[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 184 (Wednesday, September 23, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50865-50867]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-25412]
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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, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of request for public comment on the potential market
impact of proposed disposals of excess commodities currently held in
the National Defense Stockpile under the Fiscal Year 2000 Annual
Materials Plan (AMP) and revisions to commodities proposed for disposal
under the FY 1999 AMP.
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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.
DATES: Comments must be received by October 23, 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, NW, Washington, DC
20230; FAX (202) 501-0657.
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.''
The proposed FY 2000 AMP and revisions to the FY 1999 AMP have not
been prepared in final form, as the Committee is now considering
Defense's Stockpile material disposal levels as listed in Attachment 1.
The AMP materials listed in bold in Attachment 1 cannot be sold until
Congress has approved their disposal. 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 attached AMP listing includes 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.
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 October 23, 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
[[Page 50866]]
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: September 18, 1998.
Brad I. Botwin,
Acting Director, Strategic Industries and Economic Security.
Proposed FY 2000 and Revised FY 1999 AMPs
[The materials in bold and italic are under Congressional consideration]
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Current FY Revised FY Proposed FY
Material Units 1998 quantity 1999 quantity 2000 quantity
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Aluminum............................... ST 62,881 0 0
Aluminum Oxide, Abrasive............... ST 6,000 6,000 6,000
Aluminum Oxide, Fused Crude............ ST 30,000 65,000 65,000
Analgesics............................. AMA Lb 64,127 40,000 40,000
Antimony............................... ST 5,000 5,000 5,000
Asbestos (all types)................... ST 20,000 20,000 20,000
Bauxite, Metallurgical (Jamaican)...... LDT 1,200,000 2,000,000 2,000,000
Bauxite, Metallurgical (Surinam)....... LDT 800,000 1,500,000 1,500,000
Bauxite, Refractory.................... LCT 80,000 0 0
Beryl Ore.............................. ST 2,000 2,000 2,000
Beryllium Metal........................ ST 0 40 40
Beryllium Copper Master Alloy.......... ST 1,250 1,250 1,250
Cadmium................................ LB 1,200,000 1,200,000 1,200,000
Celestite.............................. SDT 3,600 3,600 3,600
Chromite, