[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 166 (Wednesday, August 27, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45393-45394]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22708]


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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: 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).

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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                              
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                                                                                    Current FY      Revised FY  
                  Material                                  Units                  1998 quantity   1998 quantity
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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
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    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                                       
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                                                                                    Current FY      Revised FY  
                  Material                                  Units                  1998 quantity   1998 quantity
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Palladium..................................  Tr Oz..............................          15,000         300,000
Platinum...................................  Tr Oz..............................          10,000         125,000
Bauxite (Surinam)..........................  LDT................................         300,000         800,000
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[[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