<NOTICE>
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
<SUBAGY>International Trade Administration</SUBAGY>
<DEPDOC>[C-570-191]</DEPDOC>
<SUBJECT>Sol Gel Alumina-Based Ceramic Abrasive Grains From the People's Republic of China: Postponement of Preliminary Determination in the Countervailing Duty Investigation</SUBJECT>
<HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD>
Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
<DATES>
<HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD>
Applicable February 19, 2025.
</DATES>
<FURINF>
<HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD>
Suresh Maniam, AD/CVD Operations, Office I, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-1603.
</FURINF>
<SUPLINF>
<HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD>
<HD SOURCE="HD1">Background</HD>
On January 6, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated a countervailing duty (CVD) investigation of imports of sol gel alumina-based ceramic abrasive grains from the People's Republic of China (China).
<SU>1</SU>
<FTREF/>
Currently, the preliminary determination is due no later than March 12, 2025.
<FTNT>
<SU>1</SU>
<E T="03">See Sol Gel Alumina-Based Ceramic Abrasive Grains from the People's Republic of China: Initiation of Countervailing Duty Investigation,</E>
90 FR 3175 (January 14, 2025) (
<E T="03">Initiation Notice</E>
);
<E T="03">see also Sol Gel Alumina-Based Ceramic Abrasive Grains from the People's Republic of China: Initiation of Countervailing Duty Investigation; Correction,</E>
90 FR 7659 (January 22, 2025).
</FTNT>
<HD SOURCE="HD1">Postponement of Preliminary Determination</HD>
Section 703(b)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), requires Commerce to issue the preliminary determination in a CVD investigation within 65 days after the date on which Commerce initiated the investigation. However, section 703(c)(1) of the Act permits Commerce to postpone the preliminary determination until no later than 130 days after the date on which Commerce initiated the investigation if: (A) the petitioner makes a timely request for a postponement; or (B) Commerce concludes that the parties concerned are cooperating, that the investigation is extraordinarily complicated, and that additional time is necessary to make a preliminary determination. Under 19 CFR 351.205(e), the petitioner must submit a request for postponement 25 days or more before the scheduled date of the preliminary determination and must state the reasons for the request. Commerce will grant the request unless it finds compelling reasons to deny the request.
On February 7, 2025, the petitioner
<SU>2</SU>
<FTREF/>
in this CVD investigation timely requested that Commerce postpone the preliminary determination.
<SU>3</SU>
<FTREF/>
The petitioner requested postponement of the preliminary determination in the investigation so that Commerce can fully analyze the forthcoming questionnaire responses of the mandatory respondents and issue supplemental questionnaires, as necessary.
<SU>4</SU>
<FTREF/>
<FTNT>
<SU>2</SU>
The petitioner is Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
</FTNT>
<FTNT>
<SU>3</SU>
<E T="03">See</E>
Petitioner's Letter, “Petitioner's Request for Extension Preliminary Determination Deadline,” dated February 7, 2025.
</FTNT>
<FTNT>
<SU>4</SU>
<E T="03">Id.</E>
at 2.
</FTNT>
In accordance with 19 CFR 351.205(e), the petitioner submitted its request for postponement of the preliminary determination in this investigation 25 days or more before the scheduled date of the preliminary determination and stated the reasons for its request. Therefore, in accordance with section 703(c)(1)(A) of the Act, Commerce is postponing the deadline for the preliminary determinations to no later than 130 days after the date on which this investigation was initiated,
<E T="03">i.e.,</E>
May 16, 2025. Pursuant to section 705(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(1), the deadline for the final determinations of these investigations will continue to be 75 days after the date of the preliminary determination.
<HD SOURCE="HD1">Notification to Interested Parties</HD>
This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 703(c)(2) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(f)(1).
<SIG>
<DATED>Dated: February 12, 2025.</DATED>
<NAME>Christopher Abbott,</NAME>
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, performing the non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
</SIG>
</SUPLINF>
<FRDOC>[FR Doc. 2025-02799 Filed 2-18-25; 8:45 am]</FRDOC>
</NOTICE>
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