Document Headings

                    Document headings vary by document type but may contain                    the following:                  
                -                       the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document                    
                -                       the number of the CFR title and the number of each part                      the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly                      related to                    
                -                       the agency docket number / agency internal file number                    
                -                       the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in                      the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory                      Actions                    

                    See the                                          Document Drafting Handbook                                        for more details.                  

###### Department of Commerce

###### International Trade Administration

          - [A-588-845, A-580-834, C-580-835, A-583-831]

# AGENCY:

Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

# SUMMARY:

                        As a result of the determinations by the Department of Commerce (the “Department”) that revocation of the antidumping duty (“AD”) orders on stainless steel sheet and strip in coils from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping, that revocation of the countervailing duty (“CVD”) order on stainless steel sheet and strip in coils from Korea would likely lead to continuation or                               ( print page 49727)                            recurrence of a countervailable subsidy, and the determinations by the International Trade Commission (the “ITC”) that revocation of these AD and CVD orders would likely lead to a continuation or recurrence of material injury to an industry in the United States, the Department is publishing this notice of the continuation of these AD orders and CVD order.                    

# DATES:

*Effective Date:*                         August 11, 2011.                    

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

                        Shawn Thompson (AD orders) or Eric Greynolds (CVD order), AD/CVD Operations, Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street & Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230;                         *telephone:*                         (202) 482-1776 and (202) 482-6071, respectively.                    

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

## Background

                    On June 2, 2010, the Department initiated and the ITC instituted sunset reviews of the AD and CVD orders on stainless steel sheet and strip from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan pursuant to sections 751(c) and 752 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the “Act”), respectively.                     *See Initiation of Five-Year (“Sunset”) Reviews,*75 FR 30777 (June 2, 2010). As a result of its reviews, the Department found that revocation of the AD orders would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping and that revocation of the CVD order would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of subsidization, and notified the ITC of the margins of dumping and the subsidy rates likely to prevail were the orders revoked.                     *See Certain Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils From Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan: Final Results of the Expedited Second Sunset Reviews of the Antidumping Duty Orders,*75 FR 62104 (October 7, 2010), and                     *Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils From the Republic of Korea: Final Results of Expedited Second Sunset Review,*75 FR 62101 (October 7, 2010) (collectively, “                    *Final Results”*).                

                    On August 2, 2011, the ITC determined that revocation of the AD and CVD orders on stainless steel sheet and strip in coils from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.                     *See Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip from Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan,*76 FR 46323 (August 2, 2011) (“                    *ITC Determination”*) and USITC Publication 4244 entitled                     *Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip from Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan*                     (Inv. No. 701-TA-382 and 731-TA-798-803 (Second Review)), (July 2011).                

## Scope of the Orders

                    The merchandise covered by these AD and CVD orders is stainless steel sheet and strip in coils. Stainless steel is an alloy steel containing, by weight, 1.2 percent or less of carbon and 10.5 percent or more of chromium, with or without other elements. The subject sheet and strip is a flat-rolled product in coils that is greater than 9.5 mm in width and less than 4.75 mm in thickness, and that is annealed or otherwise heat treated and pickled or otherwise descaled. The subject sheet and strip may also be further processed (                    *e.g.,*                     cold-rolled, polished, aluminized, coated,                     *etc.*) provided that it maintains the specific dimensions of sheet and strip following such processing.                

The merchandise subject to these orders is classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) at subheadings: 7219.13.00.31, 7219.13.00.51, 7219.13.00.71, 7219.13.00.81, 7219.14.00.30, 7219.14.00.65, 7219.14.00.90, 7219.32.00.05, 7219.32.00.20, 7219.32.00.25, 7219.32.00.35, 7219.32.00.36, 7219.32.00.38, 7219.32.00.42, 7219.32.00.44, 7219.33.00.05, 7219.33.00.20, 7219.33.00.25, 7219.33.00.35, 7219.33.00.36, 7219.33.00.38, 7219.33.00.42, 7219.33.00.44, 7219.34.00.05, 7219.34.00.20, 7219.34.00.25, 7219.34.00.30, 7219.34.00.35, 7219.35.00.05, 7219.35.00.15, 7219.35.00.30, 7219.35.00.35, 7219.90.00.10, 7219.90.00.20, 7219.90.00.25, 7219.90.00.60, 7219.90.00.80, 7220.12.10.00, 7220.12.50.00, 7220.20.10.10, 7220.20.10.15, 7220.20.10.60, 7220.20.10.80, 7220.20.60.05, 7220.20.60.10, 7220.20.60.15, 7220.20.60.60, 7220.20.60.80, 7220.20.70.05, 7220.20.70.10, 7220.20.70.15, 7220.20.70.60, 7220.20.70.80, 7220.20.80.00, 7220.20.90.30, 7220.20.90.60, 7220.90.00.10, 7220.90.00.15, 7220.90.00.60, and 7220.90.00.80. (Prior to 2001, U.S. imports under HTS statistical reporting numbers 7219.13.00.31, 7219.13.00.51, 7219.13.00.71, 7219.13.00.81 were entered under HTS statistical reporting numbers 7219.13.00.30, 7219.13.00.50, 7219.13.00.70, 7219.13.00.80.) Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the Department's written description of the merchandise subject to these orders is dispositive.

