[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 114 (Tuesday, June 14, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35968-35969]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-12790]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-570-815, A-533-806, C-533-807]


Antidumping Duty Orders on Sulfanilic Acid From India and the 
People's Republic of China and Countervailing Duty Order on Sulfanilic 
Acid From India: Final Results of Sunset Reviews and Revocation of 
Orders

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


SUMMARY: On April 1, 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) 
initiated the fifth sunset reviews of the antidumping duty (AD) orders 
on sulfanilic acid from India and the People's Republic of China 
(China) and the countervailing duty (CVD) order on sulfanilic acid from 
India. Because no domestic interested party filed a timely notice of 
intent to participate in these sunset reviews, Commerce is revoking the 
AD orders on sulfanilic acid from India and China and the CVD order on 
sulfanilic acid from India.

DATES: Applicable May 9, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brendan Quinn, AD/CVD Operations, 
Office III, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue 
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-5848.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On August 19, 1992, Commerce issued the AD order on sulfanilic acid 
from China \1\ and on March 2, 1993, Commerce issued the AD and CVD 
orders on sulfanilic acid from India \2\ (collectively, the Orders). On 
May 9, 2017, Commerce published the most recent continuation of the 
Orders.\3\ On April 1, 2022, Commerce initiated the current sunset 
reviews of the Orders pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 
1930, as amended (the Act) and 19 CFR 351.218(c).\4\
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    \1\ See Antidumping Duty Order: Sulfanilic Acid from the 
People's Republic from China, 57 FR 37524 (August 19, 1992).
    \2\ See Antidumping Duty Order: Sulfanilic Acid from India, 58 
FR 12025 (March 2, 1993); see also Countervailing Duty Order: 
Sulfanilic Acid from India, 58 FR 12026 (March 2, 1993).
    \3\ See Sulfanilic Acid from India and the People's Republic of 
China: Continuation of Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty 
Orders, 82 FR 21520 (May 9, 2017) (2017 Continuation Notice).
    \4\ See Initiation of Five-Year (Sunset) Reviews, 87 FR 19069 
(April 1, 2022) (Initiation Notice).
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    We did not receive a timely notice of intent to participate in 
these sunset reviews from any domestic interested party within fifteen 
days \5\ of the publication of the Initiation Notice in the Federal 
Register, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1)(i).\6\ Pursuant to 19 
CFR 351.218(d)(1)(iii)(A), a domestic interested party that does not 
file a notice of intent to participate in the sunset review will be 
considered not willing to participate in the review. As a result, 
pursuant to 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1)(iii)(B)(1), Commerce concludes that no 
domestic interested party responded to the notice of initiation under 
section 751(c)(3)(A) of the Act. On April 22, 2022, Commerce notified 
the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) in writing that we 
intended to revoke the Orders, consistent with 19 CFR 
351.218(d)(1)(iii)(B).\7\
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    \5\ The fifteen-day deadline fell on Saturday, April 16, 2022. 
Commerce's practice dictates that where a deadline falls on a 
weekend or federal holiday, the appropriate deadline is the next 
business day, in this case Monday, April 18, 2022. See Notice of 
Clarification: Application of ``Next Business Day'' Rule for 
Administrative Determination Deadlines Pursuant to the Tariff Act of 
1930, As Amended, 70 FR 24533 (May 10, 2005).
    \6\ On April 22, 2022, the domestic interested party attempted 
to file an untimely notice of intent to participate in these sunset 
reviews, which Commerce rejected as untimely. See Commerce's Letter, 
``Five-Year (`Sunset') Review of the Antidumping Duty Orders on 
Sulfanilic Acid from India and the People's Republic of China and 
Countervailing Duty Order on Sulfanilic Acid from India: Rejection 
of Notice of Intent to Participate,'' dated April 29, 2022.
    \7\ See Commerce's Letter, ``Sunset Reviews for April 1, 2022,'' 
dated April 22, 2022.
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Scope of the Orders

    Imports covered by the Orders are all grades of sulfanilic acid, 
which include technical (or crude) sulfanilic acid, refined (or 
purified) sulfanilic acid and sodium salt of sulfanilic acid.
    Sulfanilic acid is a synthetic organic chemical produced from the 
direct sulfonation of aniline with sulfuric acid. Sulfanilic acid is 
used as a raw material in the production of optical brighteners, food 
colors, specialty dyes, and concrete additives. The principal 
differences between the grades are the undesirable quantities of 
residual aniline and alkali insoluble materials present in the 
sulfanilic acid. All grades are available as dry, free flowing powders.
    Technical sulfanilic acid, classifiable under the subheading 
2921.42.22 of the

[[Page 35969]]

Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), contains 96 percent minimum 
sulfanilic acid, 1.0 percent maximum aniline, and 1.0 percent maximum 
alkali insoluble materials. Refined sulfanilic acid, also classifiable 
under the subheading 2921.42.22 of the HTS, contains 98 percent minimum 
sulfanilic acid, 0.5 percent maximum aniline and 0.25 percent maximum 
alkali insoluble materials.
    Sodium salt (sodium sulfanilate), classifiable under the HTS 
subheading 2921.42.90, is a powder, granular or crystalline material 
which contains 75 percent minimum equivalent sulfanilic acid, 0.5 
percent maximum aniline based on the equivalent sulfanilic acid 
content, and 0.25 percent maximum alkali insoluble materials based on 
the equivalent sulfanilic acid content.
    Although the HTS subheadings are provided for convenience and 
customs purposes, our written description of the scope of these 
proceedings is dispositive.

Revocation

    Pursuant to section 751(c)(3)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.218(d)(1)(iii)(B)(3), if no domestic interested party responds to a 
notice of initiation, Commerce shall, within 90 days after the 
initiation of review, revoke the order. Because no domestic interested 
party timely filed a notice of intent to participate in these sunset 
reviews, we determine that no domestic interested party is 
participating in these sunset reviews. Therefore, consistent with the 
section 751(c)(3)(A) of the Act, 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1)(iii)(B)(3), and 
19 CFR 351.222(i)(1)(i), we are revoking the Orders.

Effective Date of Revocation

    Pursuant to section 751(c)(3)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.222(i)(2)(i), Commerce intends to instruct CBP to terminate the 
suspension of liquidation of the merchandise subject to the Orders 
entered, or withdrawn from the warehouse, on or after May 9, 2022, the 
fifth anniversary of the date of publication of the last continuation 
notice of the Orders.\8\ Entries of subject merchandise prior to the 
effective date of revocation will continue to be subject to suspension 
of liquidation and AD and CVD deposit requirements. Commerce will 
conduct administrative reviews of subject merchandise entered prior to 
the effective date of revocation in response to appropriately filed 
requests for reviews.
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    \8\ See 2017 Continuation Notice.
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Notification to Interested Parties

    We are issuing and publishing these final results in accordance 
with sections 751(c) and 777(i)(1) of the Act, and 19 CFR 
351.218(d)(1)(iii)(B)(3) and 19 CFR 351.222(i)(1)(1).

    Dated: June 7, 2022.
Lisa W. Wang,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2022-12790 Filed 6-13-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P