83 FR 35204 - Notice of Request for Public Comments on Section 232 National Security Investigation of Imports of Uranium

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of Industry and Security

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 143 (July 25, 2018)

Page Range		35204-35205
FR Document		2018-15891

The Secretary of Commerce has initiated an investigation to determine the effects on the national security of imports of uranium. This investigation has been initiated under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended. Interested parties are invited to submit written comments, data, analyses, or other information pertinent to the investigation to the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security. This notice identifies issues on which the Department is especially interested in obtaining the public's views.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 143 (Wednesday, July 25, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 25, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35204-35205]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-15891]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Industry and Security


Notice of Request for Public Comments on Section 232 National 
Security Investigation of Imports of Uranium

AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Technology 
Evaluation, U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Commerce has initiated an investigation to 
determine the effects on the national security of imports of uranium. 
This investigation has been initiated under section 232 of the Trade 
Expansion Act of 1962, as amended.
    Interested parties are invited to submit written comments, data, 
analyses, or other information pertinent to the investigation to the 
Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security. This notice 
identifies issues on which the Department is especially interested in 
obtaining the public's views.

DATES: Comments may be submitted at any time but must be received by 
September 10, 2018.

ADDRESSES: All written comments on the notice must be submitted by one 
of the following methods:
     By the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Comments on this notice may be submitted to 
regulations.gov docket number BIS-2018-0011.
     By mail or delivery to Michael Vaccaro, Acting Director, 
Office of Technology Evaluation, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Room 1093, 
Washington, DC 20230.
     By email directly to [email protected].

[[Page 35205]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Vaccaro, Acting Director, 
Office of Technology Evaluation, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. 
Department of Commerce (202) 482-4060, [email protected]. For more 
information about the section 232 program, including the regulations 
and the text of previous investigations, see www.bis.doc.gov/232.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On July 18, 2018, the Secretary of Commerce (``Secretary'') 
initiated an investigation under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act 
of 1962, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1862), to determine the effects on the 
national security of imports of uranium.

Written Comments

    This investigation is being undertaken in accordance with part 705 
of the National Security Industrial Base Regulations (15 CFR parts 700 
to 709) (``NSIBR''). Interested parties are invited to submit written 
comments, data, analyses, or information pertinent to this 
investigation to the Office of Technology Evaluation, U.S. Department 
of Commerce (``the Department''), no later than September 10, 2018.
    The Department is particularly interested in comments and 
information directed to the criteria listed in Sec.  705.4 of the 
regulations as they affect national security, including the following: 
(a) Quantity of or other circumstances related to the importation of 
uranium; (b) Domestic production and productive capacity needed for 
uranium to meet projected national defense requirements; (c) Existing 
and anticipated availability of human resources, products, raw 
materials, production equipment, and facilities to produce uranium; (d) 
Growth requirements of the uranium industry to meet national defense 
requirements and/or requirements to assure such growth; (e) The impact 
of foreign competition on the economic welfare of the uranium industry; 
(f) The displacement of any domestic uranium production causing 
substantial unemployment, decrease in the revenues of government, loss 
of investment or specialized skills and productive capacity, or other 
serious effects; (g) Relevant factors that are causing or will cause a 
weakening of our national economy; and (h) Any other relevant factors.
    Material submitted by members of the public that is business 
confidential information will be exempted from public disclosure as 
provided for by Sec.  705.6 of the regulations. Anyone submitting 
business confidential information should clearly identify the business 
confidential portion of the submission, file a statement justifying 
nondisclosure and referring to the specific legal authority claimed, 
and provide a non-confidential submission which can be placed in the 
public file. Communications from agencies of the United States 
Government will not be made available for public inspection. If public 
hearings are held in support of this investigation, a separate Federal 
Register notice will be published.
    The Bureau of Industry and Security does not maintain a separate 
public inspection facility. Requesters should first view the Bureau's 
web page, which can be found at https://efoia.bis.doc.gov/ (see 
``Electronic FOIA'' heading). If requesters cannot access the website, 
they may call 202-482-0795 for assistance. The records related to this 
assessment are made accessible in accordance with the regulations 
published in part 4 of title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations (15 
CFR 4.1 et seq.).

    Dated: July 19, 2018.
Wilbur Ross,
Secretary of Commerce.
[FR Doc. 2018-15891 Filed 7-24-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-33-P

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 143 / Wednesday, July 25, 2018 / Notices 35205

