7702 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 13 / Wednesday, January 22, 2025 / Notices 

evidence on the suspected causal association with 

that from an established association between 

similar (analogous) causes or effects. 

39See Policy and Procedures supra note 5 at Sec. 

V.E.—Evidence is Inadequate to Determine a Causal 

Association. 

40See Policy and Procedures supra note 5 at Sec. 

VIII.B, proposed additions to the List are made 

pursuant to PHS Act, sec. 3312(a)(6)(B)(ii) and 42 

CFR 88.16(a)(2)(ii). The Administrator has also 

determined that insufficient evidence is available to 

publish a determination not to publish a proposed 

rule in the Federal Register (pursuant to PHS Act, 

sec. 3312(a)(6)(B)(iii) and 42 CFR 88.16(a)(2)(iii)); 

nor is requesting a recommendation from the STAC 

(pursuant to PHS Act, sec. 3312(a)(6)(B)(i) and 42 

CFR 88.16(a)(2)(i)) warranted. 

to the Bradford Hill criteria, the Science 

Team also considered the limitations of 

the evaluated evidence and whether the 

evidence represents the 9/11-exposed 

population. 

The Science Team discussed its 

evaluation in full in the Scientific 

Evaluation, and summarized its findings 

in table 5, which is reproduced here: 

Aspect of associative causal inference (‘‘Bradford Hill Criteria’’) [Hill 

1965] 

Evaluation findings 

Strength of association (and estimate precision).Among six high-quality studies identified for evaluation, none examined ALS risk separately in 9/11-exposed populations [Colbeth et al. 2020, 2023; Jordan et al. 2011; Jordan et al. 2018; Li et al. 2023; 

Singh et al. 2023; Stein et al. 2016]. Among the six studies, only one reported a statistically significant 

positive association of indicating modest excess of mortality from nervous system disorders, including 

ALS, among WTC Health Registry community members [Jordan et al. 2018]. The authors attributed the 

observed excess to Alzheimer’s disease, not ALS. The finding strongly depended on the choice of control group, indicating a potential for strong selection bias. The use of composite outcomes, external reference groups, and lack of exposure information are important study limitations common to all studies 

evaluated. 

Consistency ..................................... All but the study by Jordan et al. [2018] reported less than expected deaths from nervous disorders when 

using an external reference population. Results supporting a causal association between 9/11 exposure 

and composite outcomes of neurologic diseases including ALS were not reproduced in different 9/11-exposed populations (e.g., firefighters, general responders, and community members). The lack of reproducible results is a strong limitation of causal inference. 

Temporality ..................................... 9/11 exposure was presumed to precede ALS onset because all studies were longitudinal and began observation on or after 9/11. However, no studies specifically examined temporal variations in risk. 

Biological gradient ........................... One study examined the exposure-response between categories of 9/11 exposure and mortality from a 

composite of other nervous system disorders (including ALS) in community members [Jordan et al. 

2018]. That study found no evidence of increasing risk with 9/11 exposure. 

Plausibility, Coherence, and Analogy.There are no established environmental factors that are causal for ALS; therefore, no 9/11 agent has been 

identified as a contributing cause. However, the literature supports a general conclusion that a causal 

association between a 9/11 agent (e.g., metals, silica, formaldehyde) and ALS is plausible, although 

unproven. 

The assumption that the risk observed in a composite outcome is analogous to ALS risk is unsubstantiated, which is an important study limitation. 

Representativeness ........................ There was representation of all groups of 9/11-exposed populations. 

Upon review of the evidence available 

in peer-reviewed, published, 

epidemiological studies regarding ALS 

among 9/11-exposed populations, the 

Science Team has assessed the degree to 

which the evidence supports a causal 

association between 9/11 exposures and 

ALS and has determined that the 

available evidence is inadequate to 

determine the likelihood of a causal 

association 39 between 9/11 exposures 

and ALS (Category 5). The Science 

Team’s evaluation and categorization of 

the evidence has been provided to the 

Administrator. 

E. Administrator’s Final Decision on 

Whether To Propose the Addition of 

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis to the 

List 

Based on the Scientific Evaluation 

and the Science Team’s finding that 

there is inadequate evidence to 

determine whether a causal association 

exists between 9/11 exposures and ALS, 

the Administrator has determined that 

there is insufficient evidence of causal 

association between 9/11 exposures and 

ALS to propose adding the condition to 

the List.40 Pursuant to PHS Act, sec. 

