[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 241 (Friday, December 15, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64412-64413]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-30647]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 241 / Friday, December 15, 1995 /
Notices
[[Page 64412]]
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of Export Administration
Public Hearings on the Effects of Lifting the Export Ban on
Alaskan North Slope Crude Oil
AGENCY: Bureau of Export Administration, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public hearings.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce's Bureau of Export Administration
(BXA) is holding public hearings to determine the effects on the
environment and the economy of lifting the ban on the export of Alaskan
North Slope (ANS) crude oil. BXA is conducting the hearings pursuant to
the legislation that the President signed on November 28, which, among
other things, requires him to conduct an environmental review, as well
as to examine the effect of exports on jobs, consumers, and supplies of
oil. This notice identifies the issues on which the Department is
interested in obtaining the public's views. It also sets forth the
procedures for public participation in the hearings.
DATES: The hearings will be held in Washington, DC, on January 3, 1996;
Seattle, Washington, on January 5, 1996; Anchorage, Alaska on January
8, 1996; and Bakersfield, California on January 10, 1996. Requests to
speak must be submitted by December 22, 1995. The hearing in
Washington, DC will be held in the main auditorium of the Herbert
Hoover Building, which is located at 14th Street and Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, 20230. The hearing in Seattle will be held
in Building 9 Auditorium, at the NOAA Western Regional Center, which is
located at 7600 Sand Point Way, N.E., Seattle, Washington 98115. The
hearing in Anchorage will be held in the auditorium of the Anchorage
Museum of History and Art, which is located at 121 West 7th Avenue,
Anchorage, Alaska. The hearing in Bakersfield will be held at the
Sheraton Bakersfield, in the Belridge Room which is located at 5101
California Avenue, Bakersfield, California 93309.
ADDRESSES: Send requests to speak and written copies of the oral
presentation to Steven C. Goldman, Acting Director, Office of Chemical
and Biological Controls and Treaty Compliance, Room 2093, Bureau of
Export Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, 20230.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bernard Kritzer, Manager, Short Supply
Program, Office of Chemical and Biological Controls and Treaty
Compliance, Room 2089, Bureau of Export Administration, U.S. Department
of Commerce, 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC,
20230, Telephone (202) 482-0894.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background and Specific Comments Requested
A. Background
On November 28, 1995, the President signed legislation (S. 395)
authorizing exports of Alaskan North Slope (ANS) crude oil when
transported in U.S.-flag tankers, unless the President determines that
such exports would not be in the national interest. The statute
requires the President to consider the results of an ``appropriate
environmental review'' and other issues prior to making his national
interest determination.
As amended by S. 395, Section 28(s)(1) of the Mineral Leasing Act
(30 U.S.C. 185) provides that:
In evaluating whether exports of this oil are in the national
interest, the President shall, at a minimum consider:
1. whether exports of ANS crude oil would diminish the total
quantity or quality of petroleum available to the United States;
2. the results of an appropriate environmental review, including
consideration of appropriate measures to mitigate any potential effects
of exports of this oil on the environment, which shall be completed
within four months of the date of enactment; and
3. whether exports of this oil are likely to cause sustained
material oil supply shortages or sustained oil price increases
significantly above world market levels that would cause sustained
material adverse employment effects in the United States or that would
cause substantial harm to consumers, including noncontiguous States and
Pacific territories.
B. Specific Comments Requested
The U.S. Department of Commerce is holding public hearings as part
of its environmental review. The Department is soliciting public
comments on the environmental and oil supply and pricing issues
described above to ensure that the public has a meaningful opportunity
to address the issues identified in the legislation. The Department has
decided to conduct four public hearings in order for the public to
provide suggestions to the Administration as early as practicable about
issues that should be considered in preparing the required review of
environmental and economic factors for the President's consideration.
The Department is particularly interested in comments and
information on the following questions:
1. Whether exports of ANS crude oil would diminish the total
quantity or quality of petroleum available to the United States;
2. Whether exports of ANS crude oil would result in changes in
tanker movements out of Valdez, Alaska, and whether such movements
would pose any substantial new risks to the environment beyond the
risks that may exist under current tanker movements to the U.S. west
coast and Hawaii;
3. Whether exports of ANS crude oil would increase imports of
foreign oil impacting air quality in PADD V by affecting the level of
refinery emissions;
4. Whether exports of ANS crude oil and the projected increases in
Alaska and California onshore oil production would affect air quality
by affecting oil field emissions and terminal facilities, and;
5. Whether exports of ANS crude oil are likely to cause sustained
material oil supply shortages or sustained oil price increases
significantly above world market levels that would cause sustained
material adverse employment affects in the United States or that would
cause substantial harm to consumers, including noncontiguous States and
Pacific territories.
[[Page 64413]]
II. Public Hearings and Comment Procedures
The hearings will be held in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 1996;
Seattle, Washington, on January 5, 1996; Anchorage, Alaska on January
8, 1996; and Bakersfield, California on January 10, 1996. The hearings
will commence at 8:30 a.m. and end at 5:30 p.m. Requests to speak must
be submitted by December 22, 1996. The hearing in Washington, DC will
be held in the main auditorium of the Herbert Hoover Building which is
located at 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC,
20230. The hearing in Seattle will be held in Building 9 Auditorium, at
the NOAA Western Regional Center which is located at 7600 Sand Point
Way, NE, Seattle, Washington 98115. The hearing in the auditorium of
the Anchorage Museum of History and Art which is located at 121 West
7th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska. The hearing in Bakersfield will be held
at the Sheraton Bakersfield, Belridge Room, which is located at 5101
California Avenue, Bakersfield, California 93309.
The Department encourages interested participants to present their
views orally at the hearings. Any person wishing to make an oral
presentation at the hearings must submit a brief written request to the
Department of Commerce at the address indicated in the ADDRESSES
section of this notice. The written requests to participate in the
public hearings should describe the individual's interest in the
hearing and, where appropriate, explain why the individual is a proper
representative of a group or class of person that has such an interest.
The written request must be received no later than December 22, 1995.
In addition, the request to speak should contain a daytime phone number
where the person who will be making the oral presentation may be
contacted before the hearing. On the day of the hearing, speakers
should bring 2 copies of the summary of their oral presentation to the
hearing address indicated in the DATES section of this notice.
Persons may submit written comments for the record if they are
unable to attend the hearings.
Copies of the request to participate in the public hearings will be
maintained at the Bureau of Export Administration's Freedom of
Information Records Inspection Facility, Room 4525, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC
20230, telephone (202) 482-5653. The records in this facility may be
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 may be obtained from Mr.
Ted Zois, the Bureau of Export Administration's Freedom of Information
Officer, at the above address and telephone number between the hours of
8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Each speaker may be limited to 5 or 10 minutes depending on the
number of presenters. Comments may respond to the questions posed in
Section I of this notice or any other related issue.
A Commerce official will preside at the hearings. Representatives
from other Federal agencies participating in the review also will
attend the hearings. Only those conducting the hearing may ask
questions.
Any further procedural rules for the proper conduct of the hearing
will be announced by the presiding officer.
Dated: December 13, 1995.
Sue E. Eckert,
Assistant Secretary for Export Administration.
[FR Doc. 95-30647 Filed 12-14-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DT-P