POGUE, Chief Judge:
This matter returns to court following remand in Constantine N. Polites v. United States, ___ CIT ___, 755 F.Supp.2d 1352 (2011) ("Polites I"). At issue is whether Plaintiff Polites's imports of steel tubes, intended for use as scaffolding, are exempt from countervailing and antidumping duties, under an exclusion for "finished scaffolding."
After a brief review of the relevant background and the applicable standard of review, the court will explain why it concludes that Commerce's definition of "finished scaffolding" as scaffolding kits is a reasonable interpretation of the CWP Orders, and that Commerce's factual finding that such kits are or may be imported into the United States is supported by the record. Accordingly, Commerce's conclusion that Polites's scaffolding tubes are within the scope of the Orders must be sustained.
This matter began with Plaintiff Constantine N. Polites's ("Plaintiff" or "Polites") request that Commerce issue a scope determination as to whether the steel tubes Polites imports are subject to countervailing and antidumping duties.
In its original scope determination,
Polites sought review of Commerce's definition, and the court held in Polites I that the first definition, which encompassed fully assembled scaffolding, was not in accordance with the law because it rendered the exclusion a nullity as there was no evidence which could demonstrate that fully assembled scaffolding was or could be imported into the United States. The court also held there was no evidence on the record that scaffolding kits were or could be imported into the United States. Polites I, 755 F.Supp.2d at 1357-58. Accordingly, the court remanded for Commerce to obtain evidence that scaffolding kits "are or may be imported into the United States" or, alternately, to consider the factors listed in 19 C.F.R. § 351.225(k)(2) when defining "finished scaffolding." Polites I, 755 F.Supp.2d at 1359.
In addition, Commerce has placed evidence on the record which it claims establishes that scaffolding kits are or may be imported into the United States. Commerce's evidence consists of 1) at least eight web-site excerpts from Chinese manufacturers offering scaffolding kits for sale and claiming the United States as a primary export market, 2) import data from ship manifests showing that Eternal Star International Industry Company Limited ("Eternal Star") imported scaffolding kits into the United States in 2009, and 3) a tariff classification ruling from the United States Customs and Border Protection in which the importer states its intention to import scaffolding rollers "both alone and with the complete unassembled steel scaffolding."
Consequently, Commerce continues to find that the steel tubes Polites imports meet the physical description of the merchandise covered by the Orders and do not fall under the "finished scaffolding" exemption.
The Department, in its remand redetermination must comply with the terms of the court's remand order. See Amanda Foods (Vietnam) Ltd. v. United States, 774 F.Supp.2d 1286, 1290-91 (CIT 2011). In addition, the court "shall hold unlawful any determination, finding, or conclusion found ... to be unsupported by substantial evidence on the record, or otherwise not in accordance with law." 19 U.S.C. § 1516a(b)(1)(B)(i); Koyo Seiko Co. v. United States, 20 F.3d 1160, 1164 (Fed.Cir. 1994).
Substantial evidence is relevant evidence that, given the record as a whole,
The primary issue here is whether the record supports Commerce's claim that scaffolding kits are or may be imported into the United States. Polites asserts that the court should disregard the lone "fugitive" sale of scaffolding kits to the United States which Commerce identified because the entry for the kit was not placed on record. Pl.'s Reply to the Department of Commerce's Final Results of Redetermination Pursuant to Remand 2, May 20, 2011, ECF No. 65 ("Polites Reply"). Polites also argues that Commerce has found multiple websites offering sales, but no substantial evidence that sales have actually taken place.
The evidence placed on the record, however, shows that scaffolding kits have been and may be imported into the United States. This evidence consists, in part, of 1) import data from ship manifests showing that Eternal Star imported scaffolding kits from China into the United States in 2009, and 2) a tariff classification ruling wherein the importer states its intention to import scaffolding rollers "`both alone and with the complete unassembled steel scaffolding.'"
Polites argues that the Eternal Star evidence should be disregarded because the entry document for the scaffolding kit sale was not produced.
As further evidence, Defendant-Intervenors provided a tariff ruling in which the importer stated its intention to import scaffolding rollers with "complete unassembled steel scaffolding." Remand Results 7 (citing Def.-Int. Letter 2, April 6, 2011, ECF No. 64-4). The stated intent of an importer to import scaffolding kits supports the reasonable inference that scaffolding kits may be imported into the United States. See Consol. Edison, 305 U.S. at 229, 59 S.Ct. 206. Therefore, the tariff ruling provided by Defendant-Intervenors is further evidence that scaffolding kits are or may be imported into the United States.
Although the parties do not contest whether the steel tubes imported by Polites fit the physical description of the merchandise covered by the Orders, see 2010 Remand Results 8-9. Polites makes several remaining arguments. None are availing.
First, Polites asserts that a change in wording, between the petition and the CWP Orders, demonstrates Commerce's intent to exclude his merchandise from the scope of the final Orders. The petition stated that "pipe used for the production of scaffolding ... are included within the scope of this investigation." Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe from the People's Republic of China, 72 Fed. Reg. 36,663 (Dep't Commerce July 5, 2007) (initiation of antidumping duty investigation); Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe from the People's Republic of China, 72 Fed.Reg. 36,668 (Dep't Commerce July 5, 2007) (notice of initiation of countervailing duty investigation). Polites argues that his merchandise is outside the scope of the CWP Orders because Commerce removed this language which would have otherwise incorporated his merchandise. Commerce responds that it removed the identified language because of its longstanding preference against relying on end-use in the CWP Orders.
Commerce's explanation is sufficient. While Polites notes correctly that countervailing duty and antidumping investigations are initiated by Commerce based on petitions filed by a domestic interested party, 19 C.F.R. § 351.202(a), Commerce is responsible for determining the language in the final order. See 19 C.F.R. § 351.211(a). When determining whether merchandise falls within the scope of an antidumping or countervailing duty order, Commerce first examines the language of the order. If the terms of the
In addition, here, Commerce stated in the notice of investigation that it has a preference for relying on physical characteristics, as opposed to end-use, when determining the scope of product coverage. Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe from the People's Republic of China, 72 Fed.Reg. 36,663 (Dep't Commerce July 5, 2007) (initiation of antidumping duty investigation); Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe from the People's Republic of China, 72 Fed.Reg. 36,668 (Dep't Commerce July 5, 2007) (notice of initiation of countervailing duty investigation). Subsequently, Commerce modified the language in the final orders to reflect this preference, removing all reference to end-use. See Final Orders. This determination was not unreasonable; the language of the petition cannot prevail over the language in the final order.
For the reasons stated above, Commerce's final redetermination on remand is sustained. Judgment will be entered accordingly.
Commerce also claims that because scaffolding kits are classified under HTSUS 7308.40.00.00 and a "significant quantity" of Chinese products classified under this HTSUS number have been imported into the United States, there is substantial evidence that scaffolding kits are imported into the United States. Remand Results at 7-8. Commerce's reasoning is not entirely convincing. HTSUS 7308.40.00.00 is not limited to scaffolding kits, but rather, by its own definition, encompasses "equipment for scaffolding, shuttering, propping or pit-propping." Remand Results at 8 (citing HTSUS 7308.40.00.00). Commerce apparently ignores the other items classified under HTSUS 7308.40.00.00 and infers that all or most of the items imported under this classification code are scaffolding kits, despite the absence of evidence showing that these imports actually were scaffolding kits. The court need not address whether Commerce's inference is reasonable because it has already determined, based on other evidence, that the record supports Commerce's finding.