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: § 705.6 of the regulations. Anyone NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone:
Michael Vaccaro, Acting Director, Office submitting business confidential (202) 482–4047 or (202) 482–4031,
of Technology Evaluation, Bureau of information should clearly identify the respectively.
Industry and Security, U.S. Department business confidential portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
of Commerce (202) 482–4060, submission, file a statement justifying
Uranium232@bis.doc.gov. For more nondisclosure and referring to the Background
information about the section 232 specific legal authority claimed, and On July 6, 1992, Commerce issued the
program, including the regulations and provide a non-confidential submission AD order on imports of butt-weld pipe
the text of previous investigations, see which can be placed in the public file. fittings from China.1 Additionally, on
www.bis.doc.gov/232. Communications from agencies of the March 31, 1994, Commerce issued an
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: United States Government will not be affirmative final anti-circumvention
made available for public inspection. If determination finding that imports into
Background
public hearings are held in support of the United States of pipe fittings that
On July 18, 2018, the Secretary of this investigation, a separate Federal were finished in Thailand from
Commerce (‘‘Secretary’’) initiated an Register notice will be published. unfinished pipe fittings produced in
investigation under section 232 of the The Bureau of Industry and Security China constituted circumvention of the
Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as does not maintain a separate public Order within the meaning of section
amended (19 U.S.C. 1862), to determine inspection facility. Requesters should 781(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as
the effects on the national security of first view the Bureau’s web page, which amended (the Act).2 Commerce applied
imports of uranium. can be found at https:// this finding of circumvention to all
Written Comments efoia.bis.doc.gov/ (see ‘‘Electronic imports of butt-weld pipe fittings from
FOIA’’ heading). If requesters cannot Thailand, regardless of manufacturer/
This investigation is being undertaken access the website, they may call 202–
in accordance with part 705 of the producer, unless accompanied by a
482–0795 for assistance. The records certification stating that such pipe
National Security Industrial Base related to this assessment are made
Regulations (15 CFR parts 700 to 709) fittings have not been produced from
accessible in accordance with the unfinished pipe fittings sourced from
(‘‘NSIBR’’). Interested parties are invited regulations published in part 4 of title
to submit written comments, data, China.3
15 of the Code of Federal Regulations On May 22, 2017, Tube Forgings of
analyses, or information pertinent to (15 CFR 4.1 et seq.).
this investigation to the Office of America, Inc., Mills Iron Works, Inc.,
Technology Evaluation, U.S. Dated: July 19, 2018. and Hackney Ladish, Inc., (collectively,
Department of Commerce (‘‘the Wilbur Ross, the domestic parties), alleged that
Department’’), no later than September Secretary of Commerce. imports of butt-weld pipe fittings which
10, 2018. [FR Doc. 2018–15891 Filed 7–24–18; 8:45 am] were completed in Malaysia using
The Department is particularly BILLING CODE 3510–33–P
finished or unfinished butt-weld pipe
interested in comments and information fittings sourced from China are
directed to the criteria listed in § 705.4 circumventing the Order.4 In their
of the regulations as they affect national DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE allegation, the domestic parties
security, including the following: (a) requested that Commerce initiate an
Quantity of or other circumstances International Trade Administration anti-circumvention inquiry pursuant to
related to the importation of uranium; [A–570–814] section 781(b) of the Act, and 19 CFR
(b) Domestic production and productive 351.225(h), to determine whether
capacity needed for uranium to meet Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings imports of butt-weld pipe fittings
projected national defense From the People’s Republic of China: sourced from unfinished or finished
requirements; (c) Existing and Preliminary Affirmative Determination butt-weld pipe fittings from the PRC
anticipated availability of human of Circumvention of the Antidumping have undergone minor finishing
resources, products, raw materials, Duty Order processes, or were simply marked with
production equipment, and facilities to ‘‘Malaysia’’ as the country of origin, in
produce uranium; (d) Growth AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, Malaysia, before export to the United
requirements of the uranium industry to International Trade Administration, States constitutes circumvention of the
meet national defense requirements Department of Commerce. Order. The domestic parties also
and/or requirements to assure such SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce requested that Commerce reach an
growth; (e) The impact of foreign (Commerce) preliminarily determines affirmative determination of
competition on the economic welfare of that carbon steel butt-weld pipe fittings circumvention for all imports of butt-
the uranium industry; (f) The (butt-weld pipe fittings) exported from
displacement of any domestic uranium Malaysia, which were completed in 1 See Antidumping Duty Order and Amendment

production causing substantial Malaysia using finished or unfinished to the Final Determination of Sales at Less Than
butt-weld pipe fittings sourced from the Fair Value; Certain Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe
unemployment, decrease in the Fittings from the People’s Republic of China, 57 FR
revenues of government, loss of People’s Republic of China (China), are 29702 (July 6, 1992) (Order).
investment or specialized skills and circumventing the antidumping duty 2 See Certain Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings

productive capacity, or other serious (AD) order on butt-weld pipe fittings from the People’s Republic of China; Affirmative
from China. Final Determination of Circumvention of
effects; (g) Relevant factors that are
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES

Antidumping Duty Order, 59 FR 15155 (March 31,
causing or will cause a weakening of our DATES: Applicable July 25, 2018. 1994).
national economy; and (h) Any other FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jerry 3 Id., at 15158–59.

relevant factors. Huang or Susan Pulongbarit, AD/CVD 4 See Letter from the domestic parties to the

Material submitted by members of the Operations, Office V, Enforcement and Secretary of Commerce, ‘‘Carbon Steel Butt-Weld
Pipe Fittings from the People’s Republic of China,
public that is business confidential Compliance, International Trade A–570–814; Request for Circumvention Ruling
information will be exempted from Administration, U.S. Department of Pursuant to Section 781(b) of the Tariff Act of
public disclosure as provided for by Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue 1930,’’ dated May 22, 2017.

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Document Created: 2018-07-25 00:44:05
Document Modified: 2018-07-25 00:44:05

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 request for public comments.
Dates		Comments may be submitted at any time but must be received by September 10, 2018.
Contact		Michael Vaccaro, Acting Director, Office of Technology Evaluation, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce (202) 482-4060, [email protected] For more information about the section 232 program, including the regulations and the text of previous investigations, see www.bis.doc.gov/232.
FR Citation		83 FR 35204

83 FR 35204 - Notice of Request for Public Comments on Section 232 National Security Investigation of Imports of Uranium

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCEBureau of Industry and Security

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 143 (July 25, 2018)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of Industry and Security