Notice2026-09809
Request for Comments and Public Hearing About the Administration's Action Following a Determination of Import Injury With Regard to Quartz Surface Products (QSP)
Primary source
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Published
May 15, 2026
Issuing agencies
Trade Representative, Office of United States
Abstract
On April 1, 2026, the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) determined that quartz surface products (QSP) are being imported into the United States in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury, or the threat thereof, to the domestic industry producing an article that is like or directly competitive with the imported article. The Commissioners who voted in the affirmative are now conducting a process to recommend a safeguard measure for the President. The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), on behalf of the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), is announcing a process so that, once the USITC makes its recommendation and issues its report to the President, domestic producers, importers, exporters, and other interested parties subsequently may submit their views and evidence on the appropriateness of the recommended safeguard measure. USTR also invites interested parties to participate in a public hearing regarding this matter.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 94 (Friday, May 15, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 94 (Friday, May 15, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28096-28097]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-09809]
[[Page 28096]]
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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Request for Comments and Public Hearing About the
Administration's Action Following a Determination of Import Injury With
Regard to Quartz Surface Products (QSP)
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
ACTION: Request for comments and notice of public hearing.
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SUMMARY: On April 1, 2026, the United States International Trade
Commission (USITC) determined that quartz surface products (QSP) are
being imported into the United States in such increased quantities as
to be a substantial cause of serious injury, or the threat thereof, to
the domestic industry producing an article that is like or directly
competitive with the imported article. The Commissioners who voted in
the affirmative are now conducting a process to recommend a safeguard
measure for the President. The Office of the United States Trade
Representative (USTR), on behalf of the Trade Policy Staff Committee
(TPSC), is announcing a process so that, once the USITC makes its
recommendation and issues its report to the President, domestic
producers, importers, exporters, and other interested parties
subsequently may submit their views and evidence on the appropriateness
of the recommended safeguard measure. USTR also invites interested
parties to participate in a public hearing regarding this matter.
DATES:
June 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST: Deadline for submission of written
comments, requests to testify, and summaries of written testimony.
June 8, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST: Deadline for submission of written
responses to the initial round of comments.
June 16, 2026: The TPSC will hold a public hearing in Rooms 1 and
2, 1724 F Street NW, Washington, DC.
ADDRESSES: USTR strongly prefers electronic submissions made through
the Federal eRulemaking Portal: <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>
(<a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a>). Follow the instructions for submitting requests to
appear at the public hearing in sections III and IV below. Follow the
instructions for submitting written comments, summaries of testimony,
and written responses to the initial round of comments in section IV
below. The docket number is USTR-2026-0232. For alternatives to online
submissions, please contact Matthew P. Jaffe at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2865495c5c404d5f77787762494e4e4d685d5b5c5a064d4758064f475e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b5f8d4c1c1ddd0c2eae5eaffd4d3d3d0f5c0c6c1c79bd0dac59bd2dac3">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Victor Mroczka, Office of WTO and
Multilateral Affairs, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8ed8e7edfae1fcd1ddd1c3fce1edf4e5efcefbfdfafca0ebe1fea0e9e1f8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="481e212b3c273a171b17053a272b322329083d3b3c3a662d2738662f273e">[email protected]</span></a> or (202) 395-
9450; Michael Gagain, Office of the General Counsel, at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4c01252f242d29206218620b2d2b2d25220c393f383e6229233c622b233a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="531e3a303b32363f7d077d143234323a3d13262027217d363c237d343c25">[email protected]</span></a> or (202) 395-9529; or Matthew Jaffe,
Office of the General Counsel, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4d002c393925283a121d12072c2b2b280d383e393f6328223d632a223b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5d103c292935382a020d02173c3b3b381d282e292f7338322d733a322b">[email protected]</span></a> or (202)
395-9512.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. The USITC Investigation and Section 201
On December 1, 2025, following receipt of a petition for import
relief, as initially submitted on September 15, 2025, and as
supplemented on September 23, 2025, and November 17, 2025, and deemed
to be properly filed on November 17, 2025, the USITC instituted
investigation No. TA-201-79 pursuant to section 202 of the Trade Act of
1974 (19 U.S.C. 2252) to determine whether QSP are being imported into
the United States in such increased quantities as to be a substantial
cause of serious injury, or threat thereof, to the domestic industry
producing an article like or directly competitive with the imported
article. The USITC notice of institution (90 FR 55165) identifies the
scope of the products covered by this investigation.
