80 FR 22707 - Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries Exporting Softwood Lumber and Softwood Lumber Products to the United States; Request for Comment

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 78 (April 23, 2015)

Page Range		22707-22708
FR Document		2015-09514

The Department of Commerce (Department) seeks public comment on any subsidies, including stumpage subsidies, provided by certain countries exporting softwood lumber or softwood lumber products to the United States during the period July 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 78 (Thursday, April 23, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 78 (Thursday, April 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22707-22708]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09514]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries Exporting Softwood Lumber 
and Softwood Lumber Products to the United States; Request for Comment

AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Department) seeks public comment 
on any subsidies, including stumpage subsidies, provided by certain 
countries exporting softwood lumber or softwood lumber products to the 
United States during the period July 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014.

DATES: Comments must be submitted within 30 days after publication of 
this notice.

ADDRESSES: See the Submission of Comments section below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Terpstra, Office III, 
Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3965.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On June 18, 2008, section 805 of Title VIII of the Tariff Act of 
1930 (the Softwood Lumber Act of 2008) was enacted into law. Under this 
provision, the Secretary of Commerce is mandated to submit to the 
appropriate Congressional committees a report every 180 days on any 
subsidy provided by countries exporting softwood lumber or softwood 
lumber products to the United States, including stumpage subsidies.
    The Department submitted its last subsidy report on December 12, 
2014. As part of its newest report, the Department intends to include a 
list of subsidy programs identified with sufficient clarity by the 
public in response to this notice.

Request for Comments

    Given the large number of countries that export softwood lumber and 
softwood lumber products to the United States, we are soliciting public 
comment only on subsidies provided by countries whose exports accounted 
for at least one percent of total U.S. imports of softwood lumber by 
quantity, as classified under Harmonized Tariff Schedule code 4407.1001 
(which accounts for the vast majority of imports), during the period 
July 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014. Official U.S. import data 
published by the United States International Trade Commission Tariff 
and Trade DataWeb indicate that only two countries, Canada and Chile, 
exported softwood lumber to the United States during that time period 
in amounts sufficient to account for at least one percent of U.S. 
imports of softwood lumber products. We intend to rely on similar 
previous six-month periods to identify the countries subject to future 
reports on softwood lumber subsidies. For example, we will rely on U.S. 
imports of softwood lumber and softwood lumber products during the 
period January 1, 2015 through June 30, 2015, to select the countries 
subject to the next report.
    Under U.S. trade law, a subsidy exists where an authority: (i) 
Provides a financial contribution; (ii) provides any form of income or 
price support within the meaning of Article XVI of the GATT 1994; or 
(iii) makes a payment to a funding mechanism to provide a financial 
contribution to a person, or entrusts or directs a private entity to 
make a financial contribution, if providing the contribution would 
normally be vested in the government and the practice does not differ 
in substance from practices normally

[[Page 22708]]

followed by governments, and a benefit is thereby conferred.\1\
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    \1\ See section 771(5)(B) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended.
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    Parties should include in their comments: (1) The country which 
provided the subsidy; (2) the name of the subsidy program; (3) a brief 
description (at least 3-4 sentences) of the subsidy program; and (4) 
the government body or authority that provided the subsidy.

Submission of Comments

    Persons wishing to comment should file comments by the date 
specified above. Comments should only include publicly available 
information. The Department will not accept comments accompanied by a 
request that a part or all of the material be treated confidentially 
due to business proprietary concerns or for any other reason. The 
Department will return such comments or materials to the persons 
submitting the comments and will not include them in its report on 
softwood lumber subsidies. The Department requests submission of 
comments filed in electronic Portable Document Format (PDF) submitted 
on CD-ROM or by email to the email address of the EC Webmaster, below.
    The comments received will be made available to the public in PDF 
on the Enforcement and Compliance Web site at the following address: 
http://enforcement.trade.gov/sla2008/sla-index.html. Any questions 
concerning file formatting, access on the Internet, or other electronic 
filing issues should be addressed to Laura Merchant, Enforcement and 
Compliance Webmaster, at (202) 482-0367, email address: 
[email protected].
    All comments and submissions in response to this Request for 
Comment should be received by the Department no later than 5 p.m. 
Eastern Standard Time on the above-referenced deadline date.

