Mar 11, 2008. /Lesprom.com/. The U.S. Department of Commerce announced its preliminary decision to apply the U.S. anti-subsidy law to imports of lightweight thermal paper from China. The preliminary decision determined that certain Chinese producers and exporters of lightweight thermal paper received countervailable subsidies ranging from 5.68% to 59.5%, with one producer receiving a duty of less than 1%. Thermal paper producer Appleton applauded the Commerce Department's ruling. "We are pleased with the Commerce Department ruling because it confirms our experience in the market place and is a critical step in restoring a level playing field on which we can compete," said Mark Richards, Appleton's CEO. Richards said that the Commerce Department will make a subsequent determination in May regarding whether imports of lightweight thermal paper have been dumped in the U.S. market. The Federal Register, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will begin to collect a cash deposit or bond from importers of lightweight thermal paper subject to the investigations. The U.S. Department of Commerce is scheduled to make its preliminary determination on dumping from China and Germany on or about May 6, 2008. Any duties imposed in the dumping case on China would be in addition to the duties imposed in the countervailing duty case.