On April 1, 2026, after receiving submissions from interested
parties and holding a public hearing on serious injury on February 24,
2026, the USITC determined that the increased importation of QSP is a
substantial cause of serious injury, or threat thereof, to the domestic
industry. In line with domestic legal requirements, the USITC also
found that neither QSP imports from Canada, nor QSP imports from
Mexico, account for a substantial share of total imports or contribute
importantly to the serious injury caused by imports. Finally, the USITC
found that imports of QSP from every other free trade agreement partner
country, when considered individually, are not a substantial cause of
serious injury or threat thereof. The USITC determination and
additional information about the investigation, including the
administrative record consisting of briefs and other submissions, can
be found in the Electronic Document Information System (EDIS) on the
USITC website at <a href="http://www.usitc.gov">www.usitc.gov</a>.
The USITC is now conducting the remedy phase of the investigation.
By May 18, 2026, after the remedy hearing and consideration of
submissions, the USITC will submit to the President a report with its
injury determination, remedy recommendations, certain additional
findings, and the basis for them. A public report concerning the
investigation will be available on the USITC website at <a href="http://www.usitc.gov">www.usitc.gov</a>
after the USITC submits its findings and recommendations to the
President.
II. Proposed Measure and Opportunity To Comment
Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2251) authorizes
the President, in the event of an affirmative serious injury
determination by the USITC, to take all appropriate and feasible action
within his power that he determines will facilitate efforts by the
domestic industry to make a positive adjustment to import competition
and provide greater economic and social benefits than costs. The
statute provides for the President to take action within 60 days after
receiving the USITC report, subject to any decision the President makes
to request additional information from the USITC. The USITC is
scheduled to transmit its report to the President by May 18, 2026. In
accordance with section 203(a)(1)(C) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19
U.S.C. 2253(a)(1)(C)), the TPSC will make a recommendation to the
President on what action the President should take. This recommendation
will take into account the USITC recommendation and report, the extent
to which workers and firms in the domestic industry will benefit from
adjustment assistance, the efforts of the domestic industry to make
positive adjustments, and other relevant considerations. The potential
actions the President may take to provide a remedy in the form of a
safeguard measure include:
<bullet> imposition, or increase, of a duty on the imported
articles in question;
<bullet> use of a tariff-rate quota;
<bullet> modification or imposition of any quantitative restriction
on the importation of the articles into the United States;
<bullet> a proposal to negotiate and carry out an agreement with
foreign countries to limit the exportation from foreign countries and
importation into the United States;
<bullet> procedures for the granting of import licenses;
<bullet> other negotiations to identify the underlying cause of the
increased imports to alleviate the injury or threat thereof;
<bullet> legislative proposals that would facilitate a positive
adjustment;
<bullet> other action consistent with the President's authority; or
<bullet> any combination of these actions.
USTR offers these potential remedies for further consideration by
domestic producers, importers, exporters, and other interested parties,
and invites
[[Page 28097]]
views and evidence on whether a proposed remedy is appropriate and in
the public interest. In commenting on the action to take, we request
that you address:
1. The appropriateness of any other proposed action and how it
would be in the public interest.
2. The short- and long-term effects the proposed action is likely
to have on the domestic QSP industry, its workers, and on other
domestic industries and communities.
3. The short- and long-term effects that not taking the proposed
action is likely to have on the domestic QSP industry, its workers, and
on other domestic industries and communities.
