[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 23 (Thursday, February 4, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5985-5986]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-02147]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-570-957]


Seamless Carbon and Alloy Steel Standard, Line, and Pressure Pipe 
From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of Expedited First 
Sunset Review of the Countervailing Duty Order

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

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (the Department) finds that 
revocation of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on seamless carbon 
and alloy steel standard, line and pressure pipe (seamless pipe) from 
the People's Republic of China (PRC) would likely lead to the 
continuation or recurrence of a countervailable subsidy at the levels 
indicated in the Final Results of Review section of this notice.

DATES: Effective date: February 4, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Zukowski, Office I, AD/CVD 
Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-
0189.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On October 1, 2015, the Department initiated the first sunset 
review of the CVD Order \1\ on seamless pipe from the PRC pursuant to 
section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act).\2\ TMK 
IPSCO, United States Steel Corporation (U.S. Steel) and Vallourec Star, 
L.P. (Vallourec) (collectively, the petitioners) filed timely notices 
of intent to participate on October 13, 2015, and October 15, 2015, in 
accordance with 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1).\3\ Each of these companies 
claimed interested party status under section 771(9)(C) of the Act, as 
U.S. producers of the domestic like product.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See Certain Seamless Carbon and Alloy Steel Standard, Line, 
and Pressure Pipe From the People's Republic of China: Amended Final 
Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination and Countervailing 
Duty Order, 75 FR 69050 (November 10, 2010) (CVD Order).
    \2\ See Initiation of Five-Year ``Sunset'' Reviews, 80 FR 59133 
(October 1, 2015).
    \3\ See Letters to the Department, ``Seamless Carbon and Alloy 
Steel Standard, Line and Pressure Pipe from China, First Sunset 
Review,'' dated October 13, 2015 (filed by TMK IPSCO and Vallourec) 
and ``Notice of Intent to Participate in First Five-Year Review of 
the Countervailing Duty Order on Seamless Carbon and Alloy Steel 
Standard, Line and Pressure Pipe from the People's Republic of 
China,'' dated October 14, 2015 (filed by US Steel).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Department received an adequate substantive response 
collectively from the domestic industry within the 30-day deadline 
specified in 19 CFR 351.218(d)(3)(i).\4\ The Department did not receive 
a substantive response from the Government of the PRC or any respondent 
interested party to the proceeding. Because the Department received no 
response from the respondent interested parties, the Department 
conducted an expedited review of this CVD order, pursuant to section 
751(c)(3)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(e)(l)(ii)(B)(2) and (C)(2).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ See Letter to the Department, ``Seamless Carbon and Alloy 
Steel Standard, Line and Pressure Pipe from China, First Sunset 
Review: Substantive Response to Notice of Initiation,'' dated 
November 2, 2015.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scope of the Order

    The scope of this order consists of certain seamless carbon and 
alloy steel (other than stainless steel) pipes and redraw hollows, less 
than or equal to 16 inches (406.4 mm) in outside diameter, regardless 
of wall-thickness, manufacturing process (e.g., hot-finished or cold-
drawn), end finish (e.g., plain end, beveled end, upset end, threaded, 
or threaded and coupled), or surface finish (e.g., bare, lacquered or 
coated). Redraw hollows are any unfinished carbon or alloy steel (other 
than stainless steel) pipe or ``hollow profiles'' suitable for cold 
finishing operations, such as cold drawing, to meet the American 
Society for Testing and Materials (``ASTM'') or American Petroleum 
Institute (``API'') specifications referenced below, or comparable 
specifications. Specifically included within the scope are seamless 
carbon and alloy steel (other than

