Federal Register Vol. 83, No.60,

The regulations in 9 CFR part 93 prohibit or restrict the importation of certain animals, birds, and poultry into the United States to prevent the introduction of communicable diseases of livestock and poultry. Subpart D of part 93 (§§ 93.400 through 93.436, referred to below as the regulations) governs the importation of ruminants; within the regulations, §§ 93.424 through 93.429 specifically address the importation of ruminants from Mexico into the United States.

The regulations in paragraph (b)(1) of § 93.427 contain conditions for the importation of ruminants from regions of Mexico that we consider free from the Rhipicephalus (formerly Boophilus) annulatus ticks and Rhipicephalus microplus ticks, known as cattle fever ticks. Fever ticks are the North American vectors for bovine babesiosis, or cattle fever. Regions of Mexico that we consider free from fever ticks are listed at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/ct_animal_disease_status. Currently, the State of Sonora is the only region on this list.

The regulations in 9 CFR 92.2 contain requirements for requesting the recognition of the animal health status of a region or for the approval of the export of a particular type of animal or animal product to the United States from a foreign region. If, after review and evaluation of the information submitted in support of the request, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) believes the request can be safely granted, APHIS will make its evaluation available for public comment through a notice published in the Federal Register. Following the close of the comment period, APHIS will review all comments received and will make a final determination regarding the request that will be detailed in another notice published in the Federal Register.

In accordance with that process, Mexico asked APHIS to recognize the State of Chihuahua, except the municipalities of Guadalupe y Calvo and Morelos, as a region free from fever ticks. In response to this request, we prepared an evaluation of the fever tick status of this region. The evaluation concluded that the State of Chihuahua, excluding the municipalities of Guadalupe y Calvo and Morelos, is free from fever ticks, and that ruminants imported from the region pose a low risk of exposing ruminants within the United States to fever ticks.

On May 12, 2016, we published in the Federal Register (81 FR 29524-29525, Docket No. APHIS-2015-0042) a notice 1 in which we announced the availability for review and comment of our evaluation of the fever tick status of the State of Chihuahua, except the municipalities of Guadalupe y Calvo and Morelos. We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days ending on July 11, 2016. We received no comments on our evaluation.

Therefore, based on the findings of our evaluation and the absence of comments that would lead us to reconsider those findings, we are announcing our determination to add the State of Chihuahua, excluding the municipalities of Guadalupe y Calvo and Morelos, to the list of regions of Mexico declared free from fever ticks. This list is available on the APHIS website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/ct_animal_disease_status.

In May 2013, the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the AP Loblolly Pine Removal and Restoration Project (2013 FEIS) was completed and a Record of Decision (2013 ROD) was signed by the Andrew Pickens District Ranger on May 22, 2013. The 2013 FEIS and 2013 ROD along with other supporting documents are available at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=28634. These documents include descriptions of the purpose and need for the project and the three alternatives that were evaluated. Alternative 3 was selected by the Responsible Official for implementation. Since the 2013 ROD was signed, a number of timber sale units have been logged and subsequent implementation monitoring and field reviews indicate a need to make some changes to the decision.

Additions to the purpose and need for action are based on project implementation monitoring and field reviews, as described below.

1. Field reviews have identified 1,330 acres of new loblolly stands that were not addressed in the 2013 FEIS. These stands need to be restored to native forest species appropriate for the ecological zone and loblolly pine (a non-native species) needs to be eliminated as a long term seed source.

2. Since the 2013 ROD was signed, 902 acres of loblolly stands have become commercially viable and/or have road access to them that was not available at the time of the original decision. There is a need to recover any economic value in trees to be harvested prior to restoration of native forest vegetation.

3. As a non-native species in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, loblolly pine has proven to be an aggressive competitor and seed stored in the soil germinates prolifically following harvest and hampers establishment of native forest vegetation. The herbicides currently approved for use have proven effective for hardwood control but ineffective at controlling loblolly pine regeneration. There is a need to include both prescribed burning and herbicides as site preparation treatments that are more effective at controlling loblolly pine regeneration. This would facilitate restoration of desirable native pine and hardwood species on appropriate ecological types.

4. Implementation monitoring indicates that undesirable understory hardwoods (such as red maple, sweetgum, blackgum, rhododendron, and mountain laurel) are well-established in some stands. The lack of periodic fire has allowed these species to become dominant and persistent in the understory at levels not typical for their ecological zone. In addition, past Southern pine beetle activity that killed portions of the overstory loblolly pine has also resulted in these hardwood species gaining dominance of the site at the exclusion of other desirable species such as oaks, hickories, and native pines. Loblolly pine regeneration is also present and needs to be eliminated from the stand. There is a need to treat undesirable hardwood and loblolly pine understories prior to timber harvest in some areas to facilitate reestablishment of native forest vegetation.

5. Ecological classification mapping for the district has been updated since the 2013 ROD was signed. This new information has been used to help identify potentially suitable areas for woodland management. Also, establishment of woodland areas has proven to be more labor intensive than was originally thought. There is a need to reduce the total number of acres managed as woodlands and to use ecological mapping to identify areas suitable for woodland management. This would result in some woodland areas being changed to regeneration harvest and some new areas selected for woodland management. In some cases, stands selected for woodland management contain desirable hardwood species such as oak and hickory but lack sufficient native pine species typical of the ecological zone. Woodland areas should contain a variety of ecologically suitable species of native pines (that include pitch pine, Table Mountain pine and shortleaf pine) and hardwoods with an open overstory and an understory dominated by herbaceous vegetation. Woodland restoration needs to include native pine species suitable to the ecological zone.

6. Implementation monitoring has shown the need to drop mitigation measure #1 from the 2013 FEIS. This mitigation measure provides for staggering some harvest units in identified small sub-watersheds to reduce timber harvesting effects on water quality. However, this mitigation measure has proven difficult to implement and has caused additional adverse environmental effects. Staggering harvest units has resulted in additional soil disturbance from roads. Instead of using a system road once during a timber sale and then putting it back into storage and allowing it to revegetate, another entry is needed a few years later resulting in additional disturbance in the watershed. In addition, there is an increased risk of loblolly pine seeding into the newly restored unit from the adjacent uncut stand.

7. Mitigation measure # 6c would be revised to permit log trucks to cross some perennial and intermittent streams using other methods (such as low-water crossings) in addition to temporary bridges. Implementation monitoring indicates that some crossings make it impracticable to use a temporary bridge without placing fill material on the banks of the stream. This fill material has the potential to be a sediment source once the temporary bridge is removed. The revised mitigation would require consultation with Forest Service resource specialists prior to proceeding with other crossing methods. The intent is to choose the best form of crossing to protect soil and water resources.

8. A mitigation measures would be added to protect residual trees during site preparation prescribed burn treatments and another mitigation measure would be added to require hand fireline construction near streams.

The proposed action includes adding about 1,330 acres of new loblolly stand treatments, modifying loblolly treatments on 902 acres from pre-commercial to commercial treatments, reducing the acres to be managed as woodlands, adding planting of native pines in woodlands, adding two herbicides (that are already approved for Forest Service use) to more effectively manage understory vegetation, adding prescribed fire, and modifying or adding mitigation measures to protect resources.

Regeneration Harvest, with Reserves (cut-and-remove): Commercial timber harvest would occur on an additional 1,330 acres. Unmerchantable loblolly pine and other undesirable species would be cut down by manual (saws, hand tools) or mechanized felling equipment. In addition, to cutting loblolly pine, harvest would also include Virginia pine, white pine, red maple, sourwood, blackgum, mountain laurel, rhododendron, yellow-poplar and other less desirable hardwoods. The intent of cutting from these associated species is to limit their abundance and achieve a mix of species typical of natural forest conditions. Desirable dominant and co-dominant oaks, hickories, shortleaf pine, Table Mountain pine, and pitch pine of good vigor would be retained where possible unless removal is necessary for safety or for equipment operability reasons. Site-preparation treatments would be implemented prior to tree planting. Shortleaf pine, Table Mountain pine, and pitch pine would be planted on some sites; densities would vary based on residual desirable species, site quality and consideration of the ecological zone for each stand.

Regeneration Harvest, with Reserves (treatments changed from cut and leave to cut and remove): Commercial timber harvest would occur on approximately 902 acres previously designated for non-commercial treatment. Treatments would be the same as those described for Regeneration Harvest, with Reserves (cut-and-remove).

New Woodland Stands: The woodland prescription would remove all loblolly pine and undesirable tree species including but not limited to Virginia pine, white pine, maples, and yellow poplar on 188 acres. The treatment would include thinning oaks, hickories, and shortleaf pine if necessary to a 30 to 60% canopy cover. Maintenance treatments could include prescribed burning, herbicide, manual, and mechanical methods as needed to achieve the desired species composition. Manual and mechanical methods include hand tools (chainsaws, brush saws), and/or heavy equipment (tractor with mower, gyro-track that grind up or masticate undesirable understory vegetation). Herbicides in combination with a surfactant and spray pattern indicator would also be used to control undesirable understory vegetation. Herbicides would be applied manually (between the first of July and the end of September) via directed foliar or cut surface application methods.

Stands Changed from Woodland Treatments to Regeneration Harvest, with Reserves (cut-and-remove): Commercial timber harvest would occur on approximately 282 acres. Treatments would be the same as those described for Regeneration Harvest, with Reserves (cut-and-remove).

Woodlands Planted with Native Pines: The proposed action would include the option to plant pitch pine, Table Mountain pine and shortleaf pine to supplement species diversity in newly established woodland areas (631 acres). Planting would be done manually in small patches and densities would be based on the number needed to meet woodland ecological objectives for the site.

Additional Site Preparation Treatments: The supplement would include the addition of site-preparation prescribed burning and two new herbicides that are more effective at controlling loblolly pine regeneration.

Prescribed Burning Treatment: Site-preparation burning would be used to control loblolly regeneration typically in the first growing season following harvest in regeneration stands (4,369 acres). It would also be used to reduce competition from Virginia pine, white pine, and undesirable hardwoods. Firelines would utilize natural features as practicable such as streams or constructed features such as roads. Dozer and hand constructed firelines would be needed in some places to contain the prescribed fire. Stands that overlap with larger landscape prescribed burn blocks may be burned in the growing season or dormant season subject to landscape scale burning objectives. Burning would be done manually with drip torches or with aerial ignition (i.e., helicopter).

Herbicide Treatments: Chemical site preparation would be used in stands that are not prescribe burned or where burning does not have the anticipated effect at controlling competition. Glyphosate and aminopyralid herbicides would be added to the existing herbicides to control regenerating loblolly pine seedlings and undesirable species as needed in order to achieve native species composition. Herbicides would be applied manually using the foliar or hack-n-squirt methods. In addition, pre-harvest site-preparation herbicide treatments may be used to control mid and understory species composition in all regeneration areas.

Changes to Mitigation Measures: Mitigation measure #1 which required staggering of harvest units in some watersheds would be dropped and instead reliance would be placed on adherence to “South Carolina's Best Management Practices for Forestry and National Best Management Practices for Water Quality Management on National Forest System Lands” and standards in the Revised Land and Resource Management Plan Sumter National Forest (Forest Plan).

Mitigation measure # 6c would be revised to allow log trucks to cross perennial and intermittent streams using other methods (low-water crossing) in addition to temporary bridges as deemed practicable and effective at resource protection with approval from Forest Service specialists. Crossings would adhere to BMPs and the Forest Plan.

A new mitigation measure would be added to protect residual trees in harvest units during prescribed burn activities. Protection measures could include manual and mechanical removal of logging slash from under the drip-line to the base of residual trees. A new mitigation measure would be added to protect streams by requiring hand fireline construction within 100 feet of streams when deemed necessary during prescribed burning.

Additional Forest Service System Road Reconstruction and Maintenance: Road reconstruction and maintenance would be needed on an additional 9.4 miles of existing Forest Service system roads. Reconstruction work would consist of but not be limited to graveling road surfaces, replacing culverts—including replacements for aquatic organism passage, ditch cleaning, removing brush and trees along road rights-of-way, installing, repairing or replacing gates and correcting road safety hazards. Road maintenance would consist of but not be limited to spot gravel replacement, blading, cleaning culverts, brushing and mowing.

Temporary Roads: Approximately 12 miles of additional temporary roads would be used to access stands. Temporary roads would be closed and the area returned to resource production after the access is no longer needed.

