27 August 1997 Source: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [Federal Register: August 27, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 166)] [Notices] [Page 45393-45394] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr27au97-36] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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: Notice of request for public comments on the potential market impact of proposed new material disposals and proposed revisions to current disposal levels of certain National Defense Stockpile commodities under the Fiscal Year (FY) 1998 Annual Materials Plan (AMP). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This notice is to advise the public that the interagency National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee is seeking public comment on the potential market impact of Department of Defense proposed new material disposals for Beryllium Copper Master Alloy, Chromium (Metal), Columbium (Carbide), Columbium (Minerals), Titanium Sponge, Tungsten (Ores & Concentrates), Tungsten (Carbide), Tungsten (Metal Powder), and Tungsten (Ferro) under a revised FY 1998 AMP. In addition, the revised AMP proposal includes raising the current FY 1998 disposal levels for Palladium, Platinum, and Bauxite (Surinam). DATES: Comments must be received by September 26, 1997. 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. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard V. Meyers, Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-3634; or Richard Watkins, International Commodities Division, U.S. Department of State, (202) 647-2871; 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 Act), the Department of Defense (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. The Act (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 Act 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.'' The Committee is now considering Defense's proposed new National Defense Stockpile material disposal levels and revisions to current Stockpile material disposal levels under the FY 1998 AMP. These materials are currently under Congressional consideration for disposal in FY 1998. The Committee is seeking public comment on the potential market impact of the sale of these materials in the event that Congress does grant such disposal authority. The new materials list identified below is proposed for inclusion in the FY 1998 AMP: Proposed New Material Disposal Authority for FY 1998 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current FY Revised FY Material Units 1998 quantity 1998 quantity ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Beryllium Copper Master Alloy.............. ST................................. 0 1,250 Chromium (Metal)........................... ST................................. 0 500 Columbium (Carbide)........................ LBS Cb............................. 0 21,372 Columbium (Minerals)....................... LBS Cb............................. 0 200,000 Titanium Sponge............................ ST................................. 0 4,000 Tungsten (Ores & Concentrates)............. LBS W.............................. 0 2,000,000 Tungsten (Carbide)......................... LBS W.............................. 0 100,000 Tungsten (Metal Powder).................... LBS W.............................. 0 100,000 Tungsten (Ferro)........................... LBS W.............................. 0 100,000 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The following list of materials are presently included in the FY 1998 AMP. However, DNSC proposes to increase the maximum disposal authority for these materials. Proposed Revisions to FY 1998 AMP ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current FY Revised FY Material Units 1998 quantity 1998 quantity ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Palladium.................................. Tr Oz.............................. 15,000 300,000 Platinum................................... Tr Oz.............................. 10,000 125,000 Bauxite (Surinam).......................... LDT................................ 300,000 800,000 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [[Page 45394]] The proposed FY 1998 disposal quantity for each listed material is the maximum amount of material that may be sold in a particular fiscal year. Please note that these quantities are not sales targets. The quantity of each material that will actually be offered for sale will depend on the market for the material at the time of the offering. It will also depend on the maximum quantity of each material approved for disposal by the 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 any commodity in the above lists. Although comments in response to this Notice must be received by September 26, 1997 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 the 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: August 21, 1997. Karen A. Swasey, Director, Economic Analysis Division. [FR Doc. 97-22708 Filed 8-26-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-33-P