    Dated: April 13, 2015.
Christian Marsh,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty 
Operations.
[FR Doc. 2015-09514 Filed 4-22-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 78 / Thursday, April 23, 2015 / Notices 22707

Vietnam covering the period February 1, of antidumping duties prior to SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
2014, through January 31, 2015.2 The liquidation of the relevant entries
Background
review covers 50 companies.3 On April during this review period. Failure to
7, 2015, the Department clarified with comply with this requirement could On June 18, 2008, section 805 of Title
Petitioners the spelling of certain names result in the Department’s presumption VIII of the Tariff Act of 1930 (the
requested for initiation.4 On April 8, that reimbursement of the antidumping Softwood Lumber Act of 2008) was
2015, Petitioners withdrew their request duties occurred and the subsequent enacted into law. Under this provision,
for an administrative review on all of assessment of doubled antidumping the Secretary of Commerce is mandated
the 50 companies listed in the Initiation duties. to submit to the appropriate
Notice.5 No other party requested a This notice also serves as a final Congressional committees a report every
review of these or any other exporters of reminder to parties subject to 180 days on any subsidy provided by
subject merchandise. administrative protective order (‘‘APO’’) countries exporting softwood lumber or
of their responsibility concerning the softwood lumber products to the United
Rescission of Review return or destruction of proprietary States, including stumpage subsidies.
Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), the information disclosed under APO in
Department will rescind an accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3), The Department submitted its last
administrative review, in whole or in which continues to govern business subsidy report on December 12, 2014.
part, if the party that requested the proprietary information in this segment As part of its newest report, the
review withdraws its request within 90 of the proceeding. Timely written Department intends to include a list of
days of the publication of the notice of notification of the return or destruction subsidy programs identified with
initiation of the requested review. In of APO materials, or conversion to sufficient clarity by the public in
this case, Petitioners timely withdrew judicial protective order, is hereby response to this notice.
their request by the 90-day deadline, requested. Failure to comply with the Request for Comments
and no other party requested an regulations and terms of an APO is a
administrative review of the violation which is subject to sanction. Given the large number of countries
antidumping duty order. As a result, This notice is issued and published in that export softwood lumber and
pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), we accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and softwood lumber products to the United
are rescinding the administrative review 777(i)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as States, we are soliciting public comment
of the antidumping duty order on steel amended, and 19 CFR 351.213(d)(4). only on subsidies provided by countries
wire garment hangers from Vietnam for Dated: April 15, 2015. whose exports accounted for at least one
the period February 1, 2014, through Christian Marsh, percent of total U.S. imports of softwood
January 31, 2015, in its entirety. lumber by quantity, as classified under
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping
Assessment and Countervailing Duty Operations. Harmonized Tariff Schedule code
[FR Doc. 2015–09530 Filed 4–22–15; 8:45 am] 4407.1001 (which accounts for the vast
The Department will instruct U.S. majority of imports), during the period
Customs and Border Protection (‘‘CBP’’) BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P
July 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014.
to assess antidumping duties on all Official U.S. import data published by
appropriate entries. Because the the United States International Trade
Department is rescinding this DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Commission Tariff and Trade DataWeb
administrative review in its entirety, the International Trade Administration indicate that only two countries, Canada
entries to which this administrative and Chile, exported softwood lumber to
review pertained shall be assessed Subsidy Programs Provided by the United States during that time
antidumping duties at rates equal to the Countries Exporting Softwood Lumber period in amounts sufficient to account
cash deposit of estimated antidumping and Softwood Lumber Products to the for at least one percent of U.S. imports
duties required at the time of entry, or United States; Request for Comment of softwood lumber products. We intend
withdrawal from warehouse, for to rely on similar previous six-month
consumption, in accordance with 19 AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance,
International Trade Administration, periods to identify the countries subject
CFR 351.212(c)(1)(i). The Department to future reports on softwood lumber
intends to issue appropriate assessment Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce subsidies. For example, we will rely on
instructions to CBP 15 days after the U.S. imports of softwood lumber and
(Department) seeks public comment on
publication of this notice in the Federal softwood lumber products during the
any subsidies, including stumpage
Register, if appropriate. period January 1, 2015 through June 30,
subsidies, provided by certain countries
Notifications exporting softwood lumber or softwood 2015, to select the countries subject to
lumber products to the United States the next report.
This notice serves as a final reminder
to importers of their responsibility during the period July 1, 2014 through Under U.S. trade law, a subsidy exists
under 19 CFR 351.402(f)(2) to file a December 31, 2014. where an authority: (i) Provides a
certificate regarding the reimbursement DATES: Comments must be submitted financial contribution; (ii) provides any
within 30 days after publication of this form of income or price support within
2 See Initiation of Antidumping and notice. the meaning of Article XVI of the GATT
Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews, 80 FR ADDRESSES: See the Submission of 1994; or (iii) makes a payment to a
18202, 18207 (April 3, 2015) (‘‘Initiation Notice’’). funding mechanism to provide a
Comments section below.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