Fireline Construction: Approximately 8 miles of dozer fireline would be needed for site preparation burning treatments. Typically, constructed line would not be needed to control fire during the growing season site preparation burning, but key locations would need it (such as along private land boundaries next to residences). Additional information including maps on the proposed action are located at the following website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=53047.

Andrew Pickens District Ranger, Sumter National Forest

Whether or not to implement the Proposed Action or continue to implement the 2013 ROD.

This Notice of Intent initiates the scoping process, which guides the development of the SEIS. We are inviting you to submit comments to help refine the proposed action. In addition, the Responsible Official is currently preparing an environmental analysis of the proposed action and needs your assistance to better identify issues, concerns and opportunities. Pursuant to 36 CFR 218.7(a)(2), this proposed project implements the land management plan and is subject to 36 CFR 218 subparts A and B.

Specific written comments as defined by § 218.2 should be within the scope of the proposed action, have a direct relationship to the proposed action, and must include supporting reasons for the Responsible Official to consider. It is the responsibility of all individuals and organizations to insure that their comments are received in a timely manner.

A notice and comment period will be provided at a future date (§ 218.24). Only those that respond to this request for comments will remain on the mailing list for this project.

It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions.

Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the public record on these proposed actions and will be available for public inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered; however, anonymous comments will not provide the agency with the ability to provide the respondent with subsequent environmental documents.

General Information

The Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program (the “Broadband Program”) is authorized by the Rural Electrification Act (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.), as amended by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79), also referred to as the 2014 Farm Bill.

During FY 2018, loans will be made available for the construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities and equipment that will provide service at the broadband lending speed in eligible rural areas. Applications are subject to the requirements of 7 CFR part 1738.

RUS offers pre-application assistance, in which National Office staff and the assigned General Field Representative review the draft application, provide detailed comments, and identify areas where an application is not meeting eligibility requirements for funding. The online application system allows RUS staff to assist an applicant with every part of an application as it is being developed. Once the application is formally submitted, the online system will timestamp the submitted version and establish the application's place in the processing queue.

Based on the order in which the applications are received, RUS will review the application for completeness. The applicant may be asked for additional information to clarify aspects of an otherwise complete application or to assist the Agency in the underwriting process. If the application is determined to be complete, RUS will review the package for eligibility and technical and financial feasibility, in accordance with 7 CFR 1738. If an application is ultimately found to be incomplete or inadequate, a detailed explanation will be provided to the applicant.

To further assist in the preparation of applications, an application guide is available online at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/farm-bill-broadband-loans-loan-guarantees. An application guide may also be requested from the RUS contact listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice.

Application requirements: All requirements for submission of an application under the Broadband Program are subject to 7 CFR part 1738.

Application Materials/Submission: Applications must be submitted through the Agency's online application system located at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rd-apply. All materials required for completing an application are included in the online system.

Loans under this authority will not be made for less than $100,000. The maximum loan amount that will be considered for FY 2018 is $25,000,000.

The regulation for the Broadband Program requires that certain definitions affecting eligibility be revised and published from time to time by the Agency in the Federal Register. For the purposes of this NOSA, the Agency is revising the definitions of Broadband Service and Broadband Lending Speed.

Broadband Service is determined to exist if customers are able to access a minimum rate-of-data transmission of twenty-five (25) megabits downstream and three (3) megabits upstream for both mobile and fixed service. This rate is used to determine whether an area is eligible for funding.

Broadband Lending Speed is the minimum rate-of-data transmission that applicants must propose to offer the customer. The Broadband Lending Speed is twenty-five (25) megabits downstream and three (3) megabits upstream for both mobile and fixed service.

Applications for FY 2018 will be accepted from the publication date of this NOSA through September 30, 2018. Although review of applications will begin as they are submitted, all applications will be evaluated and ranked every 90 days based on the percentage of unserved households in the proposed funded service area. Subject to available funding, eligible applications that propose to serve a higher percentage of unserved households will receive funding offers before other eligible applications that propose to serve a lower percentage of unserved households. The amount available will be published on the Agency web page once all budgetary allocations have been completed.

Loan offers are limited to the funds available at the time of the Agency's decision to approve an application.

Applications will not be accepted after September 30, 2018, until a new application opportunity has been opened with the publication of an additional NOSA in the Federal Register.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the information collection requirements associated with Broadband loans, as covered in this NOSA, have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control Number 0572-0130.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, (2) Fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) Email: [email protected].

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Background

Commerce published the Preliminary Determination of sales of wire rod from Korea at LTFV in the Federal Register on October 31, 2017.1 On November 7, 2017, Commerce postponed the final determination of this investigation.2 On November 28, 2017, Commerce amended the Preliminary Determination. 3 Commerce exercised its discretion to toll deadlines affected by the closure of the Federal Government from January 20 through 22, 2018. If the new deadline falls on a non-business day, in accordance with Commerce's practice, the deadline will become the next business day. The revised deadline for the final determination of this investigation is now March 19, 2018.4

A summary of the events that occurred since the Preliminary Determination, as well as a full discussion of the issues raised by parties for this final determination, may be found in the accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum, which is adopted by this notice.5

The product covered by this investigation is wire rod from Korea. For a complete description of the scope of this investigation, see Appendix I.

During the course of this investigation, Commerce received scope comments from interested parties. Prior to the Preliminary Determination, Commerce issued a Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum to address these comments.6 Since the Preliminary Determination, POSCO, British Steel, and the petitioners filed scope case and rebuttal briefs.7 On November 20, 2017, we issued the Final Scope Memorandum in which we did not change the scope of this investigation.8

All issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs by parties in this investigation are addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. A list of these issues is attached to this notice at Appendix II. The Issues and Decision Memorandum is a public document, and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at http://access.trade.gov, and to all parties in the Central Records Unit, room B8024 of the main Department of Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov. The signed and electronic versions of the Issues and Decision Memorandum are identical in content.

As provided in section 782(i) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), in November 2017, we verified the sales and cost information reported by POSCO for use in our final determination. We used standard verification procedures, including an examination of relevant accounting and production records, and original source documents provided by POSCO.9

Based on our analysis of comments received and our findings at verification, we made certain changes to the margin calculation for POSCO. For a discussion of these changes, see the “Margin Calculation” section of the Issues and Decision Memorandum.

Section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act provides that the estimated weighted-average dumping margin for all other producers and exporters shall be equal to the weighted average of the estimated weighted-average dumping margins established for exporters and producers individually investigated excluding rates that are zero, de minimis margins or determined entirely under section 776 of the Act. POSCO is the only respondent for which Commerce calculated an estimated weighted-average dumping margin that is not zero, de minimis, or based entirely on facts otherwise available. Therefore, for purposes of determining the “all-others” rate and pursuant to section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act, we are using the estimated weighted-average dumping margin calculated for POSCO, as referenced in the “Final Determination” section below. This rate is 41.10 percent.

For the Preliminary Determination, Commerce preliminarily found that critical circumstances do not exist with respect to imports of wire rod from POSCO and “all other” producers and exporters of subject merchandise.10 In this final determination, Commerce continues to find that, in accordance with 735(a)(3) of the Act, critical circumstances do not exist for POSCO and “all other” producers and exporters in this investigation. A discussion of the determination can be found in the “Critical Circumstances” section of the Issues and Decision Memorandum.

The final estimated weighted-average dumping margins are as follows:

We intend to disclose the calculations performed within five days of the date of publication of this notice to parties in this proceeding in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

In accordance with section 735(c)(1)(B) of the Act, for this final determination, we will direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation of all entries of wire rod from Korea, as described in Appendix I to this notice, which were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after October 31, 2017, the date of publication in the Federal Register of the affirmative Preliminary Determination.

Furthermore, Commerce will instruct CBP to require a cash deposit for such entries of merchandise. Pursuant to section 735(c)(1)(B)(ii) of the Act, CBP shall require a cash deposit equal to the weighted-average amount by which normal value exceeds U.S. price, as follows: (1) For POSCO, the cash deposit rate will be equal to the estimated weighted-average dumping margin which Commerce determined in this final determination; (2) if the exporter is not a firm identified in this investigation but the producer is, then the cash deposit rate will be equal to the estimated weighted-average dumping margin established for the producer of the subject merchandise; (3) the cash deposit rate for all other producers or exporters will be 41.10 percent, as discussed in the “All-Others Rate” section, above.

The instructions suspending liquidation will remain in effect until further notice.

In accordance with section 735(d) of the Act, we will notify the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) of our final determination of sales at LTFV and final negative determination of critical circumstances for Korea. Because Commerce's final determination in this proceeding is affirmative, in accordance with section 735(b)(2) of the Act, the ITC will make its final determination as to whether the domestic industry in the United States is materially injured, or threatened with material injury, by reason of imports, or sales (or the likelihood of sales) for importation of wire rod from Korea no later than 45 days after this final determination, in accordance with section 735(b)(2) of the Act. If the ITC determines that such injury does not exist, the proceeding will be terminated and all cash deposits posted will be refunded or cancelled. If the ITC determines that such injury exists, Commerce will issue an antidumping duty order directing CBP to assess, upon further instruction by Commerce, antidumping duties on all imports of the subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the effective date of the suspension of liquidation, as discussed above in the “Continuation of Suspension of Liquidation” section.

This notice serves as a reminder to parties subject to an administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written notification of the return or destruction of APO materials, or conversion to judicial protective order, is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and the terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.

This determination and this notice are issued and published pursuant to sections 735(d) and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

Background

On October 31, 2017, Commerce published the Preliminary Determination of sales at LTFV of wire rod from Italy.1 On November 7, 2017, Commerce published the postponement of the final determinations of LTFV investigations and extension of provisional measures.2 On December 21, 2017, Commerce published the Amended Preliminary Determination of sales at LTFV of wire rod from Italy.3 Commerce has exercised its discretion to toll deadlines affected by the closure of the Federal Government from January 20 through 22, 2018. If the new deadline falls on a non-business day, in accordance with Commerce's practice, the deadline will become the next business day. The revised deadline for the final determination of this investigation is now March 19, 2018.4 A summary of the events that occurred since Commerce published the Preliminary Determination, as well as a full discussion of the issues raised by parties for this final determination, may be found in the Issues and Decision Memorandum, which is hereby adopted by this notice.5

The scope of the investigation covers wire rod from Italy. For a complete description of the scope of the investigation, see Appendix I.

During the course of this investigation, Commerce received numerous scope comments from interested parties. Prior to the Preliminary Determination, Commerce issued a Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum to address these comments. As a result of these comments, Commerce made no changes to the scope of this investigation as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. 6

In September 2017, we received scope case and rebuttal briefs. On November 20, 2017, we issued the Final Scope Decision Memorandum in response to these comments in which we did not change the scope of this investigation.7

All issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs by parties in this investigation are addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. A list of the issues raised is attached to this notice as Appendix II. The Issues and Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov, and it is available to all parties in the Central Records Unit, room B-8024 of the main Department of Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/index.html. The signed and electronic versions of the Issues and Decision Memorandum are identical in content.

As provided in section 782(i) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, (the Act) in November and December 2017, we conducted verification of the sales and cost information submitted by Ferriere Nord S.p.A. (Ferriere Nord) for use in our final determination. We used standard verification procedures, including an examination of relevant accounting and production records, and original source documents provided by Ferriere Nord.8

Based on our analysis of the comments received and our findings at verification, we made certain changes to the margin calculations for Ferriere Nord. For a discussion of these changes, see the “Margin Calculations” section of the Issues and Decision Memorandum.

In the Preliminary Determination, because mandatory respondent Ferriera Valsider S.p.A. (Ferriera Valsider) failed to respond to Commerce's questionnaire, we applied adverse facts available (AFA) to Ferriera Valsider, in accordance with sections 776(a) and (b) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.308. We corroborated the petition dumping margin of 18.89 percent to the extent practicable within the meaning of section 776(c) of the Act. This is the sole rate identified in the petition, and, thus, we assigned this dumping margin to Ferriera Valsider as AFA.

Section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act provides that the estimated all-others rate shall be an amount equal to the weighted average of the estimated weighted-average dumping margins established for exporters and producers individually investigated excluding any zero or de minimis margins, and margins determined entirely under section 776 of the Act. Ferriere Nord is the only respondent for which Commerce calculated a company-specific margin that is not zero, de minimis, or based entirely on facts otherwise available. Therefore, for purposes of determining the “all-others” rate and pursuant to section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act, we are using the dumping margin calculated for Ferriere Nord, as referenced in the “Final Determination” section below.

