Hydrofluorocarbon Blends From the People's Republic of China: Affirmative Final Determination of Circumvention of the Antidumping Duty Order; Unfinished R-32/R-125 Blends, 15428-15430 [2020-05609]
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15428
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 53 / Wednesday, March 18, 2020 / Notices
16 Keppel Bay Drive, #04–20 Caribbean
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involving any item exported or to be
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C. Benefiting in any way from any
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Second, that no person may, directly
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A. Export or re-export to or on behalf
of the Denied Persons any item subject
to the Regulations;
B. Take any action that facilitates the
acquisition or attempted acquisition by
the Denied Persons of the ownership,
possession, or control of any item
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D. Obtain from the Denied Persons in
the United States any item subject to the
Regulations with knowledge or reason
to know that the item will be, or is
intended to be, exported from the
United States; or
E. Engage in any transaction to service
any item subject to the Regulations that
has been or will be exported from the
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possessed or controlled by the Denied
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Persons, or service any item, of
whatever origin, that is owned,
possessed or controlled by the Denied
Persons if such service involves the use
of any item subject to the Regulations
that has been or will be exported from
the United States. For purposes of this
paragraph, servicing means installation,
maintenance, repair, modification or
testing.
Third, that after notice and
opportunity to oppose such action as
provided in Section 766.23 of the
Regulations, any person, firm,
corporation, or business organization
related to the Denied Persons by
affiliation, ownership, control, or
position of responsibility in the conduct
of trade or related services may also be
made subject to the provisions of this
Order.
Fourth, that this Order does not
prohibit any export, reexport, or other
transaction subject to the Regulations
where the only items involved that are
subject to the Regulations are the
foreign-produced direct product of U.S.origin technology.
This Recommended Decision and
Order is being referred to the Under
Secretary for review and final action by
overnight carrier as provided under 15
CFR 766.17(b)(2). Due to the short
period of time for review by the Under
Secretary, all papers filed with the
Under Secretary in response to this
Recommended Decision and Order must
be sent by personal delivery, facsimile,
express mail, or other overnight carrier
as provided in 15 CFR 766.22(a).
Submissions by the parties must be
filed with the Office of the Under
Secretary for Export Administration,
Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S.
Department of Commerce, Room H–
3898, 14th Street and Constitution
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230,
within twelve (12) days from the date of
issuance of this Recommended Decision
and Order. Thereafter, the parties have
eight (8) days from receipt of any
responses in which to submit replies.
See 15 CFR 766.22(b).
Within thirty (30) days after receipt of
this Recommended Decision and Order,
the Under Secretary shall issue a written
order, affirming, modifying, or vacating
the Recommended Decision and Order.
See 15 CFR 766.22(c).
Accordingly, I am referring this
Recommended Decision and Order to
the Under Secretary for review and final
action for the Agency, as provided in 15
CFR 766.22.
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Done and dated February 7, 2020, at
Galveston, Texas.
Dean C. Metry,
Administrative Law Judge, United States
Coast Guard.
Certificate of Service
I hereby certify that I have served the
foregoing document as indicated below
to the following parties:
Cordell A. Hull, Acting Under Secretary
of Commerce for Industry and
Security, Bureau of Industry and
Security, U.S. Department of
Commerce, Room 3896, 1401
Constitution Ave. NW, Washington,
DC 20230, Sent by Federal Express.
EAR Administrative Enforcement
Proceedings, U.S. Coast Guard, ALJ
Docketing Center, Attn: Hearing
Docket Clerk, 40 S. Gay Street, Room
412, Baltimore, MD 21202–4022, Sent
electronically: aljdocketcenter@
uscg.mil.
Gregory Michelsen, Esq., Zachary Klein,
Esq., Attorneys for Bureau of Industry
and Security, Office of Chief Counsel
for Industry and Security, U.S.
Department of Commerce, 14th Street
& Constitution Avenue NW, Room H–
3839, Washington, DC 20230, Sent by
Federal Express.
Douglas N. Jacobson, Esq., JACOBSON
BURTON KELLEY PLLC, 1725 I Street
NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC
20006, Sent by Federal Express.
Done and dated February 7, 2020, at
Galveston, Texas.