[[Page 5986]]

stainless steel) standard, line, and pressure pipes produced to the 
ASTM A-53, ASTM A-106, ASTM A-333, ASTM A-334, ASTM A-589, ASTM A-795, 
ASTM A-1024, and the API 5L specifications, or comparable 
specifications, and meeting the physical parameters described above, 
regardless of application, with the exception of the exclusion 
discussed below.
    Specifically excluded from the scope of the order are: (1) All 
pipes meeting aerospace, hydraulic, and bearing tubing specifications; 
(2) all pipes meeting the chemical requirements of ASTM A-335, whether 
finished or unfinished; and (3) unattached couplings. Also excluded 
from the scope of the order are all mechanical, boiler, condenser and 
heat exchange tubing, except when such products conform to the 
dimensional requirements, i.e., outside diameter and wall thickness of 
ASTM A-53, ASTM A-106 or API 5L specifications.
    The merchandise covered by the order is currently classified in the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (``HTSUS'') under item 
numbers: 7304.19.1020, 7304.19.1030, 7304.19.1045, 7304.19.1060, 
7304.19.5020, 7304.19.5050, 7304.31.6050, 7304.39.0016, 7304.39.0020, 
7304.39.0024, 7304.39.0028, 7304.39.0032, 7304.39.0036, 7304.39.0040, 
7304.39.0044, 7304.39.0048, 7304.39.0052, 7304.39.0056, 7304.39.0062, 
7304.39.0068, 7304.39.0072, 7304.51.5005, 7304.51.5060, 7304.59.6000, 
7304.59.8010, 7304.59.8015, 7304.59.8020, 7304.59.8025, 7304.59.8030, 
7304.59.8035, 7304.59.8040, 7304.59.8045, 7304.59.8050, 7304.59.8055, 
7304.59.8060, 7304.59.8065, and 7304.59.8070. Although the HTSUS 
subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, our 
written description of the merchandise subject to this scope is 
dispositive.

Analysis of Comments Received

    All issues raised in this review are addressed in the Issues and 
Decision Memorandum, which is dated concurrently with this notice. The 
issues discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum include the 
likelihood of continuation or recurrence of a countervailable subsidy 
and the net countervailable subsidy likely to prevail if the CVD Order 
were revoked. Parties can find a complete discussion of all issues 
raised in this expedited sunset review and the corresponding 
recommendations in this public memorandum, which is on file 
electronically via the Enforcement and Compliance 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 on the Internet 
at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/index.html. The signed Issues and 
Decision Memorandum and the electronic versions of the Issues and 
Decision Memorandum are identical in content.

Final Results of Review

    Pursuant to sections 752(b)(1) and (3) of the Act, we determine 
that revocation of the CVD Order on seamless pipe from the PRC would be 
likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of a net countervailable 
subsidy at the rates listed below:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Net
                                                         countervailable
           Manufacturers/Producers/Exporters                 subsidy
                                                            (percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tianjin Pipe (Group) Corp., Tianjin Pipe Iron                      13.66
 Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Tianguan Yuantong Pipe
 Product Co., Ltd., Tianjin Pipe International Economic
 and Trading Co., Ltd., TPCO Charging Development Co.,
 Ltd...................................................
Hengyang Steel Tube Group Int'l Trading, Inc., Hengyang            56.67
 Valin Steel Tube Co., Ltd., Hengyang Valin MPM Tube
 Co., Ltd., Xigang Seamless Steel Tube Co., Ltd., Wuxi
 Seamless Special Pipe Co., Ltd., Wuxi Resources Steel
 Making Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Xigang Group Co., Ltd.,
 Hunan Valin Xiangtan Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., Wuxi
 Sifang Steel Tube Co., Ltd., Hunan Valin Steel Co.,
 Ltd., Hunan Valin Iron & Steel Group Co., Ltd.........
All Others.............................................            35.17
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notification Regarding Administrative Protective Order

    This notice 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. Timely 
notification of return/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.
    The Department is issuing and publishing these final results and 
this notice in accordance with sections 751(c), 752(b), and 777(i)(1) 
of the Act.

    Dated: January 28, 2016.
Ronald K. Lorentzen,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2016-02147 Filed 2-3-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P