The final weighted-average dumping margins are as follows:

We will disclose the calculations performed within five days of the date of publication of this notice to parties in this proceeding in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

In accordance with section 735(c)(1)(B) of the Act, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to continue to suspend liquidation of all appropriate entries of wire rod from Italy, which were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after October 31, 2017, the date of publication of the preliminary determination of this investigation in the Federal Register.

Further, Commerce will instruct CBP to require a cash deposit equal to the estimated amount by which the normal value exceeds the U.S. price as shown above.

In accordance with section 735(d) of the Act, we will notify the ITC of the final affirmative determination of sales at LTFV. Because the final determination in this proceeding is affirmative, in accordance with section 735(b)(2) of the Act, the ITC will make its final determination as to whether the domestic industry in the United States is materially injured, or threatened with material injury, by reason of imports of wire rod from Italy no later than 45 days after our final determination. If the ITC determines that material injury or threat of material injury does not exist, the proceeding will be terminated and all cash deposits will be refunded. If the ITC determines that such injury does exist, Commerce will issue an antidumping duty order directing CBP to assess, upon further instruction by Commerce, antidumping duties on all imports of the subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the effective date of the suspension of liquidation.

This notice serves as a reminder to parties subject to APO of their responsibility concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely notification of the return or destruction of APO materials, or conversion to judicial protective order, is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and the terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.

This determination and this notice are issued and published pursuant to sections 735(d) and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

Background

On October 4, 2017, Commerce published a notice of opportunity to request an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain hot-rolled steel flat products (HR Steel) from the Netherlands for the period of review (POR) March 22, 2016, through September 30, 2017.1 On October 31, 2017, the petitioners, AK Steel Corporation, Steel Dynamics Inc., SSAB Enterprises, LLC, ArcelorMittal USA LLC, Nucor Corporation, and United States Steel Corporation, requested an administrative review of the order with respect to Tata Steel IJmuiden B.V. (TSIJ).2 On December 7, 2017, in accordance with section 751(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act) and 19 CFR 351.221(c)(1)(i), we initiated an administrative review of the order on HR Steel from the Netherlands with respect to TSIJ.3 Commerce exercised its discretion to toll all deadlines affected by the closure of the Federal Government from January 20 through 22, 2018. If the new deadline falls on a non-business day, in accordance with Commerce's practice, the deadline will become the next business day.4 On March 12, 2018, the petitioners timely withdrew their request for an administrative review of TSIJ.5 No other party requested a review.

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), Commerce will rescind an administrative review “in whole or in part, if a party that requested a review withdraws the request within 90 days of the date of publication of notice of initiation of the requested review.” The petitioners withdrew their request for review within the 90-day time limit. Because we received no other requests for review of TSIJ, and no other requests for the review of the order on HR Steel from the Netherlands, we are rescinding the administrative review of the order in full, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1).

Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess antidumping duties on all appropriate entries of HR Steel products from the Netherlands during the POR at rates equal to the cash deposit rate of estimated antidumping duties required at the time of entry, or withdrawal from warehouse, for consumption, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(c)(1)(i). Commerce intends to issue appropriate assessment instructions to CBP 15 days after publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

This notice serves as a final reminder to importers of their responsibility under 19 CFR 351.402(f)(2) to file a certificate regarding the reimbursement of antidumping duties prior to liquidation of the relevant entries during this review period. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in Commerce's presumption that reimbursement of antidumping duties occurred and the subsequent assessment of doubled antidumping duties.

This notice also serves as a reminder to parties subject to administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written notification of the return or destruction of APO materials or conversion to judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and the terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.

This notice is issued and published in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213(d)(4).

Background

On October 31, 2017, Commerce published the Preliminary Determination of sales at LTFV of wire rod from Spain.1 On November 7, 2017, Commerce published the postponement of the final determinations of LTFV investigation and extension of provisional measures.2 On December 7, 2017, Commerce published the Amended Preliminary Determination of sales at LTFV of wire rod from Spain. 3 Commerce has exercised its discretion to toll deadlines affected by the closure of the Federal Government from January 20 through 22, 2018. If the new deadline falls on a non-business day, in accordance with Commerce's practice, the deadline will become the next business day. The revised deadline for the final determination of this investigation is now March 19, 2018.4 A summary of the events that occurred since Commerce published the Preliminary Determination, as well as a full discussion of the issues raised by parties for this final determination, may be found in the Issues and Decision Memorandum, which is hereby adopted by this notice.5

The product covered by this investigation is wire rod from Spain. For a complete description of the scope of this investigation, see Appendix I.

During the course of this investigation, Commerce received numerous scope comments from interested parties. Prior to the Preliminary Determination, Commerce issued a Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum to address these comments. As a result of these comments, Commerce made no changes to the scope of this investigation as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. 6

In September 2017, we received scope case and rebuttal briefs. On November 20, 2017, we issued the Final Scope Decision Memorandum in response to the comments received.7 We did not change the scope of this investigation.

All issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs by parties in this investigation are addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. A list of the issues raised is attached to this notice as Appendix II. The Issues and Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov, and it is available to all parties in the Central Records Unit, room B-8024 of the main Department of Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/index.html. The signed and electronic versions of the Issues and Decision Memorandum are identical in content.

As provided in section 782(i) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), in November and December 2017, we conducted verification of the sales and cost information submitted by Global Steel Wire S.A. (GSW), CELSA Atlantic S.A., and Companía Española de Laminación (collectively, CELSA) for use in our final determination. We used standard verification procedures, including an examination of relevant accounting and production records, and original source documents provided by CELSA.8

Based on our analysis of the comments received and our findings at verification, we made certain changes to the margin calculations for CELSA. For a discussion of these changes, see the “Margin Calculations” section of the Issues and Decision Memorandum.

In the Preliminary Determination, because mandatory respondent ArcelorMittal Espana S.A. (AME) failed to respond to Commerce's questionnaire, we applied adverse facts available (AFA) to AME in accordance with sections 776(a) and (b) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.308. We corroborated the petition dumping margin of 32.64 percent to the extent practicable within the meaning of section 776(c) of the Act. This is the sole rate identified in the petition, and, thus, we assigned this dumping margin to AME as AFA.

Section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act provides that the estimated all-others rate shall be an amount equal to the weighted average of the estimated weighted-average dumping margins established for exporters and producers individually investigated, excluding any zero or de minimis margins and margins determined entirely under section 776 of the Act. CELSA is the only respondent for which Commerce calculated a company-specific margin that is not zero, de minimis, or based entirely on facts otherwise available. Therefore, for purposes of determining the “all-others” rate and pursuant to section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act, we are using the dumping margin calculated for CELSA, as referenced in the “Final Determination” section below.

The final weighted-average dumping margins are as follows:

In accordance with section 735(a)(3) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.206, Commerce continues to find that critical circumstances do not exist for CELSA and all-other companies, but do exist for AME, for the reasons described in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. For a full description of the methodology and results of Commerce's critical circumstances analysis, see the “Critical Circumstances” section of the Issues and Decision Memorandum.

We will disclose the calculations performed within five days of the date of publication of this notice to parties in this proceeding in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

In accordance with section 735(c)(1)(B) of the Act, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to continue to suspend liquidation of all appropriate entries of wire rod from Spain, which were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after October 31, 2017, the date of publication of the preliminary determination of this investigation in the Federal Register. For entries made by AME, in accordance with section 735(c)(4)(A) of the Act, because we continue to find that critical circumstances exist, we will instruct CBP to continue to suspend liquidation of all appropriate entries of wire rod from Spain which were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after August 2, 2017, which is 90 days prior to the date of publication of the preliminary determination of this investigation in the Federal Register.

Further, Commerce will instruct CBP to require a cash deposit equal to the estimated weighted-average dumping margins as shown above.

In accordance with section 735(d) of the Act, we will notify the ITC of the final affirmative determination of sales at LTFV. Because the final determination in this proceeding is affirmative, in accordance with section 735(b)(2) of the Act, the ITC will make its final determination as to whether the domestic industry in the United States is materially injured, or threatened with material injury, by reason of imports of wire rod from Spain sold in the United States at LTFV no later than 45 days after our final determination. If the ITC determines that material injury or threat of material injury does not exist, the proceeding will be terminated and all cash deposits will be refunded. If the ITC determines that such injury does exist, Commerce will issue an antidumping duty order directing CBP to assess, upon further instruction by Commerce, antidumping duties on all imports of the subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the effective date of the suspension of liquidation, as discussed above in the “Continuation of Suspension of Liquidation” section.

This notice serves as a reminder to parties subject to APO of their responsibility concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely notification of the return or destruction of APO materials, or conversion to judicial protective order, is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and the terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.

This determination and this notice are issued and published pursuant to sections 735(d) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(c).

On October 15, 2015, Commerce published the Final Results, 1 in which it determined Baoding Mantong to have a weight-averaged dumping margin of 143.87 percent for the period under review. On August 1, 2017, the Court sustained three of Commerce's determinations in the Final Results but, with respect to findings for Baoding Mantong, remanded the results to Commerce for reconsideration of the surrogate value selection for liquid ammonia and the selection of companies used for the respondent's surrogate financial ratios.2 In the Final Results of Redetermination, Commerce selected a new surrogate value for liquid ammonia and changed its selection of surrogate financial ratios; these two changes resulted in a dumping margin of zero percent.3 On March 12, 2018, the Court sustained the Final Results of Redetermination.4

In its decision in Timken, 5 as clarified by Diamond Sawblades, 6 the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit held that, pursuant to section 516A(e) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), Commerce must publish a notice of a court decision that is not “in harmony” with a Commerce determination and must suspend liquidation of entries pending a “conclusive” court decision. The CIT's March 12, 2018, final judgment sustaining the Final Results of Redetermination constitutes a final decision of the Court that is not in harmony with Commerce's Final Results. This notice is published in fulfillment of the Timken publication requirements. Accordingly, Commerce will continue the suspension of liquidation of the subject merchandise pending a final and conclusive court decision.

Because there is now a final court decision, Commerce is amending the Final Results with respect to the dumping margin calculated for Baoding Mantong. Based on the Final Results of Redetermination, as sustained by the CIT, the revised dumping margin for Baoding Mantong, for the period March 1, 2013, through February 28, 2014, is as follows:

In the event the Court's ruling is not appealed or, if appealed, upheld by a final and conclusive court decision, Commerce will instruct the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess antidumping duties on unliquidated entries of subject merchandise with respect to Baoding Mantong.

As Baoding Mantong's cash deposit rate has not been subject to subsequent administrative reviews, Commerce will issue revised cash deposit instructions to CBP adjusting the rate for Baoding Mantong to zero percent, effective March 22, 2018.

This notice is issued and published in accordance with sections 516A(e)(1), 751(a)(1), and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

Background

On November 3, 2017, Commerce published in the Federal Register its preliminary affirmative determination in the LTFV investigation of carton-closing staples from China.1 For a complete description of the events that followed the Preliminary Determination, see the Issues and Decision Memorandum that is dated concurrently with this determination and hereby adopted by this notice.2 Commerce exercised its discretion to toll deadlines affected by the closure of the Federal Government from January 20 through 22, 2018. If the new deadline falls on a non-business day, in accordance with Commerce's practice, the deadline will become the next business day. The revised deadline for the final determination of this investigation is now March 21, 2018.3

A summary of the events that occurred since Commerce published the Preliminary Determination, as well as a full discussion of the issues raised by parties for this final determination, may be found in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. The Issues and Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at http://access.trade.gov, and is available to all parties in the Central Records Unit, Room B8024 of the main Department of Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/. The signed Issues and Decision Memorandum and the electronic version are identical in content.

The period of investigation (POI) is July 1, 2016, through December 31, 2016.

The products covered by this investigation are carton-closing staples from China. For a full description of the scope of this investigation, see the “Scope of the Investigation,” in Appendix I of this notice. The scope in Appendix I reflects the final scope language.

All issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs that were submitted by parties in this investigation are addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum accompanying this notice, which is hereby adopted by this notice. A list of the issues addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum is attached to this notice at Appendix II.

