01-26910. National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee Request for Public Comments

AGENCY:

Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security, Bureau of Export Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice of request for public comment on the potential market impact of proposed revisions to disposals of excess commodities currently held in the National Defense Stockpile under the Fiscal Year 2002 Annual Material Plan (AMP), and proposed commodity disposals under the Fiscal Year 2003 AMP.

SUMMARY:

This notice is to advise the public that the National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee (co-chaired by the Departments of Commerce and State) is seeking public comment on the potential market impact of proposed disposals of excess materials from the National Defense Stockpile as set forth in Attachment 1 to this notice. The Fiscal Year 1993 National Defense Authorization Act requires this Committee to consult with representatives of producers, processors and consumers of the types of materials stored in the stockpile.

DATES:

Comments must be received by November 26, 2001.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments should be sent to Richard V. Meyers, Co-Chair, Stockpile Market Impact Committee, Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security, Room 3876, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230; fax [phone]. Comments submitted via e-mail will not be accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Richard V. Meyers, Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security, U.S. Department of Commerce, [phone]; or Terri L. Robl, Office of International Energy and Commodity Policy, U.S. Department of State, [phone]; co-chairs of the National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the authority of the Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act of 1979, as amended, (50 U.S.C. 98 et seq.), the Department of Defense (DOD), as National Defense Stockpile Manager, maintains a stockpile of strategic and critical materials to supply the military, industrial, and essential civilian needs of the United States for national defense. Section 3314 of the Fiscal Year (FY) 1993 National Defense Authorization Act (hereinafter “NDAA”) (50 U.S.C. 98h-l) formally established a Market Impact Committee (the Committee) to “advise the National Defense Stockpile Manager on the projected domestic and foreign economic effects of all acquisitions and disposals of materials from the stockpile * * * .” The Committee must also balance market impact concerns with the statutory requirement to protect the Government against avoidable loss.

The Committee is comprised of representatives from the Departments of Commerce, State, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, Treasury, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and is co-chaired by the Departments of Commerce and State. The NDAA directs the Committee to “consult from time to time with representatives of producers, processors and consumers of the types of materials stored in the stockpile.”

Attachment 1 lists the current FY 2002 AMP quantities (previously approved by the Committee), proposed revisions to the FY 2002 AMP quantities for seven materials, and the proposed FY 2003 AMP. The Committee is seeking public comment on the potential market impact of the sale of these materials as proposed in the revised FY 2002 AMP and FY 2003 AMP.

The quantities listed in Attachment 1 are not sales target disposal quantities. They are only a statement of the proposed maximum disposal quantity of each listed material that may be sold in a particular fiscal year. The quantity of each material that will actually be offered for sale will depend on the market for the material at the time as well as on the quantity of each material approved for disposal by Congress.

The Committee requests that interested parties provide written comments, supporting data and documentation, and any other relevant information on the potential market impact of the sale of these commodities. Although comments in response to this Notice must be received by November 26, 2001 to ensure full consideration by the Committee, interested parties are encouraged to submit additional comments and supporting information at any time thereafter to keep the Committee informed as to the market impact of the sale of these commodities. Public comment is an important element of the Committee's market impact review process.

Anyone submitting business confidential information should clearly identify the business confidential portion of the submission and also provide a non-confidential submission that can be placed in the public file. The Committee will seek to protect such information to the extent permitted by law.

The records related to this Notice will be made accessible in accordance with the regulations published in part 4 of title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations (15 CFR 4.1 et seq.). Specifically, the Bureau of Export Administration's FOIA reading room is located on its Web page, which can be found at http://www.bxa.doc.gov,, and copies of the public comments received will be maintained at that location (see Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) heading). If requesters cannot access the web site, they may call [phone] for assistance.

Dated: October 22, 2001.

James J. Jochum,

Assistant Secretary for Export Administration.

