[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 104 (Monday, June 2, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23359-23361]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-09863]
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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
[Investigation Nos. 701-TA-750 and 731-TA-1728 (Final)]
Sol Gel Alumina-Based Ceramic Abrasive Grains From China;
Scheduling of the Final Phase of Countervailing Duty and 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 and countervailing duty investigation Nos.
701-TA-750 and 731-TA-1728 (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 sol gel alumina-based ceramic
abrasive grains from China, provided for in subheading 2818.10.20 of
the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, preliminarily
determined by the Department of Commerce (``Commerce'') to be
subsidized.
DATES: May 22, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keysha Martinez (202-205-2136), Office
[[Page 23360]]
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 ``sol gel alumina-based ceramic abrasive
grains which are comprised of minimum 94% aluminum oxide (Al2O3), and
may contain other compounds, including, but not limited to, titanium
dioxide, silicon dioxide, calcium oxide, sodium superoxide, ferric
oxide, magnesium oxide, di-aluminum magnesium tetroxide, lanthanum
oxide, lanthanum magnesium oxide, zirconium dioxide, or zirconium
carbonate. Grain sizes of sol gel alumina-based ceramic abrasive grains
range from 0.85 mm to 0.0395 mm (which corresponds to American National
Standards Institute (ANSI) grit sizes from 20 to 280).
Shapes include but are not limited to angular, sharp, extra sharp,
blocky, splintery, round stripped, triangular or shaped like extruded
rods or stars.
Ceramic abrasive grains have unique crystalline structures that
impart certain advanced properties, such as their extreme hardness and
strength ranging between 16 and 22 gigapascals by the Vickers Diamond
Indent Method, high melting point (2050[deg]C), and a single- or multi-
phase microstructure, which may contain multiple phases, having
crystalline sizes ranging from 0.05 to 30 [mu]m. These ceramic abrasive
grains include but are not limited to blue, white, white-translucent,
or off-white opaque colors.
Sol gel alumina-based ceramic abrasive grains are covered by the
scope of these investigations, whether or not incorporated into
downstream articles, including but not limited to, abrasive papers,
grinding wheels, grinding cylinders, and grinding discs. When
incorporated into downstream articles, only the sol gel alumina-based
ceramic abrasive grains component of such articles is covered by the
product scope, and not the downstream product as a whole.''
Background.--The final phase of these investigations is being
scheduled pursuant to sections 705(b) and 731(b) of the Tariff Act of
1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671d(b) and 1673d(b)), as a result of an affirmative
preliminary determination by Commerce that certain benefits which
constitute subsidies within the meaning of section 703 of the Act (19
U.S.C. 1671b) are being provided to manufacturers, producers, or
exporters in China of sol gel alumina-based ceramic abrasive grains.
The investigations were requested in petitions filed on November 25,
2024, by Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc., Malvern, Pennsylvania.
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 July 24,
2025, 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 August 7,
2025. Requests to appear at the hearing should be filed in writing with
the Secretary to the Commission on or before August 1, 2025. Any
requests to appear as a witness via videoconference must be included
with your request to appear. Requests to appear via videoconference
must include a statement explaining why the witness cannot appear in
person; the Chairman, or other person designated to conduct the
investigation, may in their discretion for good cause shown, grant such
a request. Requests to appear as remote witness due to illness or a
positive COVID-19 test result may be submitted by 3pm the business day
prior to the hearing. Further information about participation in the
hearing will be posted on the Commission's website at https://www.usitc.gov/calendarpad/calendar.html.
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, if deemed necessary, to be held at 9:30 a.m. on August 4,
2025. Parties shall file and serve written testimony and presentation
slides in connection with their presentation at the hearing by no later
than noon on August 6, 2025. 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
[[Page 23361]]
Commission's rules; the deadline for filing is July 31, 2025. Parties
shall also file written testimony in connection with their presentation
at the hearing, and posthearing briefs, which must conform with the
provisions of Sec. 207.25 of the Commission's rules. The deadline for
filing posthearing briefs is August 14, 2025. 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 August 14, 2025. On August 27, 2025, 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 August 29, 2025, 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: May 27, 2025.
Lisa Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2025-09863 Filed 5-30-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P