For the final determination, Commerce continues to rely upon facts otherwise available, with adverse inferences based on adverse facts available (AFA), for the China-wide entity, including Zhejiang Best Nail Industrial Co., Ltd. (Best Nail), pursuant to sections 776(a)-(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Furthermore, as discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum, Commerce continues to find, pursuant to sections 771(33)(A) and (F) of the Act, that the mandatory respondent, Shanghai Yueda Nails Co., Ltd., is affiliated with Qiushan Printing Machinery Co., Ltd., Fastnail Products Limited, and Wuhan FOPO Trading Co., Ltd., and that these companies should be treated as a single entity pursuant 19 CFR 351.401(f), hereinafter referred to as Yueda Group. However, for the final determination, we find that another company, China Dinghao Co., Limited (Dinghao), is affiliated within the meaning of section 771(33)(G) of the Act, and should, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.401(f)(2)(iii), also be treated as part of this single entity, pursuant to our verification of the Yueda Group. Based on Commerce's verification of the Yueda Group, we continue to find it entitled to a separate rate, but determine it appropriate to base Yueda Group's estimated dumping margin on AFA, pursuant to sections 776(a)-(b) of the Act.5

For the final determination, we continue to find, in accordance with section 776(a) of the Act, that the China-wide entity, which includes certain Chinese exporters and/or producers 6 that did not respond to Commerce's requests for information, failed to provide necessary information, failed to provide information in a timely manner, and significantly impeded this proceeding by not submitting the requested information. We also continue to find, in accordance with section 776(b) of the Act, that the China-wide entity failed to cooperate. As a result, we continue to assign to the China-wide entity a dumping margin on the basis of AFA.

In selecting the AFA rate for Yueda Group and the China-wide entity, Commerce's practice is to select a rate that is sufficiently adverse to ensure that the uncooperative party does not obtain a more favorable result by failing to cooperate than if it had fully cooperated.7 Specifically, it is Commerce's practice to select, as an AFA rate, the higher of: (a) The highest dumping margin alleged in the petition; or (b) the highest calculated dumping margin of any respondent in the investigation.8 As there are no respondents for which we are calculating a separate dumping margin for the final determination, we relied upon the rates found in the Petition, which is the only information regarding the carton-closing staples industry reasonably at Commerce's disposal to determine a rate that is sufficiently adverse to induce cooperation.9 Thus, as AFA, Commerce assigned to Yueda Group and the China-wide entity the rate of 263.40 percent, which is the highest dumping margin alleged in the Petition.10 For the final determination, because there were no margins calculated for the mandatory respondents, to corroborate the 263.40 percent margin used as AFA for Yueda Group and the China-wide entity, to the extent appropriate information was available, we are affirming our pre-initiation analysis of the adequacy and accuracy of the information in the Petition.11 Accordingly, we find that the rate of 263.40 percent is corroborated within the meaning of section 776(c) of the Act.

For the final determination, we continue to find that Hangzhou Huayu Machinery Co., Ltd. and The Stanley Works (Langfang) Fastening Systems Co., Ltd. are entitled to a separate rate, as noted below. In the Preliminary Determination, we assigned, as the separate rate, the margin calculated for the single remaining mandatory respondent (Yueda Group), consistent with our practice.12 However, because we have determined to base Yueda Group's final dumping margin on AFA, we can no longer rely on Yueda Group's preliminary calculated rate as the separate rate. Therefore, because we are determining Yueda Group's rate and the China-wide rate based on AFA, we are looking to section 735(c)(5)(A)-(B) of the Act for guidance and are, consistent with that provision, using “any reasonable method” to determine the rate for exporters that are not being individually examined and found to be entitled to a separate rate, as we did in the Preliminary Determination. As “any reasonable method,” we find it appropriate to assign the simple average of the Petition rates 13 (i.e., 115.65 percent) to the separate rate applicants not individually examined.14

In the Initiation Notice, 15 Commerce stated that it would calculate producer/exporter combination rates for the respondents that are eligible for a separate rate in this investigation. Policy Bulletin 05.1 describes this practice.16

Commerce determines that carton-closing staples from China are being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at LTFV, and that the following dumping margins exist:

Normally, Commerce discloses to interested parties the calculations performed in connection with a final determination within five days of any public announcement or, if there is no public announcement, within five days of the date of publication of the notice of final determination in the Federal Register, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b). Because Commerce applied total AFA to the sole individually examined company, Yueda Group, in accordance with section 776 of the Act, and the applied AFA rate is based solely on at rate from the Petition, there are no calculations to disclose for Yueda Group. However, we will disclose the calculation of the simple average of the Petition margins, which we applied to the non-individually examined companies receiving a separate rate (i.e., 115.65 percent), within five days of the date of publication of this notice to parties in this proceeding, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

In accordance with section 735(c)(1)(B) of the Act, we will direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to continue to suspend liquidation of all entries of carton-closing staples from China, as described in Appendix I of this notice, which are entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after November 3, 2017, the date of publication in the Federal Register of the affirmative Preliminary Determination. Pursuant to section 735(c)(1) of the Act, we will instruct CBP to require a cash deposit equal to the margins indicated in the chart above.19 These suspension of liquidation instructions will remain in effect until further notice.

In accordance with section 735(d) of the Act, we intend to notify the International Trade Commission (ITC) of the final affirmative determination of sales at LTFV. As Commerce's final determination is affirmative, in accordance with section 735(b)(2) of the Act, the ITC will determine, within 45 days, whether the domestic industry in the United States is materially injured, or threatened with material injury, by reason of imports of carton-closing staples from China, or sales (or the likelihood of sales) for importation, of carton-closing staples from China. If the ITC determines that such injury does not exist, this proceeding will be terminated, and all securities posted will be refunded or canceled. If the ITC determines that such injury does exist, Commerce intends to issue an antidumping duty order directing CBP to assess, upon further instruction by Commerce, antidumping duties on all imports of the subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the effective date of the suspension of liquidation.

This notice will serve as a reminder to the parties subject to administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility concerning the disposition of propriety information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305. Timely written notification of return or destruction of APO materials or conversion to judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.

We intend to issue and publish this determination in accordance with sections 735(d) and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

Background

On September 5, 2017, Commerce published its affirmative Preliminary Determination of this countervailing duty (CVD) investigation.1

Commerce exercised its discretion to toll all deadlines affected by the closure of the Federal Government from January 20 through 22, 2018. If the new deadline falls on a non-business day, in accordance with Commerce's practice, the deadline will become the next business day. The revised deadline for the final determination of this investigation is now March 19, 2018.2 A summary of the events that occurred since Commerce published the Preliminary Determination, as well as a full discussion of the issues raised by parties for this final determination, may be found in the Issues and Decision Memorandum, which is hereby adopted by this notice.3

The scope of the investigation covers wire rod from Turkey. For a complete description of the scope of the investigation, see Appendix I.

During the course of this investigation, Commerce received numerous scope comments from interested parties. Prior to the Preliminary Determination, Commerce issued a Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum to address these comments and made no changes to the scope of the investigation as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. 4

In September 2017, we received scope case and rebuttal briefs. On November 20, 2017, we issued the Final Scope Decision Memorandum in response to the comments received.5 We did not change the scope of this investigation.

Commerce is conducting this CVD investigation in accordance with section 701 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (Act). For each of the subsidy programs found to be countervailable, we determine that there is a subsidy (i.e., a financial contribution by an “authority” that gives rise to a benefit to the recipient) and that the subsidy is specific. For a full description of the methodology underlying our final determination, see the Issues and Decisions Memorandum.

All issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs by parties in this investigation are addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. A list of the issues raised is attached to this notice as Appendix II. The Issues and Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov, and it is available to all parties in the Central Records Unit, Room B-8024 of the main Department of Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/index.html. The signed and electronic versions of the Issues and Decision Memorandum are identical in content.

Commerce conducted verification of the questionnaire responses submitted by the Government of Turkey, Habas Sinai Ve Tibbi Gazlar Istih (Habas), and Icdas Celik Eberji Tersane Ve Ulasim San (Icdas) between January 18, and February 9, 2018.

If necessary information is not available on the record, or an interested party withholds information, fails to provide requested information in a timely manner, significantly impedes a proceeding by not providing information, or information provided cannot be verified, Commerce will apply facts available, pursuant to section 776(a)(1) and (2) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). For purposes of this final determination, Commerce relied, in part, on facts available and, because certain respondents did not cooperate by not acting to the best of their ability to respond to the Commerce's requests for information, we drew an adverse inference, where appropriate, in selecting from among the facts otherwise available.6 A full discussion of our decision to rely on adverse facts available is presented in the “Use of Facts Otherwise Available and Adverse Inferences” section of the Issues and Decision Memorandum.

Based on our analysis of the comments received and our findings at verification, we made certain changes to the subsidy rate calculations since the Preliminary Determination. These changes are discussed in the “Analysis of Programs” section of the Issues and Decision Memorandum.7

In the Preliminary Determination, Commerce found that critical circumstances exist with respect to imports of wire rod from Turkey from all other exporters or producers not individually examined.8 Following the Preliminary Determination, Habas did not provide requested information concerning its shipments through September 2017. As a result, we are modifying our findings for this final determination and relying, in part, on facts otherwise available with an adverse inference in arriving at our conclusion that, in accordance with section 705(a)(2) of the Act that critical circumstances exist with respect to Habas. We continue to find, as we did in the Preliminary Determination that critical circumstances exist with respect to imports from “all other” companies. For a full description of the methodology and results of Commerce's analysis, see the Issues and Decision Memorandum.

In accordance with section 705(c)(1)(B)(i) of the Act, we calculated a rate for each exporter/producer of the subject merchandise individually investigated, i.e., Habas and Icdas. In accordance with section 705(c)(5)(A) of the Act, for companies not individually investigated, we apply an “all-others” rate, which is normally calculated by weighting the subsidy rates of the individual companies selected as mandatory respondents by those companies' exports of the subject merchandise to the United States. Under section 705(c)(5)(A)(i) of the Act, the “all-others” rate excludes zero and de minimis rates calculated for the exporters and producers individually investigated, as well as rates based entirely on facts otherwise available. Where the rates for the individually investigated companies are all zero or de minimis, or determined entirely using facts otherwise available, section 705(c)(5)(A)(ii) of the Act instructs Commerce to establish an “all-others” rate using “any reasonable method.”

In this investigation, Commerce calculated individual countervailable subsidy rates for Habas and Icdas that are not zero, de minimis, or based entirely on facts otherwise available. Because we do not have publicly ranged data from all company respondents with which to calculate the all-others rate using a weighted-average of the individual estimated subsidy rates, Commerce calculated the all-others rate using a simple average of the individual estimated subsidy rates calculated for the examined respondents.

The final subsidy rates are as follows:

We intend to disclose the calculations performed within five days of the date of public announcement of our final determination, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

As a result of our Preliminary Determination, and pursuant to section 703(d) of the Act, we instructed U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation of any entries of merchandise under consideration from Turkey that were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption by Habas and all other producers or exporters, other than Icdas, on or after September 5, 2017, which is the publication date in the Federal Register of the Preliminary Determination. In accordance with section 703(d) of the Act, we instructed CBP to discontinue the suspension of liquidation for CVD purposes for subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, on or after January 3, 2018, but to continue the suspension of liquidation of all entries from September 5, 2017, through January 2, 2018.

The Department continues to find that critical circumstances exist for the all others companies and therefore we will instruct CBP to continue to suspend liquidation of all entries of subject merchandise from the all others companies entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after June 7, 2017, which is 90 days prior to the date of publication of the Preliminary Determination. CBP shall continue to require a cash deposit equal to the rates shown above. In addition, because we have determined for this final determination that critical circumstances exist for Habas, and section 705(c)(4) of the Act provides that, given an affirmative determination of critical circumstances, any suspension of liquidation shall apply to unliquidated entries of merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date which is 90 days before the date on which the suspension of liquidation was first ordered, we will also instruct CBP to suspend liquidation of all entries of subject merchandise from Habas entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after June 7, 2017, which is 90 days before the date on which suspension of liquidation was first ordered. These instructions suspending liquidation will remain in effect until further notice.

If the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) issues a final affirmative injury determination, we will issue a countervailing duty order and will require a cash deposit of estimated countervailing duties for entries of subject merchandise in the amounts indicated above. If the ITC determines that material injury, or threat of material injury, does not exist, this proceeding will be terminated and all estimated duties deposited or securities posted as a result of the suspension of liquidation will be refunded or canceled.

In accordance with section 705(d) of the Act, we will notify the ITC of the final affirmative countervailing duty determination. Because the final determination in this proceeding is affirmative, in accordance with section 735(b)(2) of the Act, the ITC will make its final determination as to whether the domestic industry in the United States is materially injured, or threatened with material injury, by reason of imports of wire rod from Turkey, no later than 45 days after our final determination. If the ITC determines that material injury or threat of material injury does not exist, the proceeding will be terminated and all cash deposits will be refunded. If the ITC determines that such injury does exist, Commerce will issue a countervailing duty order directing CBP to assess, upon further instruction by Commerce, countervailing duties on all imports of the subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the effective date of the suspension of liquidation.

This notice serves as a reminder to parties subject to administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely notification of the return or destruction of APO materials, or conversion to judicial protective order, is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and the terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.

This determination is issued and published in accordance with sections 705(d) and 777(i) of the Act.

Background

On September 5, 2017, Commerce published the Preliminary Determination. 1 A summary of the events that occurred since Commerce published the Preliminary Determination, as well as a full discussion of the issues raised by parties for this final determination, may be found in the Issues and Decision Memorandum, which is hereby adopted by this notice.2 The Issues and Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at http://access.trade.gov, and is available to all parties in the Central Records Unit, Room B8024 of the main Department of Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/. The signed Issues and Decision Memorandum and the electronic version are identical in content.

The product covered by this investigation is wire rod from Italy. For a complete description of the scope of this investigation, see Appendix I.

We invited parties to comment on Commerce's Preliminary Scope Memorandum.3 Commerce reviewed the briefs submitted by interested parties, considered the arguments therein, and determined not to make any changes to the scope of the investigation. For further discussion, see Commerce's Final Scope Decision Memorandum.4

Commerce is conducting this countervailing duty (CVD) investigation in accordance with section 701 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (Act). For each of the subsidy programs found to be countervailable, we determine that there is a subsidy (i.e., a financial contribution by an “authority” that gives rise to a benefit to the recipient) and that the subsidy is specific. For a full description of the methodology underlying our final determination, see the Issues and Decisions Memorandum.

The subsidy programs under investigation, and the issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs submitted by the parties, are discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. A list of the issues that parties raised, and to which we responded in the Issues and Decision Memorandum, is attached to this notice at Appendix II.

As provided in section 782(i) of the Act, in January 2018, we conducted verification of the questionnaire responses submitted by Ferriere Nord S.p.A. and the Government of Italy.

We issued verification reports on February 8, 2018.5 We used standard verification procedures, including an examination of relevant accounting and financial records, and original source documents provided by Ferriere Nord S.p.A.

Based on our review and analysis of the comments received from parties, and minor corrections presented at verification, we made certain changes to the respondents' subsidy rate calculations since the Preliminary Determination. For a discussion of these changes, see the Issues and Decision Memorandum and the Final Calculation Memorandum.6

For purposes of this final determination, we relied on facts available, and because mandatory respondent Ferriera Valsider S.p.A. (Ferriera Valsider) did not act to the best of its ability in responding to Commerce's requests for information, we drew an adverse inference, where appropriate, in selecting from among the facts otherwise available.7 The subsidy rate for Ferriera Valsider is based totally on adverse facts available (AFA). A full discussion of our decision to rely on adverse facts available is presented in the “Use of Facts Otherwise Available and Adverse Inferences” section of the Issues and Decisions Memorandum.

In accordance with section 705(c)(1)(B)(i) of the Act, we calculated an individual rate for each producer/exporter of the subject merchandise individually investigated.

In accordance with section 705(c)(5)(A) of the Act, for companies not individually investigated, we apply an “all-others” rate, which is normally calculated by weighting the subsidy rates of the individual companies selected as mandatory respondents by those companies' exports of the subject merchandise to the United States. Under section 705(c)(5)(A)(i) of the Act, the “all-others” rate excludes zero and de minimis rates calculated for the exporters and producers individually investigated as well as rates based entirely on facts otherwise available. Where the rates for the individually investigated companies are all zero or de minimis, or determined entirely using facts otherwise available, section 705(c)(5)(A)(ii) of the Act instructs Commerce to establish an “all-others” rate using “any reasonable method.”

Pursuant to section 705(c)(5)(A)(i) of the Act, we have calculated the “all-others” rate using the subsidy rate of Ferriere Nord, the only mandatory respondent not receiving a subsidy rate based totally on section 776 of the Act. In this investigation, Commerce assigned a rate based entirely on facts available to Ferriera Valsider. Therefore, the only rate that is not zero, de minimis, or based entirely on facts otherwise available, is the rate calculated for Ferriere Nord. Consequently, and consistent with Commerce's practice, the rate calculated for Ferriere Nord is also assigned as the rate for all-other producers and exporters.

We intend to disclose to parties in this proceeding the calculations performed for this final determination within five days of the date of public announcement of our final determination, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

As a result of our affirmative Preliminary Determination, and pursuant to sections 703(d)(1)(B) and (2) of the Act, we instructed U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation of all entries of merchandise under consideration from Italy that were entered or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption, on or after September 5, 2017, the date of publication of the Preliminary Determination in the Federal Register. In accordance with section 703(d) of the Act, effective January 3, 2018, we instructed CBP to discontinue the suspension of liquidation of all entries at that time, but to continue the suspension of liquidation of all entries from August 5, 2017, through January 2, 2018.

If the U.S. International Trade Commission (the ITC) issues a final affirmative injury determination, we will issue a CVD order, will reinstate the suspension of liquidation under section 706(a) of the Act, and will require a cash deposit of estimated CVDs for such entries of subject merchandise in the amounts indicated above. If the ITC determines that material injury, or threat of material injury, does not exist, this proceeding will be terminated and all estimated duties deposited or securities posted as a result of the suspension of liquidation will be refunded or canceled.

In accordance with section 705(d) of the Act, we will notify the ITC of our determination. In addition, we are making available to the ITC all non-privileged and non-proprietary information related to this investigation. We will allow the ITC access to all privileged and business proprietary information in our files, provided the ITC confirms that it will not disclose such information, either publicly or under an administrative protective order (APO), without the written consent of the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

In the event the ITC issues a final negative injury determination, this notice serves as the only reminder to parties subject to an APO of their responsibility concerning the destruction of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written notification of the return or destruction of APO materials or conversion to judicial protective order, is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and the terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.

In the event the ITC issues a final negative injury determination, this notice serves as the only reminder to parties subject to an APO of their responsibility concerning the destruction of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written notification of the return or destruction of APO materials, or conversion to judicial protective order, is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and terms of an APO is a violation subject to sanction.

This determination is issued and published pursuant to sections 705(d) and 777(i) of the Act.

Background

This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section 733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Commerce published the notice of initiation of this investigation on September 11, 2017.1 On January 9, 2018, Commerce postponed the preliminary determination of this investigation.2 Commerce has exercised its discretion to toll deadlines for the duration of the closure of the Federal Government from January 20 through 22, 2018.3 If the new deadline falls on a non-business day, in accordance with Commerce's practice, the deadline will become the next business day. The revised deadline for the preliminary determination of this investigation is now March 19, 2018.

For a complete description of the events that followed the initiation of this investigation, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.4 A list of topics included in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is included as Appendix II to this notice. The Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov, and to all parties in the Central Records Unit, room B8024 of the main Department of Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/. The signed and the electronic versions of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum are identical in content.

The products covered by this investigation are stainless steel flanges from China. For a complete description of the scope of this investigation see Appendix I to this notice.

In accordance with the preamble to Commerce's regulations,5 the Initiation Notice set aside a period of time for parties to raise issues regarding product coverage (scope).6 No interested party commented on the scope of the investigation as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. Commerce is not preliminarily modifying the scope language as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. See the scope in Appendix I to this notice.

Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with section 731 of the Act. Pursuant to section 776(a) and (b) of the Act, Commerce preliminarily has relied upon facts otherwise available, with adverse inferences, for mandatory respondent, Shanxi Guanjiaying Flange Forging Group Co., Ltd (GJY). Hydro-Fluids Controls Limited (HFC), Songhai Flange Manufacturing Co., Ltd (Songhai), and Dongtai QB Stainless Steel Co., Ltd (Dongtai) were also selected as mandatory respondents, however, these companies withdrew from participation in this investigation and did not respond to our requests for information. Therefore, HFC, Songhai, and Dongtai have not demonstrated their eligibility for a separate rate and Commerce considers them to be part of the China-wide entity. For a full description of the methodology underlying Commerce's preliminary determination, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

In the Initiation Notice, 7 Commerce stated that it would calculate producer/exporter combination rates for the respondents that are eligible for a separate rate in this investigation. Policy Bulletin 05.1 describes this practice. 8 Because Commerce used total facts otherwise available with adverse inferences in determining the rate for the only respondent that demonstrated eligibility for a separate rate in this investigation, GJY, Commerce did not calculate producer/exporter combination rates for that company.

Background

This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section 733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Commerce published the notice of initiation of this investigation on September 11, 2017.1 On January 9, 2018, Commerce postponed the preliminary determination of this investigation and Commerce also exercised its discretion to toll all deadlines affected by the closure of the Federal Government from January 20 through 22, 2018.2 Because the new deadline falls on a non-business day (i.e., the weekend), pursuant to Commerce's practice, the deadline will become the next business day. The revised deadline is now March 19, 2018.

For a complete description of the events that followed the initiation of this investigation, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.3 A list of topics included in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is included as Appendix II to this notice. The Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov, and to all parties in the Central Records Unit, room B8024 of the main Department of Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/. The signed and the electronic versions of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum are identical in content.

The product covered by this investigation is stainless steel flanges from India. For a complete description of the scope of this investigation, see Appendix I.

In accordance with the preamble to Commerce's regulations,4 the Initiation Notice set aside a period of time for parties to raise issues regarding product coverage (i.e., scope).5 No interested party submitted timely comments on the scope of the investigation as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. Commerce is not preliminarily modifying the scope language as it appeared in the Initiation Notice.

Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with section 731 of the Act. Commerce has calculated export prices in accordance with section 772(a) of the Act. Constructed export prices also have been calculated in accordance with section 772(b) of the Act. Normal value (NV) is calculated in accordance with section 773 of the Act. In addition, Commerce has preliminarily relied on partial adverse facts available, pursuant to sections 776(a) and (b) of the Act, for Chandan Steel Limited (Chandan). Furthermore, pursuant to section 776(a) and (b) of the Act, Commerce has preliminarily relied upon total adverse facts available for the Echjay single entity 6 and the Bebitz/Viraj single entity.7 For a full description of the methodology underlying the preliminary determination, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

In accordance with section 733(e) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.206, Commerce preliminarily finds that critical circumstances exist for Chandan Steel, the Bebitz/Viraj single entity, and the Echjay single entity, and all other producers and exporters. For a full description of the methodology and results of Commerce's critical circumstances analysis, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Sections 733(d)(1)(A)(ii) and 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act provide that in the preliminary determination Commerce shall determine an estimated all-others rate for all exporters and producers not individually examined. This rate shall be an amount equal to the weighted average of the estimated weighted-average dumping margins established for exporters and producers individually investigated, excluding any zero and de minimis margins, and any margins determined entirely under section 776 of the Act.

In this investigation, Commerce preliminarily assigned a rate based entirely on adverse facts available to the Bebitz/Viraj single entity and the Echjay single entity. Therefore, the only rate that is not zero, de minimis, or based entirely on facts otherwise available is the rate calculated for Chandan. Consequently, the margin calculated for Chandan is assigned as the rate for all other producers and exporters.

Commerce preliminarily determines that the following estimated weighted-average dumping margins exist:

In accordance with section 733(d)(2) of the Act, Commerce will direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation of entries of subject merchandise, as described in Appendix I, entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. Further, pursuant to section 733(d)(1)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(d), Commerce will instruct CBP to require a cash deposit equal to the estimated weighted-average dumping margin or the estimated all-others rate, as follows: (1) The cash deposit rate for the respondents listed above will be equal to the company-specific estimated weighted-average dumping margins determined in this preliminary determination; (2) if the exporter is not a respondent identified above, but the producer is, then the cash deposit rate will be equal to the company-specific estimated weighted-average dumping margin established for that producer of the subject merchandise, except as explained below; and (3) the cash deposit rate for all other producers and exporters will be equal to the all-others estimated weighted-average dumping margin.

Section 733(e)(2) of the Act provides that, given an affirmative determination of critical circumstances, any suspension of liquidation shall apply to unliquidated entries of subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the later of (a) the date which is 90 days before the date on which the suspension of liquidation was first ordered, or (b) the date on which notice of initiation of the investigation was published. As noted above, Commerce preliminarily finds that critical circumstances exist for imports of subject merchandise produced or exported by Chandan, Bebitz/Viraj single entity, Echjay single entity, and all-others. In accordance with section 733(e)(2)(A) of the Act, the suspension of liquidation shall apply to unliquidated entries of shipments of subject merchandise from the producer(s) or exporter(s) identified in this paragraph that were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date which is 90 days before the publication of this notice.