Janice M. Emig,
Paralegal Specialist, United States Coast
Guard, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2020–05600 Filed 3–17–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–33–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A–570–028]
Hydrofluorocarbon Blends From the
People’s Republic of China:
Affirmative Final Determination of
Circumvention of the Antidumping
Duty Order; Unfinished R-32/R-125
Blends
Enforcement and Compliance,
International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce
(Commerce) determines that imports of
unfinished blends of hydrofluorocarbon
(HFC) components R-32 and R-125 from
the People’s Republic of China (China)
are circumventing the antidumping duty
(AD) order on HFC blends from China.
DATES: Applicable March 18, 2020.
AGENCY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 53 / Wednesday, March 18, 2020 / Notices
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Andrew Medley or Jacob Garten, AD/
CVD Operations, Office II, Enforcement
and Compliance, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone:
(202) 482–4987 or (202) 482–3342,
respectively.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On January 27, 2020, Commerce
published the Preliminary
Determination 1 of circumvention of the
antidumping duty order on HFC blends
from China with respect to blends of R32 and R-125 which are imported from
China and further processed into HFC
blends subject to the order.2 Although
we invited parties to comment on the
Preliminary Determination of this
inquiry, we received no comments.
Accordingly, no decision memorandum
accompanies this Federal Register
notice.3 We notified the International
Trade Commission (ITC) of our
preliminary determination in
accordance with section 781(e) of the
Act and did not receive a request for
consultations from the ITC.4 Commerce
conducted this anti-circumvention
inquiry in accordance with section
781(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as
amended (the Act).
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Scope of the Order
The products subject to the Order are
HFC blends. HFC blends covered by the
scope are R-404A, a zeotropic mixture
consisting of 52 percent 1,1,1
Trifluoroethane, 44 percent
Pentafluoroethane, and 4 percent
1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane; R-407A, a
zeotropic mixture of 20 percent
Difluoromethane, 40 percent
Pentafluoroethane, and 40 percent
1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane; R-407C, a
zeotropic mixture of 23 percent
Difluoromethane, 25 percent
Pentafluoroethane, and 52 percent
1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane; R-410A, a
zeotropic mixture of 50 percent
Difluoromethane and 50 percent
Pentafluoroethane; and R-507A, an
1 See Hydrofluorocarbon Blends from the People’s
Republic of China: Affirmative Preliminary
Determination of Circumvention of the
Antidumping Duty Order; Unfinished R-32/R-125
Blends, 85 FR 4632, 4635 (January 27, 2020)
(Preliminary Determination).
2 See Hydrofluorocarbon Blends from the People’s
Republic of China: Antidumping Duty Order, 81 FR
55436 (August 19, 2016) (Order).
3 For further details of the issues addressed in this
proceeding, see Preliminary Determination.
4 See Commerce’s Letter, ‘‘Hydrofluorocarbon
Blends from the People’s Republic of China:
Preliminary Determination of Circumvention of the
Antidumping Duty Order,’’ dated January 23, 2020.
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azeotropic mixture of 50 percent
Pentafluoroethane and 50 percent 1,1,1Trifluoroethane also known as R-507.
The foregoing percentages are nominal
percentages by weight. Actual
percentages of single component
refrigerants by weight may vary by plus
or minus two percent points from the
nominal percentage identified above.5
Any blend that includes an HFC
component other than R-32, R-125, R143a, or R-134a is excluded from the
scope of the Order.
Excluded from the Order are blends of
refrigerant chemicals that include
products other than HFCs, such as
blends including chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons
(HCFCs), hydrocarbons (HCs), or
hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs).
Also excluded from the Order are
patented HFC blends, including, but not
limited to, ISCEON® blends, including
MO99TM (R-438A), MO79 (R-422A),
MO59 (R-417A), MO49PlusTM (R-437A)
and MO29TM (R-4 22D), Genetron®
PerformaxTM LT (R-407F), Choice® R421A, and Choice® R-421B.
HFC blends covered by the scope of
the Order are currently classified in the
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the
United States (HTSUS) at subheadings
3824.78.0020 and 3824.78.0050.
Although the HTSUS subheadings are
provided for convenience and customs
purposes, the written description of the
scope is dispositive.6
Merchandise Subject to the AntiCircumvention Inquiry
This anti-circumvention inquiry
covers imports of partially finished
blends of HFC components R-32 (also
known as Difluoromethane) and R-125
(also known as Pentafluoroethane) from
China that must be further processed in
the United States to create an HFC blend
that would be subject to the Order.
