BXA EXTENDS COMMENT PERIOD FOR STEEL IMPORTS INVESTIGATION
The U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Export Administration said it would extend the comment period on its national security investigation into imports of iron ore and semi-finished steel to May 2.
The agency announced the investigation in the Federal Register on Feb. 6: http://frwebgate3.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=95667644+1+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve. The original comment period was scheduled to close on April 9.
The investigation was initiated by the agency under guidelines of the Trade Expansion Act. Iron ore products included in the investigation are briquettes, pellets and sinter. Semi-finished steel products include ingots, billets, blooms and slab. The Export Administration is particularly concerned about the impact of these imports on national defense and domestic industry.
The agency’s findings and recommendations from the investigation are to be submitted to the Commerce Secretary and President no later than Oct. 29.