3 Id.
4 See ‘‘Memorandum to the File, from Irene FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: financial contribution to a person, or
Gorelik, Analyst; re: Clarification of Company James Terpstra, Office III, Enforcement entrusts or directs a private entity to
Names Within Petitioners’ Review Request,’’ dated and Compliance, International Trade make a financial contribution, if
April 7, 2015. Administration, U.S. Department of providing the contribution would
5 See Petitioners’ Submission re; ‘‘Second
Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution normally be vested in the government
Administrative Review of Steel Wire Garment
Hangers from Vietnam—Petitioners’ Withdrawal of Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230; and the practice does not differ in
Review Request,’’ dated April 8, 2015. telephone: (202) 482–3965. substance from practices normally

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22708 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 78 / Thursday, April 23, 2015 / Notices

followed by governments, and a benefit DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE on PC strand from Brazil, India, the
is thereby conferred.1 Republic of Korea, Mexico, and
International Trade Administration Thailand,4 and the CVD order on PC
Parties should include in their
[A–351–837, A–533–828, A–588–068, A–580– strand from India, pursuant to sections
5
comments: (1) The country which
852, A–201–831, A–549–820, C–533–829] 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as
provided the subsidy; (2) the name of
amended (the Act). As a result of its
the subsidy program; (3) a brief
Prestressed Concrete Steel Wire reviews, the Department determined
description (at least 3–4 sentences) of that revocation of the AD finding/orders
Strand From Brazil, India, Japan, the
the subsidy program; and (4) the Republic of Korea, Mexico, and would likely lead to continuation or
government body or authority that Thailand: Continuation of the recurrence of dumping and that
provided the subsidy. Antidumping Duty Finding/Orders and revocation of the CVD order would
Submission of Comments Countervailing Duty Order likely lead to continuation or recurrence
of net countervailable subsidies, and
AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance,
Persons wishing to comment should therefore, notified the ITC of the
International Trade Administration, magnitude of the margins and the
file comments by the date specified
Department of Commerce. subsidy rates likely to prevail should
above. Comments should only include SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce
publicly available information. The the finding/orders be revoked, pursuant
(the Department) and the International
Department will not accept comments to sections 751(c)(1) and 752(b) and (c)
Trade Commission (the ITC) have
accompanied by a request that a part or of the Act.6
determined that revocation of the On April 15, 2015, the ITC published
all of the material be treated antidumping duty (AD) finding on its determination that revocation of the
confidentially due to business prestressed concrete steel wire strand AD finding on PC strand from Japan, the
proprietary concerns or for any other (PC strand) from Japan, and the AD AD orders on PC strand from Brazil,
reason. The Department will return such orders on PC strand from Brazil, India, India, the Republic of Korea, Mexico,
comments or materials to the persons the Republic of Korea, Mexico, and and Thailand, and the CVD order on PC
submitting the comments and will not Thailand, would likely lead to strand from India would likely lead to
include them in its report on softwood continuation or recurrence of dumping continuation or recurrence of material
lumber subsidies. The Department and material injury to an industry in the injury to an industry in the United
requests submission of comments filed United States. The Department and the States within a reasonably foreseeable
in electronic Portable Document Format ITC have also determined that time, pursuant to sections 751(c) of the
(PDF) submitted on CD–ROM or by revocation of the countervailing duty Act.7
email to the email address of the EC (CVD) order on PC strand from India
would likely lead to continuation or Scope of the Order
Webmaster, below.
recurrence of net countervailable The product covered in the sunset
The comments received will be made subsidies and material injury to an reviews of the antidumping duty orders
available to the public in PDF on the industry in the United States. Therefore, on PC strand from Brazil, India, Korea,
Enforcement and Compliance Web site the Department is publishing a notice of Mexico, and Thailand and the
at the following address: http:// continuation for these AD finding/ countervailing duty order on PC strand
enforcement.trade.gov/sla2008/sla- orders and CVD order. from India is steel strand produced from
index.html. Any questions concerning DATES: Effective Dates: April 23, 2015. wire of non-stainless, non-galvanized
file formatting, access on the Internet, or FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: steel, which is suitable for use in
other electronic filing issues should be Michael Romani, AD/CVD Operations,
addressed to Laura Merchant, Office I (AD Orders), or Mandy Mallott, 4 See (1) Notice of Antidumping Duty Order:

