71 FR 50 pgs. 13430-13431 - Certain Activated Carbon From China
Type: NOTICEVolume: 71Number: 50Pages: 13430 - 13431
Docket number: [Investigation No. 731-TA-1103 (Preliminary)]
FR document: [FR Doc. E6-3756 Filed 3-14-06; 8:45 am]
Agency: International Trade Commission
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
[Investigation No. 731-TA-1103 (Preliminary)]
Certain Activated Carbon From China
AGENCY:
International Trade Commission.
ACTION:
Institution of antidumping investigation and scheduling of a preliminary phase investigation.
SUMMARY:
The Commission hereby gives notice of the institution of an investigation and commencement of preliminary phase antidumping investigation No. 731-TA-1103 (Preliminary) under section 733(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1673b(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 China of certain activated carbon,1provided for in subheading 3802.10.00 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, 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 section 732(c)(1)(B) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1673a(c)(1)(B)), the Commission must reach a preliminary determination in antidumping investigations in 45 days, or in this case by April 24, 2006. The Commission's views are due at Commerce within five business days thereafter, or by May 1, 2006.
Footnotes:
1 For purposes of this investigation, the product covered is certain activated carbon defined as a powdered, granular or pelletized carbon product obtained by "activating" with heat and steam various materials containing carbon, including but not limited to coal (including bituminous, lignite and anthracite), wood, coconut shells, olive stones, and peat. The thermal and steam treatments remove organic materials and create an internal pore structure in the carbon material. The producer can also use carbon dioxide gas (CO 2 ) in place of steam in this process. The vast majority of the internal porosity developed during the high temperature steam (or CO 2 gas) activation process is a direct result of oxidation of a portion of the solid carbon atoms in the raw material, converting them into a gaseous form of carbon. This definition covers all forms of activated carbon that are activated by steam or CO 2 , regardless of raw material, grade, mixture, additives, further washing or post-activation chemical treatment (chemical or water washing, chemical impregnation or other treatment), or product form. Unless specifically excluded, this definition covers all physical forms of certain activated carbon, including powdered activated carbon ("PAC"), granular activated carbon ("GAC"), and pelletized activated carbon.
Excluded from this definition are chemically-activated carbons. The carbon-based raw material used in the chemical activation process is treated with a strong chemical agent, including but not limited to phosphoric acid or zinc chloride sulfuric acid, that dehydrates molecules in the raw material, and results in the formation of water that is removed from the raw material by moderate heat treatment. The activated carbon created by chemical activation has internal porosity developed primarily due to the action of the chemical dehydration agent. Chemically activated carbons are typically used to activate raw materials with a lignocellulosic component such as cellulose, including wood, sawdust, paper mill waste and peat.
To the extent that an imported activated carbon product is a blend of steam and chemically activated carbons, products containing 50 percent or more steam (or CO 2 gas) activated carbons are within this definition, and those containing more than 50 percent chemically activated carbons are outside this definition.
Also excluded from this definition are reactivated carbons and activated carbon cloth. Reactivated carbons are previously used activated carbons that have had adsorbed materials removed from their pore structure after use through the application of heat, steam and/or chemicals. Activated carbon cloth is a woven textile fabric made of or containing activated carbon fibers. It is used in masks and filters and clothing of various types where a woven format is required.
Any activated carbon meeting the physical description of subject merchandise provided above that is not expressly excluded from this definition is included within the definition.
For further information concerning the conduct of this investigation 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).
DATES:
Effective Date: March 8, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jim McClure (202-205-3191), 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 ). The public record for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at http://edis.usitc.gov .
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background .-This investigation is being instituted in response to a petition filed on March 8, 2006, by Calgon Carbon Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA, and Norit Americas, Inc., Marshall, TX.
Participation in the investigation and public service list. -Persons (other than petitioners) wishing to participate in the investigation 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 investigations. The Secretary will prepare a public service list containing the names and addresses of all persons, or their representatives, who are parties to this investigation 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 this investigation available to authorized applicants representing interested parties (as defined in 19 U.S.C.1677(9)) who are parties to the investigation under the APO issued in the investigation, 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 this investigation for 9:30 a.m. on March 30, 2006, at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC. Parties wishing to participate in the conference should contact Jim McClure (202-205-3191) not later than March 27, 2006, to arrange for their appearance. Parties in support of the imposition of antidumping duties in this investigation 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 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 April 4, 2006, a written brief containing information and arguments pertinent to the subject matter of the investigation. 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 §§ 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, except to the extent permitted by § 201.8 of the Commission's rules, as amended, 67 FR 68036 (November 8, 2002). Even where electronic filing of a document is permitted, certain documents must also be filed in paper form, as specified in II (C) of the Commission's Handbook on Electronic Filing Procedures, 67 FR 68168, 68173 (November 8, 2002).
In accordance with §§ 201.16(c) and 207.3 of the rules, each document filed by a party to the investigation must be served on all other parties to the investigation (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:
This investigation is being conducted under authority of title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930; this notice is published pursuant to § 207.12 of the Commission's rules.
By order of the Commission.
Issued: March 10, 2006.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. E6-3756 Filed 3-14-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P