Attachment 1.—Proposed Revisions to FY 2002 Annual Materials Plan (AMP) and Proposed FY 2003 AMP

Material	Unit	Current FY 2002 quantity	Revised FY 2002 quantity	Revised FY02 notes	Proposed FY 2003 quantity	FY03 notes
Aluminum Oxide, Abrasive	ST	6,000			6,000
Antimony	ST	5,000			5,000	1
Bauxite, Metallurgical Jamaican	LDT	2,000,000			1,540,000	1
Bauxite, Refractory	LCT	5,000	43,000	1/3	43,000	1/3
Beryl Ore	ST	4,000			3,000	1
Beryllium Metal	ST	40			40
Beryllium Copper Master Alloy	ST	2,200			1,000	1
Cadmium	LB	1,200,000			1,200,000
Celestite	SDT	3,600			3,600
Chromite, Chemical	SDT	100,000		1	100,000	1
Chromite, Metallurgical	SDT	100,000		1	100,000	1
Chromite, Refractory	SDT	100,000			100,000
Chromium, Ferro	ST	150,000			150,000
Chromium, Metal	ST	500			500
Cobalt	LB Co	6,000,000			6,000,000
Columbium Carbide Powder	LB Cb	21,500		1	21,500	1
Columbium Concentrates	LB Cb	560,000			560,000
Columbium Metal Ingots	LB Cb	20,000			20,000
Diamond Stone	ct	510,000	1,300,000	1	600,000	1
Fluorspar, Acid Grade	SDT	12,000		1	12,000	1
Fluorspar, Metallurgical Grade	SDT	60,000			60,000	1
Germanium	Kg	8,000			8,000
Graphite	ST	3,760			3,760	1
Iodine	LB	1,000,000			1,000,000
Jewel Bearings	PC	52,000,000	82,051,558	1/3	82,051,558	1/3
Kyanite	SDT	150		1	150	1
Lead	ST	60,000			60,000
Manganese, Battery Grade, Natural	SDT	30,000			30,000
Manganese, Battery Grade, Synthetic	SDT	3,011		1	3,011	1
Manganese, Chemical Grade	SDT	40,000			40,000
Manganese, Ferro	ST	75,000			75,000
Manganese, Metal, Electrolytic	ST	2,000			2,000
Manganese, Metallurgical Grade	SDT	250,000			250,000
Mica, All	LB	4,000,000	8,500,000	1/4	8,500,000	1
Palladium	Tr Oz	600,000			250,000	1
Platinum	Tr Oz	95,000	140,000		30,000	1
Platinum—Iridium	Tr Oz	0	6,000	3	6,000	3
Quartz crystals	Lb	0	216,648	1/3	216,648	1/3
Quinidine	OZ	750,000			750,000
Rubber	LT	75,000		1	70,000	1
Sebacic Acid	LB	1,000,000			600,000
Silver (Coins)	Tr Oz	5,000,000	8,000,000	1	5,000,000	1
Talc	ST	2,000		1	2,000	1
Tantalum Carbide Powder	LB Ta	4,000			4,000
Tantalum Metal Ingots	LB Ta	40,000			40,000
Tantalum Metal Powder	LB Ta	50,000		1	50,000	1
Tantalum Minerals	LB Ta	500,000			500,000
Tantalum Oxide	LB Ta	20,000			20,000
Thorium	LB	7,093,464		1/2	7,095,065	1/2
Tin	MT	12,000			12,000
Titanium Sponge	ST	5,000	7,000	4	7,000
Tungsten Ferro	LB W	300,000			300,000
Tungsten Metal Powder	LB W	300,000			300,000
Tungsten Ores & Concentrates	LB W	4,000,000			4,000,000
VTE, Chestnut	LT	250		1	250	1
VTE, Quebracho	LT	50,000			50,000
VTE, Wattle	LT	6,500		1	6,500	1
Zinc	ST	50,000			50,000
Notes:
1. Actual quantity will be limited to remaining sales authority or inventory.
2. The radioactive nature of this material may restrict sales or disposal options. Efforts are underway to determine the environmentally and economically feasible disposition of the material.
3. Pending Congressional authority.
4. Previously approved by the Market Impact Committee. Revision in process for current FY 2002.