5 R-404A is sold under various trade names,
including Forane® 404A, Genetron® 404A,
Solkane® 404A, Klea® 404A, and Suva®404A. R407A is sold under various trade names, including
Forane® 407A, Solkane® 407A, Klea®407A, and
Suva®407A. R-407C is sold under various trade
names, including Forane® 407C, Genetron® 407C,
Solkane® 407C, Klea® 407C and Suva® 407C. R410A is sold under various trade names, including
EcoFluor R410, Forane® 410A, Genetron® R410A
and AZ-20, Solkane® 410A, Klea® 410A, Suva®
410A, and Puron®. R-507A is sold under various
trade names, including Forane® 507, Solkane® 507,
Klea®507, Genetron®AZ-50, and Suva®507. R-32 is
sold under various trade names, including
Solkane®32, Forane®32, and Klea®32. R-125 is sold
under various trade names, including Solkane®125,
Klea®125, Genetron®125, and Forane®125. R-143a
is sold under various trade names, including
Solkane®143a, Genetron®143a, and Forane®125.
6 See Order.
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Final Determination
In the Preliminary Determination, we
determined that imports of unfinished
blends of HFC components R-32 and R125 from China are circumventing the
Order. Specifically, we determined that
imports of unfinished blends of HFC
components R-32 and R-125 from China
are being finished and sold in the
United States pursuant to the statutory
and regulatory criteria laid out in
section 781(a) of the Act and 19 CFR
351.225(g). We based our Preliminary
Determination upon record evidence
submitted by the petitioners and U.S.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
For a complete discussion of the
evidence which led to our preliminary
determination, see the Preliminary
Determination.
Because no party to this inquiry nor
the ITC provided any additional
information or comments regarding our
Preliminary Determination, our final
determination remains unchanged from
the Preliminary Determination.
Accordingly, we determine, pursuant to
section 781(a) of the Act and 19 CFR
351.225(g), that imports of unfinished
blends of HFC components R-32 and R125 from China are circumventing the
Order.
Continuation of Suspension of
Liquidation
As a result of this determination, and
consistent with 19 CFR 351.225(l)(3), we
intend to direct CBP to continue to
suspend liquidation and to require a
cash deposit of estimated antidumping
duties at the applicable rate on
unliquidated entries of merchandise
subject to this inquiry that are entered,
or withdrawn from warehouse, for
consumption on or after June 18, 2019,
the date of initiation of this anticircumvention inquiry.7
Notification Regarding Administrative
Protective Order
This notice also serves as a reminder
to parties subject to the administrative
protective order (APO) of their
responsibility concerning the
disposition of proprietary information
disclosed under APO in accordance
with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely
written 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.
7 See Hydrofluorocarbon Blends from the People’s
Republic of China: Initiation of Anti-Circumvention
Inquiry of Antidumping Duty Order; Unfinished
Blends, 84 FR 28276, 28278 (June 18, 2018).
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15430
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 53 / Wednesday, March 18, 2020 / Notices
Notification to Interested Parties
We are issuing and publishing this
notice in accordance with sections
781(a) and 777(i) of the Act, and 19 CFR
351.213(h) and 351.221(b)(5).
Dated: March 11, 2020.
Christian Marsh,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement
and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2020–05609 Filed 3–17–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A–201–844]
Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar From
Mexico: Affirmative Preliminary
Determination of Circumvention of the
Antidumping Duty Order
Enforcement and Compliance,
International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: We preliminarily determine
that steel concrete reinforcing bar (rebar)
from Mexico that is bent on one or both
ends and otherwise meeting the
description of in-scope merchandise—if
produced and/or exported by Deacero
S.A.P.I. de C.V. (Deacero) to the United
States—is circumventing the
antidumping duty order on rebar from
Mexico.
DATES: Applicable March 18, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jonathan Hall-Eastman, Office III,
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty
Operations, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone:
(202) 482–1468.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
AGENCY:
Background
On September 15, 2014, the
Department of Commerce (Commerce)
published antidumping duty (AD) Order
on rebar from Mexico.1 On October 18,
2019, in response to a request from the
Rebar Trade Action Coalition (the
petitioner),2 Commerce initiated a
circumvention inquiry into whether
imports of otherwise straight rebar bent
on one or both ends (also referred to as
hooked rebar) that is produced and/or
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1 See
Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar from Mexico:
Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair
Value and Final Affirmative Determination of
Critical Circumstances, 79 FR 54967 (September 15,
2014) (Order).
