83 FR 51927 - Steel Propane Cylinders From the People's Republic of China and Thailand: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 199 (October 15, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 199 (Monday, October 15, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 51927]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-22367]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-570-086, A-549-839]


Steel Propane Cylinders From the People's Republic of China and 
Thailand: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations in the Less-Than-
Fair-Value Investigations

AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce

DATES: Applicable October 15, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonathan Cornfield or Laura Griffith 
at (202) 482-3855, or (202) 482-6430, respectively (People's Republic 
of China (China)) and Cindy Robinson or Stephanie Moore at (202) 482-
3797, or (202) 482-3692, respectively (Thailand), AD/CVD Operations, 
Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 
20230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On June 11, 2018, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated 
less-than-fair-value (LTFV) investigations of imports of steel propane 
cylinders from China, Taiwan, and Thailand.\1\ On June 20, 2018, 
Commerce terminated its antidumping duty investigation of imports of 
steel propane cylinders from Taiwan, following the petitioners'\2\ 
withdrawal of the petition and request that the investigation be 
terminated.\3\ Because Commerce has terminated its investigation of 
steel propane cylinderes from Taiwan, the U.S. International Trade 
Commission (ITC)'s investigation is also terminated.\4\ The preliminary 
determinations for China and Thailand are currently due no later than 
October 29, 2018.
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    \1\ See Steel Propane Cylinders from the People's Republic of 
China, Taiwan, and Thailand: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value 
Investigations, 83 FR 28196 (June 18, 2018).
    \2\ The petitioners are Worthington Industries and Manchester 
Tank &, Equipment Co.
    \3\ See Steel Propane Cylinders from Taiwan: Termination of 
Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation, 83 29748 (June 26, 2018).
    \4\ See ITC Investigation No. 731-TA-1418 (Preliminary). See 
also Steel Propane Cylinders from Taiwan, Termination of 
Investigation, 83 FR 31174 (July 3, 2018).
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Postponement of Preliminary Determinations

    Section 733(b)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the 
Act), requires Commerce to issue the preliminary determination in an 
LTFV investigation within 140 days after the date on which Commerce 
initiated the investigation. However, section 733(c)(1) of the Act 
permits Commerce to postpone the preliminary determination until no 
later than 190 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.\5\
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    \5\ See 19 CFR 351.205(e).
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    On October 1, 2018, the petitioners submitted timely requests to 
postpone the preliminary determinations in these LTFV 
investigations.\6\ The petitioners stated that they requested 
postponement because Commerce is still gathering data and questionnaire 
responses from the foreign producers in these investigations, and 
additional time is necessary for interested parties to respond to 
additional requests from Commerce before Commerce makes its preliminary 
determinations.
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    \6\ See letter from the petitioners, ``Steel Propane Cylinders 
from the People's Republic of China and Thailand--Petitioners' 
Request to Extend the Preliminary Antidumping Duty Determination'' 
dated October 1, 2018.
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    For the reasons stated above and because there are no compelling 
reasons to deny the petitioners' request, Commerce, in accordance with 
section 733(c)(1)(A) of the Act, is postponing the deadline for the 
preliminary determinations by 50 days (i.e., 190 days after the date on 
which these investigations were initiated). As a result, Commerce will 
issue its preliminary determinations no later than December 18, 2018. 
In accordance with section 735(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, unless postponed at a later date.
    This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 733(c)(2) 
of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(f)(1).

    Dated: October 9, 2018.
Gary Taverman,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty 
Operations, performing the non-exclusive functions and duties of the 
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2018-22367 Filed 10-12-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P