3312(a)(6)(B)(iv) and 42 CFR 

88.16(a)(2)(iv), and in accordance with 

Sec. IX.B. of the Policy and Procedures, 

the Administrator is publishing this 

notice of his determination of 

insufficient evidence. 

For the reasons discussed above, the 

request of Petitions 031, 036, 039, and 

053 to add ALS to the List of WTCRelated Health Conditions is denied. 

F. Approval To Submit Document to the 

Office of the Federal Register 

The Secretary, HHS, or his designee, 

the Director, Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention (CDC) and 

Administrator, Agency for Toxic 

Substances and Disease Registry 

(ATSDR), authorized the undersigned, 

the Administrator of the WTC Health 

Program, to sign and submit the 

document to the Office of the Federal 

Register for publication as an official 

document of the WTC Health Program. 

Mandy Cohen M.D., M.P.H., Director, 

CDC, and Administrator, ATSDR, 

approved this document for publication 

on January 6, 2025. 

John J. Howard, 

Administrator, World Trade Center Health 

Program and Director, National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention, Department 

of Health and Human Services. 

[FR Doc. 2025–00692 Filed 1–17–25; 11:15 am] 

BILLING CODE 4163–18–P 

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 

COMMISSION 

[Investigation Nos. 701–TA–754 and 731– 

TA–1732 (Preliminary)] 

Temporary Steel Fencing From China; 

Institution of Antidumping and 

Countervailing Duty Investigations and 

Scheduling of Preliminary Phase 

Investigations 

AGENCY: United States International 

Trade Commission. 

ACTION: Notice. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 13 / Wednesday, January 22, 2025 / Notices 7703 

SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives 

notice of the institution of investigations 

and commencement of preliminary 

phase antidumping and countervailing 

duty investigation Nos. 701–TA–754 

and 731–TA–1732 (Preliminary) 

pursuant to the Tariff Act of 1930 (‘‘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 of temporary steel fencing from 

China, provided for in subheading 

7308.90.95 of the Harmonized Tariff 

Schedule of the United States, that are 

alleged to be sold in the United States 

at less than fair value and alleged to be 

subsidized by the Government of China. 

Unless the Department of Commerce 

(‘‘Commerce’’) extends the time for 

initiation, the Commission must reach a 

preliminary determination in 

antidumping and countervailing duty 

investigations in 45 days, or in this case 

by March 3, 2025. The Commission’s 

views must be transmitted to Commerce 

within five business days thereafter, or 

by March 10, 2025. 

DATES: January 15, 2025. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kristina Lara ((202) 205–3386), Office of 

Investigations, U.S. International Trade 

Commission, 500 E Street SW, 

Washington, DC 20436. Hearingimpaired 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 (https://

www.usitc.gov). The public record for 

these investigations may be viewed on 

the Commission’s electronic docket 

(EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background.—These investigations are 

being instituted, pursuant to sections 

703(a) and 733(a) of the Tariff Act of 

1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671b(a) and 1673b(a)), 

in response to petitions filed on January 

15, 2025, by ZND US Inc, Statesville, 

North Carolina. 

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 and B 

(19 CFR part 201), and part 207, 

subparts A and B (19 CFR part 207). 

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 

§§ 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 duty 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 

§ 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 Office of 

Investigations will hold a staff 

conference in connection with the 

preliminary phase of these 

investigations beginning at 9:30 a.m. on 

Wednesday, February 5, 2025. Requests 

to appear at the conference should be 

emailed to preliminaryconferences@

usitc.gov (DO NOT FILE ON EDIS) by no 

later than noon (12 p.m.) on Monday, 

February 3, 2025. Please provide an 

email address for each conference 

participant in the email. Information on 

conference procedures, format, and 

participation, including guidance for 

requests to appear as a witness via 

videoconference, will be available on 

the Commission’s Public Calendar 

(Calendar (USITC) | United States 

International Trade Commission). A 

nonparty who has testimony that may 

aid the Commission’s deliberations may 

request permission to participate by 

submitting a short statement. 

Please note the Secretary’s Office will 

accept only electronic filings during this 

time. Filings must be made through the 

Commission’s Electronic Document 

Information System (EDIS, https://

edis.usitc.gov). No in-person paperbased filings or paper copies of any 

electronic filings will be accepted until 

further notice. 