Enforcement and Compliance AD/CVD Operations, Office III, Prestressed Concrete Steel Wire Strand from Brazil,
69 FR 4112 (January 28, 2004); (2) Notice of
Webmaster, at (202) 482–0367, email Enforcement and Compliance, Antidumping Duty Order: Prestressed Concrete
address: webmaster_support@trade.gov. International Trade Administration, Steel Wire Strand from India, 69 FR 4110 (January
All comments and submissions in U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th 28, 2004); (3) Steel Wire Strand for Prestressed
Street and Constitution Avenue NW., Concrete from Japan; Finding of Dumping, 43 FR
response to this Request for Comment
Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 57599 (December 8, 1978); (4) Notice of
should be received by the Department 482–0198 or (202) 482–6430,
Antidumping Duty Order: Prestressed Concrete
Steel Wire Strand from the Republic of Korea, 69
no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard respectively. FR 4109 (January 28, 2004); (5) Notice of
Time on the above-referenced deadline Antidumping Duty Order: Prestressed Concrete
date. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Steel Wire Strand from Mexico, 69 FR 4112 (January
28, 2004); and (6) Notice of Amended Final
Dated: April 13, 2015. Background Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and
Christian Marsh, On November 3, 2014, the Department Antidumping Duty Order: Prestressed Concrete
initiated 1 and the ITC instituted 2 five- Steel Wire Strand from Thailand, 69 FR 4111
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping (January 28, 2004).
and Countervailing Duty Operations. year (sunset reviews) of the AD finding 5 See Countervailing Duty Order: Prestressed

[FR Doc. 2015–09514 Filed 4–22–15; 8:45 am]
on PC strand from Japan,3 the AD orders Concrete Steel Wire Strand From India, 69 FR 5319
(February 4, 2004).
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P 1 See Initiation of Five-Year (‘‘Sunset’’) Review, 79 6 See Prestressed Concrete Steel Wire Strand from

FR 65186 (November 3, 2014). Brazil, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico,
2 See Prestressed Concrete Steel Wire Strand and Thailand: Final Results of the Expedited
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

From Brazil, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Sunset Reviews of the Antidumping Duty Finding/
Thailand; Institution of Five-Year Reviews, 79 FR Orders, 80 FR 13827 (March 17, 2015), and Final
65246 (November 3, 2014). Results of Expedited Sunset Review of
3 See Steel Wire Strand for Prestressed Concrete Countervailing Duty Order: Prestressed Concrete
from Japan; Finding of Dumping, 43 FR 57599 Steel Wire Strand from India, 80 FR 12804 (March
(December 8, 1978) conducted by the Treasury 11, 2015).
Department (at that time a determination of 7 See Prestressed Concrete Steel Wire Strand from
1 See section 771(5)(B) of the Tariff Act of 1930,
dumping resulted in a ‘‘finding’’ rather than the Brazil, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Thailand,
as amended. later applicable ‘‘order’’). 80 FR 20244 (April 15, 2015).

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Document Created: 2015-12-16 08:41:13
Document Modified: 2015-12-16 08:41:13

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Dates		Comments must be submitted within 30 days after publication of this notice.
Contact		James Terpstra, Office III, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3965.
FR Citation		80 FR 22707

80 FR 22707 - Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries Exporting Softwood Lumber and Softwood Lumber Products to the United States; Request for Comment

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCEInternational Trade Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 78 (April 23, 2015)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration