82 FR 8949 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 20 (February 1, 2017)

Page Range		8949-8951
FR Document		2017-02070

The proposed information collection is a 3-year extension, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) (the ``Act''), of the current generic survey clearance previously approved by the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB''). The clearance is used by the U.S. International Trade Commission (``Commission'') to issue information collections (specifically, producer, importer, purchaser, and foreign producer questionnaires and certain institution notices) for a series of import injury investigations that are required by the Tariff Act of 1930 and the Trade Act of 1974. The current generic survey clearance is assigned OMB control No. 3117-0016; it will expire on June 30, 2017. Comments concerning the proposed information collections are requested in accordance with section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Act; such comments are described in greater detail in the section of this notice entitled SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 20 (Wednesday, February 1, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 20 (Wednesday, February 1, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8949-8951]
From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-02070]

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice of proposed collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The proposed information collection is a 3-year extension,
pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) (the
``Act''), of the current generic survey clearance previously approved
by the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB''). The clearance is used
by the U.S. International Trade Commission (``Commission'') to issue
information collections (specifically, producer, importer, purchaser,
and foreign producer questionnaires and certain institution notices)
for a series of import injury investigations that are required by the
Tariff Act of 1930 and the Trade Act of 1974. The current generic
survey clearance is assigned OMB control No. 3117-0016; it will expire
on June 30, 2017. Comments concerning the proposed information
collections are requested in accordance with section 3506(c)(2)(A) of
the Act; such comments are described in greater detail in the section
of this notice entitled SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

DATES: To be assured of consideration, written comments should be
received no later than 60 days after publication of this notice in the
Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Signed comments should be submitted to Lisa Barton,
Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E St. SW.,
Washington, DC 20436.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Copies of the proposed collection of
information and supporting documentation may be obtained from Nathanael
Comly (USITC, tel. no. 202-205-3174). 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).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for Comments

Comments are solicited as to (1) whether the proposed information
collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information will have practical
utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed information collection, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (3) the quality, utility, clarity,
and design of the information to be collected; and (4) minimization of
the burden of the proposed information collection on those who are to
respond (including through the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological forms of information
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses). To
the extent appropriate, please cite to specific experiences your firm
has had with other governmental surveys and data collections.

Summary of the Proposed Information Collections

(1) Need for the Proposed Information Collections

The information requested in questionnaires and five-year review
institution notices issued under the generic survey clearance is
utilized by the Commission in the following statutory investigations:
Antidumping duty, countervailing duty, escape clause, North American
Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) safeguard, market disruption, and
interference with programs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA). The Commission's generic survey clearance to issue
questionnaires will not apply to repetitive questionnaires such as
those issued on a quarterly or annual basis or to other investigations
and research studies conducted under section 332 of the Trade Act of
1974. The information provided by firms in response to the
questionnaires provides factual information used in the Commission's
determinations in the above-cited statutory investigations. The
submitted data are consolidated by Commission staff and provided to the
Commission in the form of a staff report. In addition, in the majority
of its investigations, the Commission releases completed questionnaires
returned by industry participants to representatives of parties to its
investigations under the terms of an administrative protective order,
the terms of which safeguard the confidentiality of any business
proprietary or business confidential information. Representatives of
interested parties also receive a confidential version of the staff
report under the administrative protective order. Subsequent party
submissions to the Commission during the investigative process are
based, in large part, upon their review of the information collected.
Included in the proposed generic clearance is the administrative
protective order application form. Also included in the proposed
generic clearance are the institution notices for the five-year reviews
of antidumping and countervailing duty orders and suspended
investigations. Responses to the institution notices will be evaluated
by the Commission and form much of the record for its determinations to
conduct either expedited or full five-year reviews of existing
antidumping and countervailing duty orders.

[[Page 8950]]

(2) Information Collection Plan

Questionnaires for specific investigations are sent to all
identified domestic producers manufacturing the product(s) in question.
Importer and purchaser questionnaires are also sent to all substantial
U.S. importers/purchasers of the product(s). Finally, all foreign
manufacturers of the product(s) in question that are represented by
counsel are sent questionnaires, and, in addition, the Commission
attempts to contact any other foreign manufacturers, especially if they
export the product(s) in question to the United States. Firms receiving
questionnaires include businesses, farms, and/or other for-profit
institutions; responses by domestic firms are mandatory. The
institution notices for the five-year reviews are published in the
Federal Register and solicit comment from interested parties (i.e.,
U.S. producers within the industry in question as well as labor unions
or representative groups of workers, U.S. importers and foreign
exporters, and involved foreign country governments).

(3) Description of the Information To Be Collected

Information is collected to be utilized in the above mentioned
statutory investigations; the primary instruments, namely
questionnaires, are described below. Although the content of each
questionnaire will differ based on the needs of a particular
investigation, questionnaires are based on long-established, generic
formats. Producer questionnaires generally consist of the following
four parts: (part I) general questions relating to the organization and
activities of the firm; (part II) data on capacity, production,
inventories, employment, and the quantity and value of the firm's
shipments and purchases from various sources; (part III) financial
data, including income-and-loss data on the product in question, data
on asset valuation, research and development expenses, and capital
expenditures; and (part IV) pricing and market factors. (Questionnaires
may, on occasion, also contain part V, an abbreviated version of the
above-listed parts, used for gathering data on additional product
categories.) Importer questionnaires generally consist of three parts:
(part I) general questions relating to the organization and activities
of the firm; (part II) data on the firm's imports and the shipment and
inventories of its imports; and (part III) pricing and market factors
similar to that requested in the producer questionnaire. Purchaser
questionnaires generally consist of four parts: (part I) general
questions relating to the organization and activities of the firm;
(part II) data concerning the purchases of the product by the firm and
the names of the firm's vendors; (part III) market characteristics and
purchasing practices; and (part IV) comparisons between imported and
U.S.-produced product. An abbreviated purchaser questionnaire may also
be sent in a preliminary phase investigation, consisting of two parts:
(part I) data concerning the purchases of the product by the firm; and
(part II) questions regarding purchasing practices, and in an adequacy
phase of a review investigation, consisting of one part: (part I)
general questions regarding the industry. Foreign producer
questionnaires generally consist of (part I) general questions relating
to the organization and activities of the firm; (part II) data
concerning the firm's manufacturing operations; and may include (part
III) market factors. The notices of institution for the five-year
reviews include 11 specific requests for information that firms are to
provide if their response is to be considered by the Commission.

(4) Estimated Burden of the Proposed Information Collection

The Commission estimates that information collections issued under
the requested generic clearance will impose an average annual burden of
192,998 hours on 6,789 respondents (i.e., recipients that provide a
response to the Commission's questionnaires or the notices of
institution of five-year reviews). Table 1 lists the projected annual
burden for each type of information collection for the July 2017- June
2020 period.

(5) Minimization of Burden

The Commission periodically reviews its investigative processes,
including data collection, to reduce the information burden.
Questionnaires clearly state that estimates are acceptable for certain
items. They are designed in part with check-in type formats to simplify
the response. The reporting burden for smaller firms is reduced in that
the sections of the questionnaire that are applicable to their
operations are typically more limited. Requests by parties to expand
the data collection or add items to the questionnaire for specific
investigations may not be accepted if the Commission believes such
requests will increase the response burden while not substantially
adding to the investigative record. While completed questionnaires
historically were returned to the Commission in paper form, recently
the vast majority have been submitted electronically. The Commission is
promoting options for electronic submission such as providing the
questionnaires on the Commission's Web site in a fillable Word format
and has created a secure drop box which questionnaire respondents can
use to securely upload completed questionnaires. The information
provided in response to its notices of institution for the five-year
reviews is typically submitted in document form directly to the Office
of the Secretary although it may be submitted to the Commission's
Electronic Data Information System (EDIS) and Electronic Docket. In
addition, the Commission has reduced the information burden by
streamlining the questionnaires. For example, the Commission removed
redundant fields, added auto-calculated reconciliation fields, enabled
population of whole data tables, and reduced the number of years data
is collected for in certain five-year reviews.

Table 1--Projected Annual Burden Data, by Type of Information Collection, July 2017-June 2020
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Foreign Institution
Item Producer Importer Purchaser producer notices for 5- Other \1\ Total
questionnaires questionnaires questionnaires questionnaires year reviews
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of respondents............................. 750 2,000 1,600 1,400 183 856 6,789
Frequency of response............................. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Total annual responses............................ 750 2,000 1,600 1,400 183 856 6,789
Hours per response................................ 52 41 23 22 10 3 28.4
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Total hours................................... 39,000 82,000 36,800 30,800 1,830 2,568 192,998
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\1\ e.g. Administrative Protective Order forms and questionnaires to purchasers in the adequacy phase of a review investigation.

[[Page 8951]]

No record keeping burden is known to result from the proposed
collection of information.

By order of the Commission.

Issued: January 26, 2017.
Lisa R. Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2017-02070 Filed 1-31-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P

Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 20 / Wednesday, February 1, 2017 / Notices 8949

treatment. See 19 CFR 201.6. Documents Office of Management and Budget submission of responses). To the extent
for which confidential treatment by the (‘‘OMB’’). The clearance is used by the appropriate, please cite to specific
Commission is properly sought will be U.S. International Trade Commission experiences your firm has had with
treated accordingly. All such requests (‘‘Commission’’) to issue information other governmental surveys and data
should be directed to the Secretary to collections (specifically, producer, collections.
the Commission and must include a full importer, purchaser, and foreign
Summary of the Proposed Information
statement of the reasons why the producer questionnaires and certain
Collections
Commission should grant such institution notices) for a series of import
treatment. See 19 CFR 201.6. Documents injury investigations that are required (1) Need for the Proposed Information
for which confidential treatment by the by the Tariff Act of 1930 and the Trade Collections
Commission is properly sought will be Act of 1974. The current generic survey The information requested in
treated accordingly. All information, clearance is assigned OMB control No. questionnaires and five-year review
including confidential business 3117–0016; it will expire on June 30, institution notices issued under the
information and documents for which 2017. Comments concerning the generic survey clearance is utilized by
confidential treatment is properly proposed information collections are the Commission in the following
sought, submitted to the Commission for requested in accordance with section statutory investigations: Antidumping
purposes of this Investigation may be 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Act; such comments duty, countervailing duty, escape
disclosed to and used: (i) By the are described in greater detail in the clause, North American Free Trade
Commission, its employees and Offices, section of this notice entitled Agreement (NAFTA) safeguard, market
and contract personnel (a) for SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
disruption, and interference with
developing or maintaining the records DATES: To be assured of consideration, programs of the U.S. Department of
of this or a related proceeding, or (b) in written comments should be received Agriculture (USDA). The Commission’s
internal investigations, audits, reviews, no later than 60 days after publication generic survey clearance to issue
and evaluations relating to the of this notice in the Federal Register. questionnaires will not apply to
programs, personnel, and operations of ADDRESSES: Signed comments should be repetitive questionnaires such as those
the Commission including under 5 submitted to Lisa Barton, Secretary, U.S. issued on a quarterly or annual basis or
U.S.C. Appendix 3; or (ii) by U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E to other investigations and research
government employees and contract St. SW., Washington, DC 20436. studies conducted under section 332 of
personnel,2 solely for cybersecurity FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: the Trade Act of 1974. The information
purposes. All nonconfidential written Copies of the proposed collection of provided by firms in response to the
submissions will be available for public information and supporting questionnaires provides factual
inspection at the Office of the Secretary documentation may be obtained from information used in the Commission’s
and on EDIS.3 Nathanael Comly (USITC, tel. no. 202– determinations in the above-cited
This action is taken under the 205–3174). Hearing-impaired persons statutory investigations. The submitted
authority of section 337 of the Tariff Act can obtain information on this matter by data are consolidated by Commission
of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1337), contacting the Commission’s TDD staff and provided to the Commission in
and of §§ 201.10 and 210.8(c) of the terminal on 202–205–1810. Persons the form of a staff report. In addition, in
Commission’s Rules of Practice and with mobility impairments who will the majority of its investigations, the
Procedure (19 CFR 201.10, 210.8(c)). need special assistance in gaining access Commission releases completed
By order of the Commission. to the Commission should contact the questionnaires returned by industry
Issued: January 27, 2017. Office of the Secretary at 202–205–2000. participants to representatives of parties
Lisa R. Barton, General information concerning the to its investigations under the terms of
Commission may also be obtained by an administrative protective order, the
Secretary to the Commission.
accessing its internet server (https:// terms of which safeguard the
[FR Doc. 2017–02135 Filed 1–31–17; 8:45 am]
www.usitc.gov). confidentiality of any business
BILLING CODE 7020–02–P
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: proprietary or business confidential
information. Representatives of
Request for Comments interested parties also receive a
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
COMMISSION Comments are solicited as to (1) confidential version of the staff report
whether the proposed information under the administrative protective
Submission for OMB Review; collection is necessary for the proper order. Subsequent party submissions to
Comment Request performance of the functions of the the Commission during the investigative
agency, including whether the process are based, in large part, upon
AGENCY: United States International information will have practical utility; their review of the information
Trade Commission. (2) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate collected. Included in the proposed
ACTION: Notice of proposed collection; of the burden of the proposed generic clearance is the administrative
comment request. information collection, including the protective order application form. Also
validity of the methodology and included in the proposed generic
SUMMARY: The proposed information assumptions used; (3) the quality, clearance are the institution notices for
collection is a 3-year extension, utility, clarity, and design of the the five-year reviews of antidumping
pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction information to be collected; and (4) and countervailing duty orders and
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES

Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–13) (the minimization of the burden of the suspended investigations. Responses to
‘‘Act’’), of the current generic survey proposed information collection on the institution notices will be evaluated
clearance previously approved by the those who are to respond (including by the Commission and form much of
2 All contract personnel will sign appropriate
through the use of appropriate the record for its determinations to
nondisclosure agreements. automated, electronic, mechanical, or conduct either expedited or full five-
3 Electronic Document Information System other technological forms of information year reviews of existing antidumping
(EDIS): http://edis.usitc.gov. technology, e.g., permitting electronic and countervailing duty orders.

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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 20 / Wednesday, February 1, 2017 / Notices 8951

No record keeping burden is known to first five-year reviews by Commerce and collective output of the Domestic Like
result from the proposed collection of the Commission, effective August 22, Product constitutes a major proportion
information. 2000, Commerce issued a continuation of the total domestic production of the
By order of the Commission. of the suspended investigation on product. In its original preliminary
Issued: January 26, 2017.
imports of uranium from Russia (65 FR determination concerning the U.S.S.R.,
50958, August 22, 2000 and 65 FR the Commission defined the Domestic
Lisa R. Barton,
52407, August 29, 2000 (corrected)). Industry as domestic producers of the
Secretary to the Commission.
Following second five-year reviews by product coextensive with Commerce’s
[FR Doc. 2017–02070 Filed 1–31–17; 8:45 am] Commerce and the Commission, scope of the investigation, including the
BILLING CODE 7020–02–P effective August 11, 2006, Commerce U.S. Department of Energy’s uranium
issued a continuation of the suspended enrichment operations. In its full first
investigation on imports of uranium and second five-year review
INTERNATIONAL TRADE from Russia (71 FR 46191, August 11, determinations and its expedited third
COMMISSION 2006). Following the third five-year five-year review determination
[Investigation No. 731–TA–539–C (Fourth reviews by Commerce and the concerning Russia, the Commission
Review)] Commission, effective March 8, 2012, defined the Domestic Industry as all
Commerce issued a continuation of the domestic producers of uranium,
Uranium From Russia; Institution of a suspended investigation on imports of including concentrators, the converter,
Five-Year Review uranium from Russia (77 FR 14001, the enricher, and fabricators.
AGENCY: United States International March 8, 2012). The Commission is now (5) An Importer is any person or firm
Trade Commission. conducting a fourth review pursuant to engaged, either directly or through a
section 751(c) of the Act, as amended parent company or subsidiary, in
ACTION: Notice.
(19 U.S.C. 1675(c)), to determine importing the Subject Merchandise into
SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives whether termination of the suspended the United States from a foreign
notice that it has instituted a review investigation would be likely to lead to manufacturer or through its selling
pursuant to the Tariff Act of 1930 (‘‘the continuation or recurrence of material agent.
Act’’), as amended, to determine injury to the domestic industry within Participation in the proceeding and
whether termination of the suspended a reasonably foreseeable time. public service list.—Persons, including
investigation on uranium from Russia Provisions concerning the conduct of industrial users of the Subject
would be likely to lead to continuation this proceeding may be found in the Merchandise and, if the merchandise is
or recurrence of material injury. Commission’s Rules of Practice and sold at the retail level, representative
Pursuant to the Act, interested parties Procedure at 19 CFR parts 201, subparts consumer organizations, wishing to
are requested to respond to this notice A and B and 19 CFR part 207, subparts participate in the proceeding as parties
by submitting the information specified A and F. The Commission will assess must file an entry of appearance with
below to the Commission. the adequacy of interested party the Secretary to the Commission, as
responses to this notice of institution to provided in section 201.11(b)(4) of the
DATES: Effective February 1, 2017. To be
determine whether to conduct a full Commission’s rules, no later than 21
assured of consideration, the deadline days after publication of this notice in
for responses is March 3, 2017. review or an expedited review. The
Commission’s determination in any the Federal Register. The Secretary will
Comments on the adequacy of responses maintain a public service list containing
may be filed with the Commission by expedited review will be based on the
facts available, which may include the names and addresses of all persons,
April 17, 2017. or their representatives, who are parties
information provided in response to this
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: to the proceeding.
notice.
Mary Messer (202–205–3193), Office of Definitions.—The following Former Commission employees who
Investigations, U.S. International Trade definitions apply to this review: are seeking to appear in Commission
Commission, 500 E Street SW., (1) Subject Merchandise is the class or five-year reviews are advised that they
Washington, DC 20436. Hearing- kind of merchandise that is within the may appear in a review even if they
impaired persons can obtain scope of the five-year review, as defined participated personally and
information on this matter by contacting by the Department of Commerce. substantially in the corresponding
the Commission’s TDD terminal on 202– (2) The Subject Country in this review underlying original investigation or an
205–1810. Persons with mobility is Russia. earlier review of the same underlying
impairments who will need special (3) The Domestic Like Product is the investigation. The Commission’s
assistance in gaining access to the domestically produced product or designated agency ethics official has
Commission should contact the Office products which are like, or in the advised that a five-year review is not the
of the Secretary at 202–205–2000. absence of like, most similar in same particular matter as the underlying
General information concerning the characteristics and uses with, the original investigation, and a five-year
Commission may also be obtained by Subject Merchandise. In its original review is not the same particular matter
accessing its internet server (https:// preliminary determination concerning as an earlier review of the same
www.usitc.gov). The public record for the U.S.S.R., its full first and second underlying investigation for purposes of
this proceeding may be viewed on the five-year review determinations 18 U.S.C. 207, the post employment
Commission’s electronic docket (EDIS) concerning Russia, and its expedited statute for Federal employees, and
at https://edis.usitc.gov. Commission rule 201.15(b) (19 CFR
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES

third five-year review determination
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: concerning Russia, the Commission 201.15(b)), 79 FR 3246 (Jan. 17, 2014),
Background.—Effective October 16, defined the Domestic Like Product as all 73 FR 24609 (May 5, 2008).
1992, the Department of Commerce forms of uranium coextensive with Consequently, former employees are not
(‘‘Commerce’’) suspended an Commerce’s scope. required to seek Commission approval
antidumping duty investigation on (4) The Domestic Industry is the U.S. to appear in a review under Commission
imports of uranium from Russia (57 FR producers as a whole of the Domestic rule 19 CFR 201.15, even if the
49220, October 30, 1992). Following Like Product, or those producers whose corresponding underlying original

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Document Created: 2017-02-01 00:06:11
Document Modified: 2017-02-01 00:06:11

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
Action		Notice of proposed collection; comment request.
Dates		To be assured of consideration, written comments should be received no later than 60 days after publication of this notice in the Federal Register.
Contact		Copies of the proposed collection of information and supporting documentation may be obtained from Nathanael Comly (USITC, tel. no. 202-205-3174). 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).
FR Citation		82 FR 8949