Written submissions.—As provided in 

§§ 201.8 and 207.15 of the 

Commission’s rules, any person may 

submit to the Commission on or before 

5:15 p.m. on February 10, 2025, a 

written brief containing information and 

arguments pertinent to the subject 

matter of the investigations. Parties shall 

file written testimony and 

supplementary material in connection 

with their presentation at the conference 

no later than 4:00 p.m. on February 4, 

2025. All written submissions must 

conform with the provisions of § 201.8 

of the Commission’s rules; any 

submissions that contain BPI must also 

conform with the requirements of 

§§ 201.6, 207.3, and 207.7 of the 

Commission’s rules. The Commission’s 

Handbook on Filing Procedures, 

available on the Commission’s website 

at https://www.usitc.gov/documents/ 

handbook_on_filing_procedures.pdf, 

elaborates upon the Commission’s 

procedures with respect to filings. 

In accordance with §§ 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. 

Certification.—Pursuant to § 207.3 of 

the Commission’s rules, any person 

submitting information to the 

Commission in connection with these 

investigations must certify that the 

information is accurate and complete to 

the best of the submitter’s knowledge. In 

making the certification, the submitter 

will acknowledge that any information 

that it submits to the Commission 

during these investigations may be 

disclosed to and used: (i) by the 

Commission, its employees and Offices, 

and contract personnel (a) for 

developing or maintaining the records 

of these or related investigations or 

reviews, or (b) in internal investigations, 

audits, reviews, and evaluations relating 

to the programs, personnel, and 

operations of the Commission including 

under 5 U.S.C. appendix 3; or (ii) by 

U.S. Government employees and 

contract personnel, solely for 

cybersecurity purposes. All contract 

personnel will sign appropriate 

nondisclosure agreements. 

Authority: These investigations are 

being conducted under authority of title 

VII of the Tariff Act of 1930; this notice 


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7704 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 13 / Wednesday, January 22, 2025 / Notices 

1The Commission is not making a decision on the 

merits at this stage. Rather, the Commission has 

only assessed whether the complainant has satisfied 

the pleading requirements for purposes of 

institution. To that end, the scope of this 

investigation includes only those articles as to 

which the complaint states factual allegations of an 

alleged violation of section 337 as required by the 

statute and Commission regulations. The complaint 

as supplemented fails to contain any factual 

allegation that metal parts are being imported into 

the United States for domestic ToughShield Plus 

finishing in violation of section 337. For this 

reason, the Commission has determined to modify 

the plain language description of the accused 

products proposed by the complainant by deleting 

the phrase ‘‘components that are metal parts 

imported into the United States for domestic 

ToughShield® Plus finishing.’’ The complainant 

may move to amend the complaint and NOI to add 

components, including metal parts imported for 

finishing, to the scope of the investigation if 

complainant makes factual allegations in support 

thereof for example based on information received 

in discovery. Further, there is no requirement that 

‘‘components thereof’’ must appear in the case 

caption in order for the Commission to take action 

against any attempts to circumvent a Commission 

remedial order. See also Certain Crafting Machines 

and Components Thereof, Inv. No. 337–TA–1426, 

Notice of Investigation, 89 FR 99905 (Dec. 11, 

2024). 

2While Commissioner Schmidtlein agrees to 

institute this investigation and agrees with the 

modification of the plain language description of 

accused articles, she disagrees with her fellow 

Commissioners’ decision to change the caption by 

deleting the phrase ‘‘components thereof.’’ The 

Commission has routinely included ‘‘components 

thereof’’ language in the caption when proposed by 

complainants, and she sees no reason to treat it 

differently here. In Commissioner Schmidtlein’s 

view, the absence of such language raises the 

question of whether a later enforcement action 

could be brought to remedy circumvention of an 

order through the importation of components given 

that the Commission’s practice has been to define 

the scope of remedial orders consistent with the 

notice of investigation. See Certain Automated 

Mech. Transmission Sys. for Medium-Duty and 

Heavy-Duty Trucks and Components Thereof, Inv. 

No. 337–TA–503, Comm’n Op., 2007 WL 4473082, 

*10 (Aug. 1, 2007) (‘‘[T]he scope of the remedy is 

dependent upon the scope of the investigation, 

which is determined by the notice of 

investigation.’’). 