2 See Petitioner’s Letter, ‘‘Steel Concrete
Reinforcing Bar from Mexico: Request for Scope
Ruling or, Alternatively, an Anti-Circumvention
Ruling,’’ dated September 3, 2019.
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18:54 Mar 17, 2020
Jkt 250001
exported to the United States by
Deacero and otherwise meeting the
description of in-scope merchandise,
constitutes merchandise ‘‘altered in
form or appearance in minor respects’’
from in-scope merchandise that should
be considered subject to AD Order on
rebar from Mexico.3 Commerce also
indicated that it would examine
‘‘whether to apply the results of this
anti-circumvention inquiry to imports of
similarly situated other straight rebar
bent at one or both ends from Mexico
regardless of producer or exporter.’’ 4
For a complete description of the events
that followed the initiation of this
review, see the Preliminary Decision
Memorandum.5
Scope of the Order
The merchandise subject to this Order
is steel concrete reinforcing bar
imported in either straight length or coil
form (rebar) regardless of metallurgy,
length, diameter, or grade. The subject
merchandise is classifiable in the
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the
United States (HTSUS) primarily under
item numbers 7213.10.0000,
7214.20.0000, and 7228.30.8010.
The subject merchandise may also
enter under other HTSUS numbers
including 7215.90.1000, 7215.90.5000,
7221.00.0017, 7221.00.0018,
7221.00.0030, 7221.00.0045,
7222.11.0001, 7222.11.0057,
7222.11.0059, 7222.30.0001,
7227.20.0080, 7227.90.6085,
7228.20.1000, and 7228.60.6000.
Specifically excluded are plain rounds
(i.e., non-deformed or smooth rebar).
Also excluded from the scope is
deformed steel wire meeting ASTM
A1064/A1064M with no bar markings
(e.g., mill mark, size or grade) and
without being subject to an elongation
test. HTSUS numbers are provided for
convenience and customs purposes;
however, the written description of the
scope remains dispositive.
Scope of the Circumvention Inquiry
The merchandise subject to this
circumvention inquiry consists of
otherwise straight steel concrete
reinforcing bar bent on one or both ends
and otherwise meeting the description
of in-scope merchandise under the
3 See Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar from Mexico:
Initiation of Anti-Circumvention Inquiry of
Antidumping Duty Order; 84 FR 58132 (October 30,
2019), and accompanying Initiation Memorandum.
4 Id., Initiation Memorandum at 8–9.
5 See Memorandum, ‘‘Affirmative Preliminary
Decision Memorandum of Circumvention
Concerning Certain Hooked or Bent Steel Concrete
Reinforcing Bar Produced and/or Exported by
Deacero S.A.P.I. de C.V,’’ dated concurrently with,
and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary
Decision Memorandum).
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Order produced and/or exported by
Deacero from Mexico to the United
States. The petitioner’s December 27,
2019 filing stated that:
the issues present in this anticircumvention inquiry are limited to
deterring circumvention of the order due to
modification of straight length with a hook or
bend that is easily removable, has no
commercially relevant purpose, and is not
designed to an industry standard design for
incorporation into a specific construction
project. Petitioner does not attempt to
include all fabricated products in the scope
of the order as minor alterations and this
issue is not before the Department.6
The petitioner’s January 31, 2020
filing further noted that ‘‘the issue
before the Department is whether
Deacero’s sales to (a particular
customer) circumvented the order.’’ 7
Unlike for Deacero, we preliminarily
find there is no evidence on the record
of this inquiry indicating that other
Mexican producers are exporting
hooked rebar to the United States that
did not have a connection to a specific,
identified construction project.
Therefore, we have not applied our
preliminary affirmative finding to
hooked rebar country-wide.8
Statutory and Regulatory Framework
Section 781(c) of the Tariff Act of
1930, as amended (the Act), which deals
with minor alterations of merchandise,
states that:
(1) In general: The class or kind of
merchandise subject to (A) an investigation
under this title, (B) an antidumping duty
order issued under section 736, (C) a finding
issued under the Antidumping Act, 1921, or
(D) a countervailing duty order issued under
section 706 or section 303, shall include
articles altered in form or appearance in
minor respects (including raw agricultural
products that have undergone minor
processing), whether or not included in the
same tariff classification. (2) Exception.
Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to
altered merchandise if the administering
authority determines that it would be
unnecessary to consider the altered
merchandise within the scope of the
investigation, order, or finding.
As stated under 19 CFR 351.225(a),
issues may arise as to whether a
particular product is included within
the scope of an AD or countervailing
duty (CVD) order or a suspended
investigation. Such issues can arise
6 See Petitioner’s Letter ‘‘Steel Concrete
Reinforcing Bar from Mexico: Response to Deacero
December 10, 2019 Comments,’’ dated December
27, 2019, at 2.
7 See Petitioner’s Letter, ‘‘Steel Concrete
Reinforcing Bar from Mexico: Response to Deacero’s
January 15, 2020 Comments,’’ dated January 31,
2020, at 9.
8 For further information, see the Preliminary
Decision Memorandum.
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 53 (Wednesday, March 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15428-15430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05609]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A-570-028]
Hydrofluorocarbon Blends From the People's Republic of China:
Affirmative Final Determination of Circumvention of the Antidumping
Duty Order; Unfinished R-32/R-125 Blends
AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that imports
of unfinished blends of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) components R-32 and R-
125 from the People's Republic of China (China) are circumventing the
antidumping duty (AD) order on HFC blends from China.
DATES: Applicable March 18, 2020.
[[Page 15429]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Medley or Jacob Garten, AD/CVD
Operations, Office II, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-4987 or (202) 482-3342,
respectively.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On January 27, 2020, Commerce published the Preliminary
Determination \1\ of circumvention of the antidumping duty order on HFC
blends from China with respect to blends of R-32 and R-125 which are
imported from China and further processed into HFC blends subject to
the order.\2\ Although we invited parties to comment on the Preliminary
Determination of this inquiry, we received no comments. Accordingly, no
decision memorandum accompanies this Federal Register notice.\3\ We
notified the International Trade Commission (ITC) of our preliminary
determination in accordance with section 781(e) of the Act and did not
receive a request for consultations from the ITC.\4\ Commerce conducted
this anti-circumvention inquiry in accordance with section 781(a) of
the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ See Hydrofluorocarbon Blends from the People's Republic of
China: Affirmative Preliminary Determination of Circumvention of the
Antidumping Duty Order; Unfinished R-32/R-125 Blends, 85 FR 4632,
4635 (January 27, 2020) (Preliminary Determination).
\2\ See Hydrofluorocarbon Blends from the People's Republic of
China: Antidumping Duty Order, 81 FR 55436 (August 19, 2016)
(Order).
\3\ For further details of the issues addressed in this
proceeding, see Preliminary Determination.
\4\ See Commerce's Letter, ``Hydrofluorocarbon Blends from the
People's Republic of China: Preliminary Determination of
Circumvention of the Antidumping Duty Order,'' dated January 23,
2020.
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Scope of the Order
The products subject to the Order are HFC blends. HFC blends
covered by the scope are R-404A, a zeotropic mixture consisting of 52
percent 1,1,1 Trifluoroethane, 44 percent Pentafluoroethane, and 4
percent 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane; R-407A, a zeotropic mixture of 20
percent Difluoromethane, 40 percent Pentafluoroethane, and 40 percent
1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane; R-407C, a zeotropic mixture of 23 percent
Difluoromethane, 25 percent Pentafluoroethane, and 52 percent 1,1,1,2-
Tetrafluoroethane; R-410A, a zeotropic mixture of 50 percent
Difluoromethane and 50 percent Pentafluoroethane; and R-507A, an
azeotropic mixture of 50 percent Pentafluoroethane and 50 percent
1,1,1-Trifluoroethane also known as R-507. The foregoing percentages
are nominal percentages by weight. Actual percentages of single
component refrigerants by weight may vary by plus or minus two percent
points from the nominal percentage identified above.\5\
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\5\ R-404A is sold under various trade names, including
Forane[supreg] 404A, Genetron[supreg] 404A, Solkane[supreg] 404A,
Klea[supreg] 404A, and Suva[supreg]404A. R-407A is sold under
various trade names, including Forane[supreg] 407A, Solkane[supreg]
407A, Klea[supreg]407A, and Suva[supreg]407A. R-407C is sold under
various trade names, including Forane[supreg] 407C, Genetron[supreg]
407C, Solkane[supreg] 407C, Klea[supreg] 407C and Suva[supreg] 407C.