Commerce normally adjusts cash deposits for estimated antidumping duties by the amount of export subsidies countervailed in a companion countervailing duty (CVD) proceeding, when CVD provisional measures are in effect. Accordingly, where Commerce preliminarily made an affirmative determination for countervailable export subsidies, Commerce has offset the estimated weighted-average dumping margin by the appropriate CVD rate. Any such adjusted cash deposit rate may be found in the Preliminary Determination section above.

Should provisional measures in the companion CVD investigation expire prior to the expiration of provisional measures in this LTFV investigation, Commerce will direct CBP to begin collecting estimated antidumping duty cash deposits unadjusted for countervailed export subsidies at the time that the provisional CVD measures expire.

These suspension of liquidation instructions will remain in effect until further notice.

Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis performed to interested parties in this preliminary determination within five days of any public announcement or, if there is no public announcement, within five days of the date of publication of this notice in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

As provided in section 782(i)(1) of the Act, Commerce intends to verify the information relied upon for Chandan in making its final determination. However, because the Bebitz/Viraj single entity and the Echjay single entity did not provide information requested by Commerce, and Commerce preliminarily determines that these examined respondents to have been uncooperative within the meaing of section 776(b) of the Act, we will not conduct verification of the Bebitz/Viraj single entity and the Echjay single entity.

Case briefs or other written comments on Chandan may be submitted to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance no later than seven days after the date on which the last verification report on Chandan is issued in this investigation. For issues related to the Bebitz/Viraj single entity and the Echjay single entity, because we are not verifying these companies, case briefs or other written comments may be submitted to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance no later than 50 days after the date of publication of the preliminary determination, unless Commerce alters the time limit. Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in case briefs, may be submitted no later than five days after the deadline date for case briefs.13 Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2), parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this investigation are encouraged to submit with each argument: (1) A statement of the issue; (2) a brief summary of the argument; and (3) a table of authorities.

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to request a hearing, limited to issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs, must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce, within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice. Requests should contain the party's name, address, and telephone number, the number of participants, whether any participant is a foreign national, and a list of the issues to be discussed. If a request for a hearing is made, Commerce intends to hold the hearing at the U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230, at a time and date to be determined. Parties should confirm by telephone the date, time, and location of the hearing two days before the scheduled date.

Section 735(a)(2) of the Act provides that a final determination may be postponed until not later than 135 days after the date of the publication of the preliminary determination if, in the event of an affirmative preliminary determination, a request for such postponement is made by exporters who account for a significant proportion of exports of the subject merchandise, or in the event of a negative preliminary determination, a request for such postponement is made by the petitioner. Section 351.210(e)(2) of Commerce's regulations requires that a request by exporters for postponement of the final determination be accompanied by a request for extension of provisional measures from a four-month period to a period not more than six months in duration.

On February 12 and 21, 2018, the Bebitz/Viraj single entity and the Echjay single entity requested that Commerce postpone the final determination and that provisional measures be extended to a period not to exceed six months. In accordance with section 735(a)(2)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(2)(ii), because: (1) The preliminary determination is affirmative; (2) the requesting exporter(s) account(s) for a significant proportion of exports of the subject merchandise; and (3) no compelling reasons for denial exist, Commerce is postponing the final determination and extending the provisional measures from a four-month period to a period not greater than six months. Accordingly, Commerce will make its final determination no later than 135 days after the date of publication of this preliminary determination.

In accordance with section 733(f) of the Act, Commerce will notify the International Trade Commission (ITC) of its preliminary determination. If the final determination is affirmative, the ITC will determine before the later of 120 days after the date of this preliminary determination or 45 days after the final determination whether these imports are materially injuring, or threaten material injury to, the U.S. industry.

This determination is issued and published in accordance with sections 733(f) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(c).

Background

On October 31, 2017, Commerce published the Preliminary Determination in the Federal Register.1

Commerce exercised its discretion to toll all deadlines affected by the closure of the Federal Government from January 20 through 22, 2018. If the new deadline falls on a non-business day, in accordance with Commerce's practice, the deadline will become the next business day. The revised deadline for the final determination of this investigation is now March 19, 2018.2 A summary of the events that occurred since Commerce published the Preliminary Determination, as well as a full discussion of the issues raised by parties for this final determination, may be found in the Issues and Decision Memorandum, which is hereby adopted by this notice.3

The scope of the investigation covers wire rod from Turkey. For a complete description of the scope of the investigation, see Appendix I.

During the course of this investigation, Commerce received numerous scope comments from interested parties. Prior to the Preliminary Determination, Commerce issued a Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum to address these comments and made no changes to the scope of the investigation as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. 4

In September 2017, we received scope case and rebuttal briefs. On November 20, 2017, we issued the Final Scope Decision Memorandum in response to the comments received.5 We did not change the scope of this investigation.

All issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs by parties in this investigation are addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. A list of the issues raised is attached to this notice as Appendix II. The Issues and Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov, and it is available to all parties in the Central Records Unit, Room B-8024 of the main Department of Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/index.html. The signed and electronic versions of the Issues and Decision Memorandum are identical in content.

As provided in section 782(i) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, (the Act) in November 2017 and February 2018, we conducted verification of the sales and cost information submitted by Habas Sinai ve Tibbi Gazlar Istihsal Endustrisi A.S. (Habas) and Icdas Celik Enerji Tersane ve Ulasim Sanayi A.S. (Icdas) for use in our final determination. We used standard verification procedures, including an examination of relevant accounting and production records, and original source documents provided by Habas and Icdas.6

Based on our analysis of the comments received and our findings at verification, we made certain changes to the margin calculations for Habas and Icdas. For a discussion of these changes, see the “Margin Calculations” section of the Issues and Decision Memorandum.

Section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act provides that the estimated all-others rate shall be an amount equal to the weighted average of the estimated weighted-average dumping margins established for exporters and producers individually investigated excluding any zero or de minimis margins, and margins determined entirely under section 776 of the Act. Therefore, for purposes of determining the “all-others” rate and pursuant to section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act, we are using the dumping margins calculated for Habas and Icdas, as referenced in the “Final Determination” section below.

In this investigation, Commerce calculated estimated weighted-average dumping margins for Habas and Icdas that are not zero, de minimis or based entirely on facts otherwise available. Commerce calculated the all-others rate using a simple average of the estimated weighted-average dumping margins calculated for the examined respondents.7

For the Preliminary Determination, Commerce found that critical circumstances do not exist with respect to imports of wire rod from Habas, Icdas, and all-other exporters/producers covered by the “all others” rate.8 We did not modify our critical circumstances findings for the final determination. Thus, pursuant to section 735(a)(3) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.206(h)(1)-(2), we continue to find that critical circumstances do not exist with respect to subject merchandise produced or exported by Habas, Icdas, and “all others.”

The final weighted-average dumping margins are as follows:

We will disclose the calculations performed within five days of the date of public announcement of this notice to parties in this proceeding in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

In accordance with section 735(c)(1)(B) of the Act, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to continue to suspend liquidation of all appropriate entries of wire rod from Turkey, as described in Appendix I of this notice, which were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after October 31, 2017, the date of publication of the preliminary determination of this investigation in the Federal Register.

Commerce normally adjusts cash deposits for estimated antidumping duties by the amount of export subsidies countervailed in a companion countervailing duty (CVD) proceeding, when CVD provisional measures are in effect. Accordingly, where Commerce made an affirmative determination for countervailable export subsidies, Commerce offset the estimated weighted-average dumping margin by the appropriate CVD rate. The adjusted cash deposit rate may be found in the Final Determination section above.

Further, Commerce will instruct CBP to require a cash deposit equal to the estimated amount by which the normal value exceeds the U.S. price as shown above.

In accordance with section 735(d) of the Act, we will notify the ITC of the final affirmative determination of sales at LTFV. Because the final determination in this proceeding is affirmative, in accordance with section 735(b)(2) of the Act, the ITC will make its final determination as to whether the domestic industry in the United States is materially injured, or threatened with material injury, by reason of imports of wire rod from Turkey no later than 45 days after our final determination. If the ITC determines that material injury or threat of material injury does not exist, the proceeding will be terminated and all cash deposits will be refunded. If the ITC determines that such injury does exist, Commerce will issue an antidumping duty order directing CBP to assess, upon further instruction by Commerce, antidumping duties on all imports of the subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the effective date of the suspension of liquidation.

This notice serves as a reminder to parties subject to APO of their responsibility concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely notification of the return or destruction of APO materials, or conversion to judicial protective order, is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and the terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.

This determination and this notice are issued and published pursuant to sections 735(d) and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

On January 11, 2018, based on a timely request by Sunrise Stainless Private Limited, Sun Mark Stainless Pvt. Ltd., and Shah Foils Ltd. (collectively, Sunrise Group), and Hindustan Inox Ltd., Commerce published in the Federal Register a notice of initiation of an administrative review of the countervailing duty order on WSPP from India with respect to two companies, Sunrise Group and Hindustan Inox Ltd.1 On January 19, 2018, and February 3, 2018, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), Sunrise Group and Hindustan Inox Ltd., respectively, timely withdrew their requests for an administrative review.2 No other party requested a review of this order.

Commerce exercised its discretion to toll all deadlines affected by the closure of the Federal Government from January 20 through 22, 2018. If the new deadline falls on a non-business day, in accordance with Commerce's practice, the deadline will become the next business day.3

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), Commerce will rescind an administrative review, in whole or in part, if the party that requested the review withdraws the request within 90 days of the date of publication of the notice of initiation of the requested review. Sunrise Group and Hindustan Inox Ltd. withdrew their respective review requests by the 90-day deadline, and no other parties requested an administrative review of this order. Therefore, we are rescinding the administrative review of the countervailing duty order on WSPP from India covering the period March 11, 2016, to December 31, 2016, in its entirety.

Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess countervailing duties on all appropriate entries. Because Commerce is rescinding this administrative review in its entirety, the entries to which this administrative review pertains shall be assessed countervailing duties that are equal to the cash deposits of estimated countervailing duties required at the time of entry, or withdrawal from warehouse, for consumption, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(c)(1)(i). Commerce intends to issue appropriate assessment instructions to CBP within 15 days after the publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

This notice also serves as the only reminder to parties subject to administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility concerning the return or destruction of proprietary information disclosed under APO, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305, which continues to govern business proprietary information in this segment of the proceeding. Timely written notification of the return or destruction of APO materials, or conversion to judicial protective order, is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and terms of an APO is a violation which is subject to sanction.

This notice is issued and published in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, and 19 CFR 351.213(d)(4).

Background

On October 31, 2017, Commerce published the Preliminary Determination of sales at LTFV of wire rod from the United Kingdom.1

Commerce exercised its discretion to toll all deadlines affected by the closure of the Federal Government from January 20 through 22, 2018. If the new deadline falls on a non-business day, in accordance with Commerce's practice, the deadline will become the next business day. The revised deadline for the final determination of this investigation is now March 19, 2018.2 A summary of the events that occurred since Commerce published the Preliminary Determination, as well as a full discussion of the issues raised by parties for this final determination, may be found in the Issues and Decision Memorandum, which is hereby adopted by this notice.3

The scope of the investigation covers wire rod from the United Kingdom. For a complete description of the scope of the investigation, see Appendix I.

During the course of this investigation, Commerce received numerous scope comments from interested parties. Prior to the Preliminary Determination, Commerce issued a Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum to address these comments and made no changes to the scope of the investigation as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. 4

Background

On October 4, 2017, Commerce published in the Federal Register a notice of opportunity to request an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on electrolytic manganese dioxide from China for the POR October 1, 2016, through September 30, 2017.1 On October 31, 2017, in accordance with section 751(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), and 19 CFR 351.213(b), Duracell, Inc. (the petitioner), requested a review of the order with respect to Shenzhen Pengcheng South Industry and Trade Co., Ltd. (Shenzhen Pengcheng).2 On December 7, 2017, in accordance with section 751(a) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.221(c)(1)(i), Commerce initiated an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on electrolytic manganese dioxide from China with respect to this company.3 On February 5, 2018, Duracell timely withdrew its request for an administrative review of Shenzhen Pengcheng.4 No other party requested a review.

