 4-17-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P