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###### International Trade Commission

          - [Investigations Nos. 701-TA-404-408 (Preliminary) and 731-TA-898-908 (Preliminary)] 

# AGENCY:

United States International Trade Commission. 

# ACTION:

Institution of countervailing duty and antidumping investigations and scheduling of preliminary phase investigations. 

# SUMMARY:

The Commission hereby gives notice of the institution of investigations and commencement of preliminary phase countervailing duty investigations Nos. 701-TA-404-408 (Preliminary) under section 703(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671b(a)) (the Act) to determine whether there is a reasonable indication that an industry in the United States is materially injured or threatened with material injury, or the establishment of an industry in the United States is materially retarded, by reason of imports from Argentina, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and Thailand of hot-rolled steel products, provided for in headings 7208, 7210, 7211, 7212, 7225, and 7226 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, that are alleged to be subsidized by the Governments of Argentina, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and Thailand. Notice is also hereby given of the institution of investigations and commencement of preliminary phase antidumping investigations Nos. 731-TA-898-908 (Preliminary) under section 733(a) of the Act to determine whether there is a reasonable indication that an industry in the United States is materially injured or threatened with material injury, or the establishment of an industry in the United States is materially retarded, by reason of imports from Argentina, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Romania, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, and Ukraine of hot-rolled steel products that are alleged to be sold in the United States at less than fair value. Unless the Department of Commerce extends the time for initiation pursuant to sections 702(c)(1)(B) and 732(c)(1)(B) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1671a(c)(1)(B) and 19 U.S.C. 1673a(c)(1)(B)), the Commission must reach preliminary determinations in countervailing duty and antidumping investigations in 45 days, or in this case by December 28, 2000. The Commission's views are due at the Department of Commerce within five business days thereafter, or by January 5, 2001. 

For further information concerning the conduct of these investigations and rules of general application, consult the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, part 201, subparts A through E (19 CFR part 201), and part 207, subparts A and B (19 CFR part 207). 

# EFFECTIVE DATE:

November 13, 2000. 

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

                        Woodley Timberlake (202-205-3188), Office of Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Hearing-impaired persons can obtain information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal on 202-205-1810. Persons with mobility impairments who will need special assistance in gaining access to the Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000. General information concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing its internet server (                        *http://www.usitc.gov*).                     

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

*Background.*                    —These investigations are being instituted in response to a petition filed on November 13, 2000, by Bethlehem Steel Corp. (Bethlehem, PA); Gallantin Steel Corp. (Ghent, KY); IPSCO Steel, Inc. (Lisle, IL); LTV Steel Company, Inc. (Cleveland, OH); National Steel Corp. (Mishawaka, IN); Nucor Corp. (Darlington, SC); Steel Dynamics, Inc. (Butler, IN); U.S. Steel Group (a unit of USX Corp.) (Pittsburgh, PA); Weirton Steel Corp. (Weirton, WV); and the Independent Steel Workers Union, a labor union representing the organized workers at Weirton Steel Corp.                 

*Participation in the investigations and public service list.*                    —Persons (other than petitioners) wishing to participate in the investigations as parties must file an entry of appearance with the Secretary to the Commission, as provided in sections 201.11 and 207.10 of the Commission's rules, not later than seven days after publication of this notice in the                     **Federal Register**                    . Industrial users and (if the merchandise under investigation is sold at the retail level) representative consumer organizations have the right to appear as parties in Commission antidumping and countervailing duty investigations. The Secretary will prepare a public service list containing the names and addresses of all persons, or their representatives, who are parties to these investigations upon the expiration of the period for filing entries of appearance.                 

*Limited disclosure of business proprietary information (BPI) under an administrative protective order (APO) and BPI service list.*                    —Pursuant to section 207.7(a) of the Commission's rules, the Secretary will make BPI gathered in these investigations available to authorized applicants representing interested parties (as defined in 19 U.S.C. § 1677(9)) who are parties to the investigations under the APO issued in the investigations, provided that the application is made not later than seven days after the publication of this notice in the                     **Federal Register**                    . A separate service list will be maintained by the Secretary for those parties authorized to receive BPI under the APO.                 

*Conference.*                    —The Commission's Director of Operations has scheduled a conference in connection with these investigations for 9:30 a.m. on December 4, 2000, at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC. Parties wishing to participate in the conference should contact Woodley Timberlake (202-205-3188) not later than November 29, 2000, to arrange for their appearance. Parties in support of the imposition of countervailing and antidumping duties in these investigations and parties in opposition to the imposition of such duties will each be collectively allocated one hour within which to make an oral presentation at the conference. A nonparty who has testimony that may aid the Commission's deliberations may request                           ( print page 70365)                        permission to present a short statement at the conference.                 

*Written submissions.*                    —As provided in sections 201.8 and 207.15 of the Commission's rules, any person may submit to the Commission on or before December 7, 2000, a written brief containing information and arguments pertinent to the subject matter of the investigations. Parties may file written testimony in connection with their presentation at the conference no later than three days before the conference. If briefs or written testimony contain BPI, they must conform with the requirements of sections 201.6, 207.3, and 207.7 of the Commission's rules. The Commission's rules do not authorize filing of submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or electronic means.                 

In accordance with sections 201.16(c) and 207.3 of the rules, each document filed by a party to the investigations must be served on all other parties to the investigations (as identified by either the public or BPI service list), and a certificate of service must be timely filed. The Secretary will not accept a document for filing without a certificate of service. 

Authority:These investigations are being conducted under authority of title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930; this notice is published pursuant to section 207.12 of the Commission's rules. 

Issued: November 15, 2000.

By order of the Commission. 

Donna R. Koehnke, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 00-29894 Filed 11-21-00; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7020-02-P