                    Excluded from the scope of these orders are the following: (1) Sheet and strip that is not annealed or otherwise heat treated and pickled or otherwise descaled, (2) sheet and strip that is cut to length, (3) plate (                    *i.e.,*                     flat-rolled stainless steel products of a thickness of 4.75 mm or more), (4) flat wire (                    *i.e.,*                     cold-rolled sections, with a prepared edge, rectangular in shape, of a width of not more than 9.5 mm), and (5) razor blade steel, (6) flapper valve steel, (7) suspension foil, (8) certain stainless steel foil for automotive catalytic converters, (9) permanent magnet iron-chromium-cobalt alloy stainless strip, (10) certain electrical resistance ally steel, (11) certain martensitic precipitation-hardenable stainless steel, and (12) three specialty stainless steels typically used in certain industrial blades and surgical and medication instruments. Items 5 through 12 are further described below.                

*Razor blade steel*                     is a flat-rolled product of stainless steel, not further worked than cold-rolled (cold-reduced), in coils, of a width of not more than 23 mm and a thickness of 0.266 mm or less, containing, by weight, 12.5 to 14.5 percent chromium, and certified at the time of entry to be used in the manufacture of razor blades.                     *See*                     Chapter 72 of the HTSUS, “Additional U.S. Note” 1(d).                

*Flapper valve steel*                     is also excluded from the scope. This product is defined as stainless steel strip in coils containing, by weight, between 0.37 and 0.43 percent carbon, between 1.15 and 1.35 percent molybdenum, and between 0.20 and 0.80 percent manganese. This steel also contains, by weight, phosphorus of 0.025 percent or less, silicon of between 0.20 and 0.50 percent, and sulfur of 0.020 percent or less. The product is manufactured by means of vacuum arc remelting, with inclusion controls for sulphide of no more than 0.04 percent and for oxide of no more than 0.05 percent. Flapper valve steel has a tensile strength of between 210 and 300 ksi, yield strength of between 170 and 270 ksi, plus or minus 8 ksi, and a hardness (Hv) of between 460 and 590. Flapper valve steel is most commonly used to produce specialty flapper valves in compressors.                

*Suspension foil*                     excluded from the scope is a specialty steel product used in the manufacture of suspension assemblies for computer disk drives. Suspension foil is described as 302/304 grade or 202 grade stainless steel of a thickness between 14 and 127 microns, with a thickness tolerance of plus-or-minus 2.01 microns, and surface glossiness of 200 to 700 percent Gs. Suspension foil must be supplied in coil                           ( print page 49728)                        widths of not more than 407 mm, and with a mass of 225 kg or less. Roll marks may only be visible on one side, with no scratches of measurable depth. The material must exhibit residual stresses of 2 mm maximum deflection, and flatness of 1.6 mm over 685 mm length.                

*Certain stainless steel foil for automotive catalytic converters*                     is also excluded from the scope. This stainless steel strip in coils is a specialty foil with a thickness of between 20 and 110 microns used to produce a metallic substrate with a honeycomb structure for use in automotive catalytic converters. The steel contains, by weight, carbon of no more than 0.030 percent, silicon of no more than 1.0 percent, manganese of no more than 1.0 percent, chromium of between 19 and 22 percent, aluminum of no less than 5.0 percent, phosphorus of no more than 0.045 percent, sulfur of no more than 0.03 percent, lanthanum of less than 0.002 or greater than 0.05 percent, and total rare earth elements of more than 0.06 percent, with the balance iron.                

*Permanent magnet iron-chromium-cobalt alloy stainless strip*                     is also excluded from the scope. This ductile stainless steel strip contains, by weight, 26 to 30 percent chromium, and 7 to 10 percent cobalt, with the remainder of iron, in widths 228.6 mm or less, and a thickness between 0.127 and 1.270 mm. It exhibits magnetic remanence between 9,000 and 12,000 gauss, and a coercivity of between 50 and 300 oersteds. This product is most commonly used in electronic sensors and is currently available under proprietary trade names such as “Arnokrome III.” [1] 

*Certain electrical resistance alloy steel*                     is also excluded from the scope. This product is defined as a non-magnetic stainless steel manufactured to American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) specification B344 and containing, by weight, 36 percent nickel, 18 percent chromium, and 46 percent iron, and is most notable for its resistance to high temperature corrosion. It has a melting point of 1390 degrees Celsius and displays a creep rupture limit of 4 kilograms per square millimeter at 1000 degrees Celsius. This steel is most commonly used in the production of heating ribbons for circuit breakers and industrial furnaces, and in rheostats for railway locomotives. The product is currently available under proprietary trade names such as “Gilphy 36.” [2] 

*Certain martensitic precipitation-hardenable stainless steel*                     is also excluded from the scope. This high-strength, ductile stainless steel product is designated under the Unified Numbering System (UNS) as S45500-grade steel, and contains, by weight, 11 to 13 percent chromium, and 7 to 10 percent nickel. Carbon, manganese, silicon and molybdenum each comprise, by weight, 0.05 percent or less, with phosphorus and sulfur each comprising, by weight, 0.03 percent or less. This steel has copper, niobium, and titanium added to achieve aging, and will exhibit yield strengths as high as 1700 Mpa and ultimate tensile strengths as high as 1750 Mpa after aging, with elongation percentages of 3 percent or less in 50 mm. It is generally provided in thicknesses between 0.635 and 0.787 mm, and in widths of 25.4 mm. This product is most commonly used in the manufacture of television tubes and is currently available under proprietary trade names such as “Durphynox 17.” [3] 

*Three specialty stainless steels typically used in certain industrial blades and surgical and medical instruments*                     are also excluded from the scope. These include stainless steel strip in coils used in the production of textile cutting tools (                    *e.g.,*                     carpet knives).[4]                                          This steel is similar to AISI grade 420 but containing, by weight, 0.5 to 0.7 percent of molybdenum. The steel also contains, by weight, carbon of between 1.0 and 1.1 percent, sulfur of 0.020 percent or less, and includes between 0.20 and 0.30 percent copper and between 0.20 and 0.50 percent cobalt. This steel is sold under proprietary names such as “GIN4 Mo.” The second excluded stainless steel strip in coils is similar to AISI 420-J2 and contains, by weight, carbon of between 0.62 and 0.70 percent, silicon of between 0.20 and 0.50 percent, manganese of between 0.45 and 0.80 percent, phosphorus of no more than 0.025 percent and sulfur of no more than 0.020 percent. This steel has a carbide density on average of 100 carbide particles per 100 square microns. An example of this product is “GIN5” steel. The third specialty steel has a chemical composition similar to AISI 420 F, with carbon of between 0.37 and 0.43 percent, molybdenum of between 1.15 and 1.35 percent, but lower manganese of between 0.20 and 0.80 percent, phosphorus of no more than 0.025 percent, silicon of between 0.20 and 0.50 percent, and sulfur of no more than 0.020 percent. This product is supplied with a hardness of more than Hv 500 guaranteed after customer processing, and is supplied as, for example, “GIN6”.[5] 

In addition, as a result of changed circumstances reviews, the Department has revoked, in part, the Japanese AD order with respect to imports of the following products:
    - Stainless steel welding electrode strips that are manufactured in accordance with American Welding Society (AWS) specifications ANSI/AWS A5.9-93 ( see 65 FR 17856 , April 5, 2000);                
    - Certain stainless steel used for razor blades, medical surgical blades, and industrial blades that are sold under proprietary names such as DSRIK7, DSRIKA, and DSRIK9 ( see 65 FR 54841 , September 11, 2000);                
    - Certain stainless steel lithographic sheet that is made of 304-grade stainless steel ( see 65 FR 64423 , October 27, 2000); and                
    - Certain nickel clad stainless steel sheet ( see 65 FR 77578 , December 12, 2000).                

## Determination

                    As a result of the determinations by the Department and the ITC that revocation of these AD and CVD orders would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping or a countervailable subsidy, and of material injury to an industry in the United States, pursuant to section 751(d)(2) of the Act, the Department hereby orders the continuation of the AD and CVD orders on stainless steel sheet and strip in coils from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. U.S. Customs and Border Protection will continue to collect cash deposits at the rates in effect at the time of entry for all imports of subject merchandise. The effective date of the continuation of these orders is the date of publication in the                     **Federal Register**                     of this Notice of Continuation.                

Pursuant to sections 751(c)(2) and 751(c)(6) of the Act, the Department intends to initiate the next five-year review of these finding/orders not later than July 2016.

These five-year (sunset) reviews and notice are in accordance with section 751(c) of the Act and published pursuant to section 777(i)(1) of the Act.

Dated: August 3, 2011.

Ronald K. Lorentzen,

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.

# Footnotes

1.                             “Arnokrome III” is a trademark of the Arnold Engineering Company.                    
        Back to Citation      

2.                             “Gilphy 36” is a trademark of Imphy, S.A.                    
        Back to Citation      

3.                             “Durphynox 17” is a trademark of Imphy, S.A.                    
        Back to Citation      

4.                             This list of uses is illustrative and provided for descriptive purposes only.                    
        Back to Citation      

5.                             “GIN4 Mo,” “GIN5” and “GIN6” are the proprietary grades of Hitachi Metals America, Ltd.                    
        Back to Citation      

[FR Doc. 2011-20436 Filed 8-10-11; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P