Enterprise Products Partners L.P. said it will build a new liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) export terminal on the Gulf Coast, with the capability of handling up to VLGC (very large gas carriers) class ships. The initial loading rate for export grade propane or butane service is expected to be about 11,000 barrels per hour, it said. Following the completion of the site evaluation at potential locations in Louisiana and Texas, the new LPG marine terminal is expected to be in service in the fourth quarter of 2015, Enterprise said.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission received an export license amendment request from the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, for permission to export high-enriched uranium to The Netherlands for end-use in French research reactors. Interested parties may file request for a hearing or petition for leave to intervene within thirty days of this notification in the Federal Register. Interested parties may electronically file requests at least five days prior to deadline via e-mail at HEARINGDOCKET@NRC.GOV or (301) 415-1677.

The Bureau of Industry and Security denied export privileges to three men for violations of the Arms Export Control Act and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The three are denied export privileges for up to 10 years of the date of respective convictions. The details follow:

The World Trade Organization (WTO) Sept. 25 adoption of an August Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) decision that ruled Chinese duties on U.S. chicken “broiler” products were in violation of WTO agreements renders the DSB panel’s findings in the dispute final, said a U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) official. The time begins now for China to implement policies that are in compliance with WTO rules, said the official, saying China had the right to appeal but elected to disregard that right. USTR Michael Froman praised the WTO decision to adopt the findings. U.S. trade and commerce officials claimed victory on Aug. 2 after the WTO DSB ruled in U.S. favor in the dispute (see 13080220).

The Chinese government should agree to end its antidumping and countervailing duty investigations on U.S. polysilicon exports to China as part of a Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)-sponsored proposal to end an on-going U.S.-China solar industry dispute, the SEIA said on Sept. 23. The Chinese government officially imposed the AD/CV duties on Sept. 20 (see 13091918). The proposal is based on the precedent set in the U.S.-Brazilian cotton subsidy dispute that the WTO awarded Brazil retaliation privileges, the SEIA said (see 10061828). The proposal would also include the following:

The U.S. Census Bureau scheduled required maintenance outages for its AESDirect program. During the two extended outages, the AESDirect system will not be available for EEI filing. Census strongly encourages AESDirect program participants to file shipments prior to the following outages:

The Bureau of Industry and Security denied export privileges to 10 men for violations of the Arms Export Control Act, all for exporting or attempting to export U.S. Munitions List items -- including semiautomatic rifles, ammunition and magazines -- to Mexico. They all exported or attempted to export the USML items without a license, BIS said. The men are all inmates at various correctional institutions, serving terms of 37 to 95 months. They are also all named on the State Department’s Debarred List. BIS denied export privileges for 10 years for each of the men: themselves, their representatives or associates are prohibited from exporting or reexporting any technology, commodity or software. Their names and specific convictions are below. Find all the export denial orders (here).

The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (Ex-Im Bank) authorized a pair of direct loans totaling $33.6 million Sept. 19 to sustainable solar operator Abengoa in Seville, Spain, to “facilitate the export of American heat-transfer fluid produced by the Dow Chemical company.” The fluid will be used towards solar project in Spain and South Africa and replace conventional fossil-fuel boilers, Ex-Im said. The funding will provide support around 200 U.S. jobs, according to bank estimates from Departments of Commerce and Labor.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has received a request for license to export reactor components from Curtiss-Wright Electro-Mechanical Corp. The identified recipient country is China. Interested parties may request a hearing or petition for leave to intervene by Oct. 21 (here). Interested parties may also contact the NRC Office of the Secretary at hearingdocket@nrc.gov or (301) 415-1677.

The Chinese Customs Tariff Commission of State Council authorized on Sept. 18 the Chinese government to impose provisional countervailing duties on companies that import Solar-Grade Polysilicon from the U.S. The collection of CV duty cash deposits will take effect on Sept. 20. The companies must pay corresponding security deposits “in light of the ad valorem subsidy rate determined by this preliminary ruling.” At the request of domestic industry, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce launched an investigation into the Solar-Grade Polysilicon products in July (see 13072617). This preliminary ruling concludes the subsidies for the products caused substantial damage to China’s domestic industry.