1. On 3/14/2018, Commerce published in the Federal Register its preliminary affirmative determination and alignment of its final determination in the countervailing duty investigation of forged steel fittings from the People's Republic of China (China) from 05/21/2018 until no later than 07/23/2018, unless postponed, thereby aligning it with the due date for the final determination in the antidumping duty investigation of forged steel fittings from China (83 FR 11170)

2. In its preliminary determination, Commerce revised the scope of this investigation as described in message 7306308, dated 11/02/2017, to exclude certain additional products as described in paragraph 3, below.

3. The products covered by this investigation are carbon and alloy forged steel fittings, whether unfinished (commonly known as blanks or rough forgings) or finished. Such fittings are made in a variety of shapes including, but not limited to, elbows, tees, crosses, laterals, couplings, reducers, caps, plugs, bushings and unions. Forged steel fittings are covered regardless of end finish, whether threaded, socket-weld or other end connections.

While these fittings are generally manufactured to specifications ASME B16.11, MSS SP-79, and MSS SP-83, ASTM A105, ASTM A350 and ASTM A182, the scope is not limited to fittings made to these specifications.

The term forged is an industry term used to describe a class of products included in applicable standards, and does not reference an exclusive manufacturing process. Forged steel fittings are not manufactured from casting. Pursuant to the applicable specifications, subject fittings may also be machined from bar stock or machined from seamless pipe and tube.

All types of fittings are included in the scope regardless of nominal pipe size (which may or may not be expressed in inches of nominal pipe size), pressure rating (usually, but not necessarily expressed in pounds of pressure, e.g., 2,000 or 2M; 3,000 or 3M; 6,000 or 6M; 9,000 or 9M), wall thickness, and whether or not heat treated.

Excluded from this scope are all fittings entirely made of stainless steel. Also excluded are flanges, butt weld fittings, and nipples.

Also excluded are fittings certified to the following standards and specifications, so long as the fittings are not also manufactured to the specifications of ASME B16.11, MSS SP-79, and MSS SP-83, ASTM A105, ASTM A350 and ASTM A182:
• American Petroleum Institute (API) 5CT, API 5L, or API 11B
• Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE) J476, SAE J514, SAE J516, SAE J517, SAE J518, SAE J1026, SAE J1231, SAE J1453, SAE J1926 or J2044
• Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) certified electrical conduit fittings
• ASTM A153, A536, A576, or A865
• Casing Conductor Connectors 16-42 inches in diameter made to proprietary specifications

To be excluded from the scope, products must have the appropriate standard markings and/or be accompanied by documentation showing product compliance to the applicable standard, e.g., “API 5CT” mark and/or a mill certification report.

Subject carbon and alloy forged steel fittings are normally entered under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) 7307.99.1000, 7307.99.3000, 7307.99.5045, and 7307.99.5060. They also may be entered under HTSUS 7307.92.3010, 7307.92.3030, 7307.92.9000, and 7326.19.0010. The HTSUS subheadings and specifications are provided for convenience and customs purposes; the written description of the scope is dispositive.

4. This investigation has been assigned investigation number C-570-068.

5. For imports of forged steel fittings from China, CBP shall suspend liquidation of such shipments entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after 03/14/2018. Effective 03/14/2018, CBP shall require, for such entries, a cash deposit equal to the subsidy rates for the companies listed below:

Producer and/or Exporter: All-Others
Case number: C-570-068-000
Subsidy rate: 13.79%

Producer and/or Exporter: Both-Well (Taizhou) Steel Fittings, Co., Ltd.
Case number: C-570-068-001
Subsidy rate: 13.79%

6. If there are any questions by the importing public regarding this message, please contact the Call Center for the Office of AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce at (202) 482-0984. CBP ports should submit their inquiries through authorized CBP channels only. (This message was generated by OVIII:JM)

7. There are no restrictions on the release of this information.

Alexander Amdur