[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30183-30184]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-14666]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of Export Administration
National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee Request for
Public Comments
AGENCY: Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security, Bureau of
Export Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Request for public comment on the potential market impact of
proposed revisions to certain material quantities under the FY 1999
Annual Materials Plan (AMP) of National Defense Stockpile disposals.
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SUMMARY: This notice is to advise the public that the National Defense
Stockpile Market Impact Committee seeks comments from the public
concerning the potential market impact of the Department of Defense's
planned disposals of excess materials currently held in the National
Defense Stockpile. The FY 1999 AMP materials under review are Graphite
(All), Columbium (Ferro), Bauxite (refractory, Jamaican, and Surinam),
Tantalum (Carbide Powder), and Aluminum Oxide (Fused Crude).
DATE: Comments must be received by July 6, 1998.
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, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20230; FAX (202) 482-5650.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard V. Meyers, Office of Strategic
Industries and Economic Security, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202)
482-3634; or Stephen H. Muller, Office of International Energy and
Commodity Policy, U.S. Department of State, (202) 647-3423; 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 (NDAA) (50
U.S.C. 98h-1) 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 FY 1993 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.''
Because of current industry demand and favorable market conditions,
DOD has requested the Committee to consider proposed revisions to AMP
disposal levels for Graphite (All), Columbium (Ferro), Bauxite
(refractory, Jamaican, and Surinam), Tantalum (Carbide Powder), and
Aluminum Oxide (Fused Crude) from the National Defense Stockpile in
Fiscal Year (FY) 1999. In order for the Committee to obtain sufficient
information to prepare its recommendations to DOD, the Committee
requests that interested parties provide comment on the potential
market impact of the proposed revised disposals of these commodities.
Included with the AMP listing of materials below are the proposed
maximum disposal quantity for each material. These quantities are not
sales target disposal quantities. They are only a statement of the
proposed maximum disposal quantity of each 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 material approved for
disposal by Congress.
Proposed Revisions to Fiscal Year 1999 AMP
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Current FY Revised FY
Material Units 1999 1999
quantity quantity
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Aluminum Oxide (Fused Crude)..................... ST 30,000 65,000
Bauxite (Jamaican)............................... LDT 1,200,000 2,000,000
Bauxite (Refractory)............................. LCT 80,000 90,000
[[Page 30184]]
Bauxite (Surinam)................................ LDT 800,000 1,500,000
Columbium (Ferro)................................ Lb Cb 200,000 400,000
Graphite (All)................................... ST 2,660 3,760
Tantalum (Carbide Powder)........................ Lb Ta 2,000 4,000
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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 July 6, 1998 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.
Public comments received will be made available at the Department
of Commerce for public inspection and copying. Material that is
national security classified or business confidential will be exempted
from public disclosure. 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. Communications from agencies of the
United States Government will not be made available for public
inspection.
The public record concerning this notice will be maintained in the
Bureau of Export Administration's Records Inspection Facility, Room
4525, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue,
NW, Washington, DC 20230, telephone (202) 482-5653. The records in this
facility may be inspected and copied in accordance with the regulations
published in Part 4 of Title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations (15
CFR 4.1 et seq.).
Information about the inspection and copying of records at the
facility may be obtained from Ms. Margaret Cornejo, the Bureau of
Export Administration's Freedom of Information Officer, at the above
address and telephone number.
Dated: May 29, 1998.
William J. Denk,
Acting Director, Strategic Industries and Economic Security.
[FR Doc. 98-14666 Filed 6-2-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-33-P