3Commissioner Kearns agrees with the majority 

that Complainant has failed to provide any factual 

allegations that the only components identified in 

the Complaint, ‘‘metal parts imported into the 

United States for ToughShield plus finishing,’’ 

violate section 337 either based on direct or indirect 

infringement. He also agrees that the Commission 

may take action against attempts to circumvent a 

remedial order even if ‘‘components thereof’’ does 

not appear in the case caption. He notes, moreover, 

that if sufficient allegations were presented in the 

Complaint, the Commission does have the authority 

under appropriate circumstances to investigate a 

section 337 violation involving imported 

components that are used to directly infringe the 

patent only after importation. See Certain HighDensity Fiber Optic Equipment and Components 

Thereof, Inv. No. 337–TA–1194, Comm’n Op. at 98– 

104 (Additional Views of Chair Kearns Regarding 

‘‘Articles that Infringe’’). 

is published pursuant to § 207.12 of the 

Commission’s rules. 

By order of the Commission. 

Issued: January 15, 2025. 

Lisa Barton, 

Secretary to the Commission. 

[FR Doc. 2025–01434 Filed 1–21–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7020–02–P 

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 

COMMISSION 

[Investigation No. 337–TA–1431] 

Certain Nanolaminate Alloy Coated 

Metal Parts and Products Containing 

Same; Notice of Institution of 

Investigation 

AGENCY: U.S. International Trade 

Commission. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a 

complaint was filed with the U.S. 

International Trade Commission on 

November 19, 2024, under section 337 

of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 

on behalf of Modumetal, Inc. of 

Snohomish, Washington. A letter 

supplementing the complaint was filed 

on December 4, 2024. The complaint, as 

supplemented, alleges violations of 

section 337 based upon the importation 

into the United States, the sale for 

importation, and the sale within the 

United States after importation of 

certain nanolaminate alloy coated metal 

parts, components thereof, and products 

containing the same by reason of the 

infringement of certain claims of U.S. 

Patent No. 10,253,419 (‘‘the ’419 

patent’’) and U.S. Patent No. 11,242,613 

(‘‘the ’613 patent’’). The complaint 

further alleges that an industry in the 

United States exists as required by the 

applicable Federal Statute. The 

complainant requests that the 

Commission institute an investigation 

and, after the investigation, issue a 

limited exclusion order and cease and 

desist orders. 

ADDRESSES: The complaint, except for 

any confidential information contained 

therein, may be viewed on the 

Commission’s electronic docket (EDIS) 

at https://edis.usitc.gov. For help 

accessing EDIS, please email 

EDIS3Help@usitc.gov. Hearing impaired 

individuals are advised that information 

on this matter can be obtained 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 at 

https://www.usitc.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Susan Orndoff, The Office of Docket 

Services, U.S. International Trade 

Commission, telephone (202) 205–1802. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Authority:The authority for institution 

of this investigation is contained in 

section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as 

amended, 19 U.S.C. 1337, and in section 

210.10 of the Commission’s Rules of 

Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10 

(2024). 

Scope of Investigation: Having 

considered the complaint, the U.S. 

International Trade Commission, on 

January 15, 2025, ordered that— 

(1) Pursuant to subsection (b) of 

section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as 

amended, an investigation be instituted 

to determine whether there is a 

violation of subsection (a)(1)(B) of 

section 337 in the importation into the 

United States, the sale for importation, 

or the sale within the United States after 

importation of certain products 

identified in paragraph (2) by reason of 

infringement of one or more of claims 

1–3, 5, and 7 of the ’419 patent and 

claims 1–3 and 5 of the ’613 patent, and 

whether an industry in the United 

States exists as required by subsection 

(a)(2) of section 337; 

(2) Pursuant to section 210.10(b)(1) of 

the Commission’s Rules of Practice and 

Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10(b)(1), the 

plain language description of the 

accused products or category of accused 

products, which defines the scope of the 

investigation, is ‘‘metal parts coated 

with Parker Hannifin’s ToughShield®

Plus coating as well as bundles 

containing one or more parts with 

ToughShield® Plus coating’’; 123

(3) For the purpose of the 

investigation so instituted, the following 

are hereby named as parties upon which 

this notice of investigation shall be 

served: 

(a) The complainant is: 

Modumetal, Inc., 20124 Broadway Ave., 

Building A, Snohomish, WA 98296 

(b) The respondents are the following 

entities alleged to be in violation of 

section 337, and are the parties upon 

which the complaint is to be served: 

Parker Hannifin Corporation, 6035 

Parkland Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 

44124 

Lu Chu Shin Yee Works Co., Ltd., 46, 

Shin Ming Road, Luchu District, 

Kaohsiung City, Taiwan 82146 

(4) For the investigation so instituted, 

the Chief Administrative Law Judge, 

U.S. International Trade Commission, 

shall designate the presiding 

Administrative Law Judge. The Office of 

Unfair Import Investigations will not 

participate as a party in this 

investigation. 


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