Sens. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa) and Maria Cantwell of (D., Wash.) led a bipartisan group of 12 senators in writing to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross questioning the Administration’s changed circumstances review of antidumping and countervailing duty orders that were imposed only months prior on imports of certain biodiesel products from Argentina. The senators are pressing the department to rigorously and transparently review actions by the Argentine government and industry to determine if revisiting the antidumping and countervailing duty rates are warranted.

The letter notes that, in early 2018, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) issued countervailing duty and antidumping orders on imports of certain biodiesel products from Argentina following an extensive trade investigation. Then, in December 2018, DOC initiated “changed circumstances” reviews to assess Argentina’s most recent modification to its export tax regime and whether it warranted a review of the U.S. antidumping and countervailing duty orders issued only months before.

“It is unclear why [DOC] would afford a special review to Argentina and its biodiesel industry when the ink on these antidumping and countervailing duty orders is barely dry,” the senators stated in the letter.

Related:Full review of Argentine biodiesel subsidies sought

“In the short period since the antidumping and countervailing duty orders were imposed, U.S. biodiesel producers have been able to compete on a more level playing field, and the U.S. biodiesel industry has begun to recover from the injury caused by the unfair trade practices of the Argentine government and industry,” they continued.

Domestic biodiesel production increased 17%, or by more than 300 million gal., in 2018 compared to 2017, the National Biodiesel Board reported.

Biodiesel Board vice president of federal affairs Kurt Kovarik welcomed the action from Congress.

“Over the past two years, Argentina has made more than a dozen changes to its export tax rates and has continued to massively subsidize its biodiesel industry. Given this history, [DOC] should understand that Argentina is very likely to continue subsidizing its domestic biodiesel industry in the future. [DOC's] changed circumstances reviews must take into account a full record of Argentina’s actions since the closing of Commerce’s prior investigation,” Kovarik said in a statement.

The letter was co-signed by Sens. Roy Blunt (R., Mo.), Mike Braun (R., Ind.), Dick Durbin (D., Ill.), Joni Ernst (R., Iowa), Deb Fischer (R., Neb.), Maggie Hassan (D., N.H.), Patty Murray (D., Wash.), Jeanne Shaheen (D., N.H.), Tina Smith (D., Wis.), Debbie Stabenow (D., Mich.), John Thune (R., S.D.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D., R.I.).

Related:Biodiesel supporters warn Trump: Argentina receiving special treatment