Commerce exercised its discretion to toll all deadlines affected by the closure of the Federal Government from January 20 through 22, 2018. If the new deadline falls on a non-business day, in accordance with Commerce's practice, the deadline will become the next business day.5

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), Commerce will rescind an administrative review, in whole or in part, if the party that requested the review withdraws its request within 90 days of the publication date of the notice of initiation of the requested review. Duracell withdrew its request for review within the 90-day deadline. Because Commerce received no other requests for review of the above-referenced company, and no other requests were made for a review of the antidumping duty order on electrolytic manganese dioxide from China with respect to other companies, we are rescinding the administrative review covering the period October 1, 2016, through September 30, 2017 in full, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1).

Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess antidumping duties on all appropriate entries of electrolytic manganese dioxide from China during the POR at rates equal to the cash deposit rate for estimated antidumping duties required at the time of entry, or withdrawal from warehouse, for consumption, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(c)(1)(i). Commerce intends to issue appropriate assessment instructions to CBP 15 days after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

This notice serves as the only reminder to importers of their responsibility under 19 CFR 351.402(f)(2) to file a certificate regarding the reimbursement of antidumping duties prior to liquidation of the relevant entries during this review period. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in the presumption that reimbursement of the antidumping duties occurred and the subsequent assessment of doubled antidumping duties.

This notice also serves as the only reminder to parties subject to administrative protective orders (APO) of their responsibility concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3), which continues to govern business proprietary information in this segment of the proceeding. Timely written notification of the return or destruction of APO materials or conversion to judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.

This notice is published in accordance with section 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.213(d)(4).

Background

On September 1, 2017, Commerce published in the Federal Register a notice of opportunity to request an administrative review of the CVD order on certain cold-rolled steel flat products from India for the period September 16, 2016, to December 31, 2016.1 On October 2, 2017, Commerce received a timely request, in accordance with section 751(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), from ArcelorMittal USA LLC, AK Steel Corporation, Nucor Corporation, Steel Dynamics, Inc., and United States Steel Corporation (collectively, the petitioners) to conduct an administrative review of this CVD order.2 Based upon this request, on November 13, 2017, in accordance with section 751(a) of the Act, Commerce published in the Federal Register a notice of initiation of administrative review for this CVD order.3 On December 6, 2017, the petitioners timely withdrew, in full, their request for an administrative review.4 No other party requested a review.5

Commerce exercised its discretion to toll all deadlines affected by the closure of the Federal Government from January 20 through 22, 2018. If the new deadline falls on a non-business day, in accordance with Commerce's practice, the deadline will become the next business day.6

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), Commerce will rescind an administrative review, in whole or in part, if a party who requested the review withdraws the request within 90 days of the date of publication of the notice of initiation of the requested review. As noted above, the petitioners withdrew their request for review by the 90-day deadline. No other party requested an administrative review. Accordingly, we are rescinding the administrative review of the CVD order on certain cold-rolled steel flat products from India for the period September 16, 2016, to December 31, 2016.

Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess countervailing duties on all appropriate entries at a rate equal to the cash deposit of estimated countervailing duties required at the time of entry, or withdrawal from warehouse, for consumption, during the period September 16, 2016, to December 31, 2016, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(c)(1)(i). Commerce intends to issue appropriate assessment instructions directly to CBP 15 days after publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

This notice serves as the only reminder to importers of their responsibility under 19 CFR 351.402(f)(2) to file a certificate regarding the reimbursement of countervailing duties prior to liquidation of the relevant entries during this review period. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in the presumption that reimbursement of the countervailing duties occurred and the subsequent assessment of doubled countervailing duties.

This notice also serves as the only reminder to parties subject to administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility concerning the return or destruction of proprietary information disclosed under an APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written notification of the return/destruction of APO materials or conversion to judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and terms of an APO is a violation which is subject to sanction. This notice is issued and published in accordance with sections 751 of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213(d)(4).

On January 16, 2018, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated a less-than-fair-value (LTFV) investigation on imports of plastic decorative ribbon from the People's Republic of China.1 Currently, the preliminary determination is due no later than June 8, 2018.2

Section 733(b)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), requires Commerce to issue the preliminary determination in a 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, at the request of the petitioner, to no later than 190 days after the date on which the administering authority initiates the investigation. Pursuant to section 733(c)(1)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(e), the petitioner must submit a request to postpone 25 days or more before the scheduled date of the preliminary determination, and state the request for the postponement.

On February 27, 2018, Berwick Offray, LLC (the petitioner), submitted a timely request pursuant to 19 CFR 351.205(b)(2) and (e) to fully postpone the preliminary determination from 140 to 190 days.3 The petitioner stated that the purpose of its request is to provide Commerce with adequate time to solicit information from the respondents and to allow Commerce sufficient time to analyze respondents' questionnaire responses.4

In accordance with 19 CFR 351.205(e), the reason for requesting a postponement of the preliminary determination and the record do not present any compelling reasons to deny the request. Therefore, in accordance with section 733(c)(1)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(e), we are postponing the preliminary determination in this LTFV investigation from 140 days after the date of initiation to 190 days after initation. Additionally, Commerce exercised its discretion to toll deadlines affected by the closure of the Federal Government from January 20 through 22, 2018.5 Accordingly, Commerce is postponing the deadline for the preliminary determination to July 30, 2018.6 Pursuant to section 735(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(1), the deadline for the final determination of this investigation will continue to be 75 days after the date of the preliminary determination, unless postponed.

This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 733(c)(2) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(f)(1).

On September 1, 2017, Commerce published in the Federal Register a notice of opportunity to request an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on cold-rolled steel from India for the POR March 7, 2016, through August 31, 2017.1 On September 29, 2017, in accordance with section 751(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), and 19 CFR 351.213(b), AK Steel Corporation, ArcelorMittal USA LLC, Nucor Corporation, Steel Dynamics, Inc., and United States Steel Corporation (collectively, domestic interested parties), requested a review of the order with respect to 52 companies or company groupings.2 On November 13, 2017, in accordance with section 751(a) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.221(c)(1)(i), Commerce initiated an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on cold-rolled steel from India with respect to these companies.3 On February 12, 2018, domestic interested parties timely withdrew their request for an administrative review of all companies named in their September 29, 2017, Administrative Review Request.4 No other party requested a review.

Commerce exercised its discretion to toll all deadlines affected by the closure of the Federal Government from January 20 through 22, 2018. If the new deadline falls on a non-business day, in accordance with Commerce's practice, the deadline will become the next business day.5

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), Commerce will rescind an administrative review, in whole or in part, if the party that requested the review withdraws its request within 90 days of the publication date of the notice of initiation of the requested review. Domestic interested parties withdrew their request for review within the 90-day deadline. Because Commerce received no other requests for review of the above-referenced 52 companies, and no other requests were made for a review of the antidumping duty order on cold-rolled steel from India with respect to other companies, we are rescinding the administrative review covering the period March 7, 2016, through August 31, 2017, in full, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1).

Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess antidumping duties on all appropriate entries of cold-rolled steel from India during the POR at rates equal to the cash deposit rate for estimated antidumping duties required at the time of entry, or withdrawal from warehouse, for consumption, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(c)(1)(i). Commerce intends to issue appropriate assessment instructions to CBP 15 days after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

This notice serves as the only reminder to importers of their responsibility under 19 CFR 351.402(f)(2) to file a certificate regarding the reimbursement of antidumping duties prior to liquidation of the relevant entries during this review period. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in the presumption that reimbursement of antidumping duties occurred and the subsequent assessment of doubled antidumping duties.

This notice also serves as the only reminder to parties subject to administrative protective orders (APO) of their responsibility concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3), which continues to govern business proprietary information in this segment of the proceeding. Timely written notification of the return or destruction of APO materials or conversion to judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and the terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.

This notice is issued and published in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213(d)(4).

The National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) was established by Public Law 109-430 on December 20, 2006, and reauthorized by Public Law 113-86 on March 6, 2014, with a mandate to provide an effective drought early warning system for the United States; coordinate, and integrate as practicable, Federal research in support of a drought early warning system; and build upon existing forecasting and assessment programs and partnerships. See 15 U.S.C. 313d. The Public Law also calls for consultation with “relevant Federal, regional, State, tribal, and local government agencies, research institutions, and the private sector” in the development of NIDIS. 15 U.S.C. 313d(c). The NIDIS Executive Council provides the NIDIS Program Office with an opportunity to engage in individual consultation with senior resource officials from NIDIS's Federal partners, as well as leaders from state and local government, academia, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector.

Status: This meeting will be open to public participation. Individuals interested in attending should register at https://cpaess.ucar.edu/meetings/2018/spring-2018-nidis-executive-council-meeting. Please refer to this web page for the most up-to-date meeting times and agenda. Seating at the meeting will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Special Accommodations: This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for special accommodations may be directed no later than 12:00 p.m. on April 13, 2018, to Elizabeth Ossowski, Program Coordinator, David Skaggs Research Center, Room GD102, 325 Broadway, Boulder CO 80305; Email: [email protected].

Matters To Be Considered: The meeting will include the following topics: (1) NIDIS implementation updates and 2018 priorities, (2) Executive Council member updates and 2018 priorities, (3) Federal coordination around drought early warning, (4) Drought Risk Management and the Water Utilities Sector, (5) National Drought Forum: Taking Stock Five Years Out, (6) Current drought research, applications, and response in the West, (7) Understanding the Midwest Drought Trade Footprint, and (8) National Coordinated Soil Moisture Monitoring Network and Public-Private Partnerships.

Title of Collection: Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Commitment Form.

OMB Control Number: 3045-0143.

Type of Review: Renewal.

Affected Public: Institutions of higher education that provide incentives for AmeriCorps alumni such as matching the AmeriCorps Education Award that members receive after successful completion of the AmeriCorps Program and that request to be listed on the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Matching Program section of the Corporation for National and Community Service website.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: Two hundred colleges and universities.

Total Estimated Annual Frequency: Once every five years.

Total Estimated Average Response Time per Response: Average 30 minutes.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 100 hours.

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): None.

Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): None.

Abstract: The information is provided by institutions of higher education who are requesting to be listed on the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award Matching Program section of the Corporation for National and Community Service website. The information will be collected electronically by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (e) estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review instructions; to develop, acquire, install and utilize technology and systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; to train personnel and to be able to respond to a collection of information, to search data sources, to complete and review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise disclose the information. All written comments will be available for public inspection on regulations.gov.

Title; Associated Form; and OMB Number: Personnel Security Investigation Projection for Industry Census Survey; OMB Control Number 0704-0417.

Type of Request: Revision.

Number of Respondents: 10,421.

Responses per Respondent: 1.

Annual Responses: 10,421.

Average Burden per Response: 30 minutes.

Annual Burden Hours: 5,210.50.

Needs and Uses: Executive order (E.O.) 12829, “National Industrial Security Program (NISP),” stipulates that the Secretary of Defense shall serve as the Executive Agent for inspecting and monitoring the contractors, licensees, and grantees who require or will require access to classified information; and for determining the eligibility for access to classified information of contractors, licensees, and grantees and their respective employees. The Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence assigned Defense Security Service (DSS) the responsibility for central operational management of NISP personnel security investigation (PSI) workload projections, and for monitoring of NISP PSI funding and investigations. The execution of the collection instrument is an essential element of DSS' ability to plan, program and budget for the PSI needs of NISP personnel security investigations.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit, not-for-profit institutions, state, local or tribal governments.

Frequency: Annually.

Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

OMB Desk Officer: Ms. Jasmeet Seehra.

You may also submit comments and recommendations, identified by Docket ID number and title, by the following method:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name, Docket ID number, and title for this Federal Register document. The general policy for comments and other submissions from members of the public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov as they are received without change, including any personal identifiers or contact information.

DOD Clearance Officer: Mr. Frederick Licari.

Written requests for copies of the information collection proposal should be sent to Mr. Licari at WHS/ESD Directives Division, 4800 Mark Center Drive, East Tower, Suite 03F09, Alexandria, VA 22350-3100.

This 36(b)(1) arms sales notification is published to fulfill the requirements of section 155 of Public Law 104-164 dated July 21, 1996. The following is a copy of a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Transmittal 17-41 with attached Policy Justification and Sensitivity of Technology.

