[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 39 (Thursday, February 27, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11336-11337]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-04002]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[C-428-848, C-533-894, C-475-841, C-570-116]
Forged Steel Fluid End Blocks From the Federal Republic of
Germany, India, Italy and the People's Republic of China: Postponement
of Preliminary Determination in the Countervailing Duty Investigations
AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
DATES: Applicable February 27, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Palmer or Joseph Dowling at (202)
482-9068 or (202) 482-1646 (Germany), Aimee Phelan or William Langley
at (202) 482-0697 or (202) 482-3861 (India), Nicholas Czajkowski or
Ethan Talbott at (202) 482-1395 or (202) 482-1030 (Italy), Janae Martin
or Jaron Moore at (202) 482-0238 or (202) 482-3640 (China), AD/CVD
Operations, Office I, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20230.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On January 8, 2020, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated
countervailing duty (CVD) investigations of imports of forged steel
fluid end blocks from the Federal Republic of Germany, India, Italy,
and the People's Republic of China.\1\ Currently, the preliminary
determinations are due no later than March 13, 2020.
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\1\ See Forged Steel Fluid End Blocks from Germany, India,
Italy, and the People's Republic of China, 85 FR 2385 (January 15,
2020).
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Postponement of Preliminary Determination
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 the request.
On February 10, 2020, the petitioners \2\ submitted a timely
request that Commerce postpone the preliminary CVD determinations.\3\
The petitioners stated that they request postponement because, ``[a]s
currently scheduled, the deadlines for responding to Commerce's
questionnaire fall almost in parallel with the scheduled preliminary
determinations. Without extending the preliminary determinations,
[p]etitioners would be unable to comment on the responses, and Commerce
would be similarly unable to consider the responses.'' \4\ In
accordance with 19 CFR 351.205(e), the petitioners have stated the
reasons for requesting a postponement of the preliminary
determinations, 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., May 18, 2020.\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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\2\ The petitioners are the FEB Fair Trade Coalition, Ellwood
Group, and Finkl Steel.
\3\ See Petitioners' Letter, ``Forged Steel Fluid End Blocks
from China, Germany, India, and Italy: Request to Extend Preliminary
Results,'' dated February 10, 2020.
\4\ Id.
\5\ Postponing the preliminary determination to 130 days after
initiation would place the deadline on Sunday, May 17, 2020.
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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Notification to Interested Parties
This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 703(c)(2)
of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(f)(1).
[[Page 11337]]
Dated: February 21, 2020.
Jeffrey I. Kessler,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2020-04002 Filed 2-26-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P