R-410A is sold under various trade names, including EcoFluor R410,
Forane[supreg] 410A, Genetron[supreg] R410A and AZ-20,
Solkane[supreg] 410A, Klea[supreg] 410A, Suva[supreg] 410A, and
Puron[supreg]. R-507A is sold under various trade names, including
Forane[supreg] 507, Solkane[supreg] 507, Klea[supreg]507,
Genetron[supreg]AZ-50, and Suva[supreg]507. R-32 is sold under
various trade names, including Solkane[supreg]32, Forane[supreg]32,
and Klea[supreg]32. R-125 is sold under various trade names,
including Solkane[supreg]125, Klea[supreg]125, Genetron[supreg]125,
and Forane[supreg]125. R-143a is sold under various trade names,
including Solkane[supreg]143a, Genetron[supreg]143a, and
Forane[supreg]125.
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Any blend that includes an HFC component other than R-32, R-125, R-
143a, or R-134a is excluded from the scope of the Order.
Excluded from the Order are blends of refrigerant chemicals that
include products other than HFCs, such as blends including
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs),
hydrocarbons (HCs), or hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs).
Also excluded from the Order are patented HFC blends, including,
but not limited to, ISCEON[supreg] blends, including MO99TM
(R-438A), MO79 (R-422A), MO59 (R-417A), MO49PlusTM (R-437A)
and MO29TM (R-4 22D), Genetron[supreg]
PerformaxTM LT (R-407F), Choice[supreg] R-421A, and
Choice[supreg] R-421B.
HFC blends covered by the scope of the Order are currently
classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States
(HTSUS) at subheadings 3824.78.0020 and 3824.78.0050. Although the
HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes,
the written description of the scope is dispositive.\6\
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\6\ See Order.
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Merchandise Subject to the Anti-Circumvention Inquiry
This anti-circumvention inquiry covers imports of partially
finished blends of HFC components R-32 (also known as Difluoromethane)
and R-125 (also known as Pentafluoroethane) from China that must be
further processed in the United States to create an HFC blend that
would be subject to the Order.
Final Determination
In the Preliminary Determination, we determined that imports of
unfinished blends of HFC components R-32 and R-125 from China are
circumventing the Order. Specifically, we determined that imports of
unfinished blends of HFC components R-32 and R-125 from China are being
finished and sold in the United States pursuant to the statutory and
regulatory criteria laid out in section 781(a) of the Act and 19 CFR
351.225(g). We based our Preliminary Determination upon record evidence
submitted by the petitioners and U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(CBP). For a complete discussion of the evidence which led to our
preliminary determination, see the Preliminary Determination.
Because no party to this inquiry nor the ITC provided any
additional information or comments regarding our Preliminary
Determination, our final determination remains unchanged from the
Preliminary Determination. Accordingly, we determine, pursuant to
section 781(a) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.225(g), that imports of
unfinished blends of HFC components R-32 and R-125 from China are
circumventing the Order.
Continuation of Suspension of Liquidation
As a result of this determination, and consistent with 19 CFR
351.225(l)(3), we intend to direct CBP to continue to suspend
liquidation and to require a cash deposit of estimated antidumping
duties at the applicable rate on unliquidated entries of merchandise
subject to this inquiry that are entered, or withdrawn from warehouse,
for consumption on or after June 18, 2019, the date of initiation of
this anti-circumvention inquiry.\7\
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\7\ See Hydrofluorocarbon Blends from the People's Republic of
China: Initiation of Anti-Circumvention Inquiry of Antidumping Duty
Order; Unfinished Blends, 84 FR 28276, 28278 (June 18, 2018).
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Notification Regarding Administrative Protective Order
This notice also serves as a reminder to parties subject to the
administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility
concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under
APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written
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.
[[Page 15430]]
Notification to Interested Parties
We are issuing and publishing this notice in accordance with
sections 781(a) and 777(i) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.213(h) and
351.221(b)(5).
Dated: March 11, 2020.
Christian Marsh,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2020-05609 Filed 3-17-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P