(i) Prospective Purchaser: Government of Qatar

(ii) Total Estimated Value:

(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or Services under Consideration for Purchase: The Government of Qatar has requested to purchase equipment and support to upgrade the Qatari Emiri Air Force's (QEAF) Air Operation Center (AOC), to include Link 16 network and classified networks integration, to enhance the performance of integrated air defense planning and provide US-Qatari systems interoperability.

Major Defense Equipment (MDE):

One (1) Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) Low Volume Terminal (LVT)

Non-MDE:

Also included are Global Positioning System (GPS) Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) Chips, Simple Key Loaders (SKL), High Assurance internet Protocol Encryptors (HAIPE), Ground Support System (GSS) components for Link-16, as well as the necessary infrastructure construction, integration, installation, and sustainment services, cybersecurity services, technical and support facilities, COMSEC support, secure communications equipment, encryption devices, software development, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, security certification and accreditation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistical and program support.

(iv) Military Department: Air Force (QA-D-DAG)

(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: N/A

(vi) Sales Commission, Fee, etc., Paid, Offered, or Agreed to be Paid: None

(vii) Sensitivity of Technology Contained in the Defense Article or Defense Services Proposed to be Sold: See Attached Annex

(viii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: March 7, 2018

* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.

The Government of Qatar has requested to purchase equipment and support to upgrade the Qatari Emiri Air Force's (QEAF) Air Operation Center (AOC) to enhance the performance of integrated air defense planning and provide US-Qatari systems interoperability. This sale includes: one (1) Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) Low Volume Terminal (LVT), Global Positioning System (GPS) Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) chips, Simple Key Loaders (SKL), High Assurance internet Protocol Encryptors (HAIPE), Ground Support System (GSS) components for Link-16 as well as the necessary infrastructure construction, integration, installation, and sustainment services, cybersecurity services, technical and support facilities, COMSEC support, secure communications equipment, encryption devices, software development, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, security certification and accreditation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistical and program support. The estimated cost is $197 million.

This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that has been, and continues to be, an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Persian Gulf region. Our mutual defense interests anchor our relationship and the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) plays a predominant role in Qatar's defense.

The upgrade of the AOC will support the defensive capability of Qatar. The proposed sale will help strengthen Qatar's capability to counter current and future threats in the region and reduce dependence on U.S. forces. Qatar will have no difficulty absorbing the required equipment and capability into its armed forces.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The prime contractor will be Raytheon, Waltham, MA. Qatar typically requests offsets. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between Qatar and the contractor.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of approximately five (5) additional U.S. Government and approximately fifteen (15) contractor representatives to Qatar.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

(vii) Sensitivity of Technology:

1. The Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminal (MIDS-LVT) is an advanced Link-16 command, control, communications, and intelligence (C3I) system incorporating high-capacity, jam-resistant, digital communication links is used for exchange of near real-time tactical information, including both data and voice, among air, ground, and sea elements. The terminal hardware, publications, performance specifications, operational capability, parameters, vulnerabilities to countermeasures, and software documentation are classified CONFIDENTIAL. The classified information to be provided consists of that which is necessary for the operation, maintenance, and repair (through intermediate level) of the data link terminal, installed systems, and related software.

2. A Global Positioning System (GPS) Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) deploys anti-spoofing measures using cryptography to protect authorized users from false satellite signals generated by an enemy. Information revealing SAASM implementation details such as number or length of keying variables, circuit diagrams, specific quantitative measures, functions, and capabilities are classified SECRET.

3. Software, hardware, and other data/information, which is classified or sensitive, is reviewed prior to release to protect system vulnerabilities, design data, and performance parameters. Some end-item hardware, software, and other data identified above are classified at the CONFIDENTIAL and SECRET//RELEASABLE TO QATAR level. Potential compromise of these systems is controlled through management of the basic software programs of highly sensitive systems and software-controlled weapon systems on a case-by-case basis.

4. If a technologically advanced adversary were to obtain knowledge of the specific hardware and software elements, the information could be used to develop countermeasures that might reduce weapon system effectiveness or be used in the development of a system with similar or advanced capabilities.

5. A determination has been made that Qatar can provide substantially the same degree of protection for the sensitive technology being released as the U.S. Government. This proposed sale is necessary to further the U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives outlined in the Policy Justification.

6. All defense articles and services listed on this transmittal are authorized for release and export to the Government of Qatar.

Introduction: The Title VI International Research and Studies Program (18-12-04) system of records was last published in the Federal Register on June 4, 1999 (64 FR 30179). The Department proposes to update the system location, manager, and address to reflect the creation of the IFLE office that administers grant and fellowship programs such as IRS. The Department also proposes to update how the information is stored and safeguarded utilizing updated security hardware and software, including multiple firewalls, active intruder detection, and role-based access controls. The Department also proposes to update the record source categories and how the records are retrieved as well as to modify the section entitled “Policies and Practices for Retention and Disposal of Records” to reflect updated, current disposition instructions covering records in this system.

The Department proposes to update, but not to significantly change, routine use, (3) “Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution Disclosure,” (5) “Employee Grievance, Complaint, or Conduct Disclosure,” (6) “Labor Organization Disclosure,” (7) “Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Advice Disclosure,” (9) “Contract Disclosure,” and (10) “Research Disclosure.” The Department also proposes to add to this system of records notice two new routine uses. Routine use (14) entitled “Disclosure in the Course of Responding to a Breach of Data” and (15) entitled “Disclosure in Assisting another Agency in Responding to a Breach of Data.” These will allow the Department to disclose records in this system in order to assist in responding to a suspected or confirmed breach of this system's, the Department's, or another Federal agency's or entity's data.

The Department is also proposing to update the record access and notification procedures.

Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this document in an accessible format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System at: www.thefederalregister.org/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well as all other documents of the Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site.

You may also access documents of the Department published in the Federal Register by using the article search feature at: www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published by the Department.

For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Acting Assistant Secretary for the Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education (Department), publishes a notice of a modified system of records to read as follows:

If the Secretary selects an applicant for verification, the applicant's Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) includes flags that indicate (1) that the applicant has been selected by the Secretary for verification and (2) the Verification Tracking Group in which the applicant has been placed. The Verification Tracking Group indicates which FAFSA information needs to be verified for the applicant and, if appropriate, for the applicant's parent(s) or spouse. The Student Aid Report (SAR) provided to the applicant will indicate that the applicant's FAFSA information has been selected for verification and direct the applicant to contact the institution for further instructions for completing the verification process.

The following chart lists, for the 2019-2020 award year, the FAFSA information that an institution and an applicant and, if appropriate, the applicant's parent(s) or spouse may be required to verify under 34 CFR 668.56. The chart also lists the acceptable documentation that must, under § 668.57, be provided to an institution for that information to be verified.

Only the following FAFSA/ISIR information must be verified:

For dependent students—

• The parents' AGI if the parents were tax filers;

• The parents' income earned from work if the parents were nontax filers; and

• The student's high school completion status and identity/statement of educational purpose, if selected.

For independent students—

• The student's and spouse's AGI if they were tax filers;

• The student's and spouse's income earned from work if they were nontax filers;

• The student's high school completion status and identity/statement of educational purpose, if selected; and

• The number of household members to determine if the independent student has one or more dependents other than a spouse.

We provide a more detailed discussion on the verification process in the following resources:

• 2019-2020 Application and Verification Guide.

• 2019-2020 ISIR Guide.

• 2019-2020 SAR Comment Codes and Text.

• 2019-2020 COD Technical Reference.

• Program Integrity Information—Questions and Answers on Verification at http://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/reg/hearulemaking/2009/verification.html.

These publications are on the Information for Financial Aid Professionals website at www.ifap.ed.gov.

Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System at: www.thefederalregister.org/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site.

You may also access documents of the Department published in the Federal Register by using the article search feature at: www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published by the Department.

Purpose of the Committee: To provide advice on a continuing basis to the Director, Office of Science of the Department of Energy, on the many complex scientific and technical issues that arise in the development and implementation of the Biological and Environmental Research Program.

Public Participation: The day and a half meeting is open to the public. If you would like to file a written statement with the Committee, you may do so either before or after the meeting. If you would like to make oral statements regarding any of the items on the agenda, you should contact Tristram West at [email protected] (email) or 301-903-5051 (fax). You must make your request for an oral statement at least five business days before the meeting. Reasonable provision will be made to include the scheduled oral statements on the agenda. The Chairperson of the Committee will conduct the meeting to facilitate the orderly conduct of business. Public comment will be limited to five minutes each.

Minutes: The minutes of this meeting will be available for public review and copying within 45 days at the BERAC website: http://science.energy.gov/ber/berac/meetings/berac-minutes/.

Purpose of the Board: The purpose of the Board is to make recommendations to DOE-EM and site management in the areas of environmental restoration, waste management, and related activities.

Public Participation: The EM SSAB, Oak Ridge, welcomes the attendance of the public at its advisory committee meetings and will make every effort to accommodate persons with physical disabilities or special needs. If you require special accommodations due to a disability, please contact Melyssa P. Noe at least seven days in advance of the meeting at the phone number listed above. Written statements may be filed with the Board either before or after the meeting. Individuals who wish to make oral statements pertaining to the agenda item should contact Melyssa P. Noe at the address or telephone number listed above. Requests must be received five days prior to the meeting and reasonable provision will be made to include the presentation in the agenda. The Deputy Designated Federal Officer is empowered to conduct the meeting in a fashion that will facilitate the orderly conduct of business. Individuals wishing to make public comments will be provided a maximum of five minutes to present their comments.

Minutes: Minutes will be available by writing or calling Melyssa P. Noe at the address and phone number listed above. Minutes will also be available at the following website: https://energy.gov/orem/listings/oak-ridge-site-specific-advisory-board-meetings.

Purpose of the Board: The purpose of the Board is to make recommendations to DOE-EM and site management in the areas of environmental restoration, waste management, and related activities.

Purpose of the Environmental Monitoring and Remediation Committee (EM&R): The EM&R Committee provides a citizens' perspective to NNMCAB on current and future environmental remediation activities resulting from historical Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) operations and, in particular, issues pertaining to groundwater, surface water and work required under the New Mexico Environment Department Order on Consent. The EM&R Committee will keep abreast of DOE-EM and site programs and plans. The committee will work with the NNMCAB to provide assistance in determining priorities and the best use of limited funds and time. Formal recommendations will be proposed when needed and, after consideration and approval by the full NNMCAB, may be sent to DOE-EM for action.

Purpose of the Waste Management (WM) Committee: The WM Committee reviews policies, practices and procedures, existing and proposed, so as to provide recommendations, advice, suggestions and opinions to the NNMCAB regarding waste management operations at the Los Alamos site.

Public Participation: The NNMCAB's Committees welcome the attendance of the public at their combined committee meeting and will make every effort to accommodate persons with physical disabilities or special needs. If you require special accommodations due to a disability, please contact Menice Santistevan at least seven days in advance of the meeting at the telephone number listed above. Written statements may be filed with the Committees either before or after the meeting. Individuals who wish to make oral statements pertaining to agenda items should contact Menice Santistevan at the address or telephone number listed above. Requests must be received five days prior to the meeting and reasonable provision will be made to include the presentation in the agenda. The Deputy Designated Federal Officer is empowered to conduct the meeting in a fashion that will facilitate the orderly conduct of business. Individuals wishing to make public comments will be provided a maximum of five minutes to present their comments.

Minutes: Minutes will be available by writing or calling Menice Santistevan at the address or phone number listed above. Minutes and other Board documents are on the internet at: http://energy.gov/em/nnmcab/meeting-materials.

This information collection request contains:

(1) OMB No.: 1905-0208.

(2) Information Collection Request Title: Quarterly Electricity Imports and Exports Report.

(3) Type of Request: Three-year extension.

(4) Purpose: Form EIA-111 collects U.S. electricity import and export data. The data are used to generate accurate estimates of the flow of electricity into and out of the United States from Canada and Mexico. The import and export data are reported by U.S. purchasers, sellers, and transmitters of wholesale sales of electricity, including persons authorized by Presidential Permit to construct, operate, maintain, or connect electric power transmission lines that cross the U.S. international border, and U.S. Balancing Authorities that are interconnected with foreign Balancing Authorities. Such entities report monthly flows of electricity received or delivered across the U.S. border, the cost associated with the transactions, and actual and implemented interchange.

(5) Annual Estimated Number of Respondents: 176.

(6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: 704.

(7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: 1,056.

(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: The cost of the burden hours is estimated to be $79,929 (1,056 burden hours times $75.69 per hour). EIA estimates that there are no additional costs to respondents associated with the surveys other than the costs associated with the burden hours.