Commerce Seeks Comments on Foreign Softwood Lumber Subsidies

The Commerce Department is accepting public comments on any subsidies, including stumpage, paid by certain countries that exported softwood lumber to the U.S. between July 1 and Dec. 31, Commerce said (here). Comments are due June 5. The Softwood Lumber Act of 2008 requires Commerce to submit a report every 180 days on any subsidy provided by nations exporting softwood lumber or softwood products to the U.S., including subsidies for stumpage. Commerce is seeking public comment on subsidies paid by countries whose exports composed at least 1 percent of total U.S. softwood imports by quantity, as classified under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) subheading 4407.10.01, the agency said. International Trade Commission Tariff and Trade DataWeb information indicates that only Canada exported softwood lumber to the U.S. during that six-month period in amounts sufficient to account for at least 1 percent of U.S. imports of softwood lumber products.