WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Commerce has announced that it will slightly reduce Canadian newsprint tariff levels.

The department found that some Canadian newsprint companies have been selling newsprint under market value in the United States, and that some were allegedly receiving subsidies. Both sides of the debate claimed the finding as a victory — opponents because the tariffs were reduced, and proponents because the Canadian companies were still slapped with penalties.

“Although this is a step in the right direction, the reduced rates only lessen the pace at which the tariffs are harming the industry,” News Media Alliance president and CEO David Chavern said. “We hope that the International Trade Commission will entirely reverse these misguided tariffs at the end of the month.”

The Commerce Department’s final finding Thursday lowered tariff levels from the rates the department preliminarily established earlier this year. The department lowered estimated dumping levels from between 0 and 22 percent to between 0 and 17 percent, and subsidy findings from between 4 and 10 percent to between 1 and 10 percent.

For the tariffs to go into effect permanently, the International Trade Commission has to independently find that Canadian imports cause material injury to domestic newsprint producers. The ITC vote is scheduled for Aug. 29.

The tariffs originated from a complaint filed by the North Pacific Paper Corporation, a Washington state-based paper company owned by a New York hedge fund. NORPAC contends that “unfair competition” since 2012 has caused mills to shut down.

“As established by the Department’s final determination, Canadian producers have been engaged in unfair trade practices, which harm American workers and cause material injury to our industry,” NORPAC CEO Craig Anneberg said in a statement.

Opponents of the tariffs say newsprint producers are struggling because of declining demand for print products, not just due to Canadian companies.

Since preliminary tariffs were enacted, NORPAC said it was able to hire 60 new employees.

The preliminary tariffs had the opposite effect on newspapers, which cite newsprint as the second-highest cost to their companies behind payroll.

The Tampa Bay Times announced cutting its staff by around 50 people in April in response to the tariffs, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reduced newspaper delivery to five days a week in June.

"I am encouraged by the news coming out of the Commerce Department this week to reduce tariffs. However, I hope more progress will be made in the coming weeks to help improve this adverse impact on our business," Dallas Morning News publisher Grant Moise said Friday. "We continue to produce a first-class newspaper every day, but I welcome the opportunity to shift expenses from newsprint to our newsroom."