III. Hearing Participation
The TPSC will convene a public hearing on June 16, 2026, in Rooms 1
and 2, 1724 F Street NW, Washington, DC. USTR will provide information
about the format and schedule for the hearing to interested parties.
Requests to appear at the hearing and testify must include the
following information: (1) name, address, telephone number, email
address, and firm or affiliation of the individual wishing to testify;
and (2) a brief summary of the proposed oral presentation. Follow the
instructions for submitting requests to appear at the hearing in
Section IV below.
IV. Submission Instructions
USTR seeks public comments with respect to the issues described in
Section II. To be assured of consideration, you must submit written
comments, requests to appear at the hearing, and summaries of testimony
by 11:59 p.m. EST on June 1, 2026, and any written responses to those
comments by 11:59 p.m. EST on June 8, 2026. The request to appear at
the hearing must include a summary of testimony and may be accompanied
by a prehearing submission. All comments must be in English and must
identify on the reference line of the first page of the submission
``Potential Action: Quartz Surface Products.'' USTR invites small
businesses (generally defined by the Small Business Administration as
firms with fewer than 500 employees) or organizations representing
small business members that submit comments to self-identify as such in
their written comments and requests to appear at the hearing, so that
we may be aware of issues of particular interest to small businesses.
USTR strongly encourages commenters to make online submissions,
using <a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a>. To submit comments via <a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a>, enter
docket number USTR-2026-0232 on the home page and click ``search.'' The
site will provide a search-results page listing all documents
associated with this docket. Find a reference to this notice and click
on the link entitled ``Comment Now!''
For further information on using <a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a>, please consult
the resources provided on the website by clicking ``How to Use
<a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a>'' on the bottom of the home page. USTR will not accept
hand-delivered submissions.
The <a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a> website allows users to provide comments by
filling in a ``Type Comment'' field, or by attaching a document using
an ``Upload File'' field. USTR prefers that you provide comments as an
attached document in Microsoft Word (.doc) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf)
format. If the submission is in another file format, please indicate
the name of the software application in the ``Type Comment'' field.
File names should reflect the name of the person or entity submitting
the comments. Please do not attach separate cover letters to electronic
submissions; rather, include any information that might appear in a
cover letter in the comments themselves. To the extent possible, please
include any exhibits, annexes, or other attachments in the same file as
the comment itself, rather than submitting them as separate files.
For any comments submitted electronically that contain business
confidential information (BCI), the file name of the business
confidential version should begin with the characters ``BCI''. Any page
containing business confidential information must be clearly marked
``BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL'' on the top of that page and the submission
should clearly indicate, via brackets, highlighting, or other means,
the specific information that is business confidential. A filer
requesting business confidential treatment must certify that the
information is business confidential and would not customarily be
released to the public by the submitter. Filers of submissions
containing business confidential information also must submit a public
version of their comments. The file name of the public version should
begin with the character ``P''. Follow the ``BCI'' and ``P'' with the
name of the person or entity submitting the comments. Filers submitting
comments containing no BCI should name their file using the name of the
person or entity submitting the comments.
As noted, USTR strongly urge submitters to file comments through
<a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a>. You must make arrangements for any alternative method
of submission with Matthew P. Jaffe at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d69bb7a2a2beb3a18986899cb7b0b0b396a3a5a2a4f8b3b9a6f8b1b9a0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="65280411110d00123a353a2f0403030025101611174b000a154b020a13">[email protected]</span></a> far
in advance of the relevant deadline and before transmitting a comment.
You can find general information about USTR at <a href="http://www.ustr.gov">www.ustr.gov</a>.
USTR will post comments in the docket for public inspection, except
properly designated BCI. You can view comments on <a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a> by
entering the docket number in the search field on the home page.
Mark DiPlacido,
Chair of the Trade Policy Staff Committee, Office of the United States
Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2026-09809 Filed 5-14-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F8-P
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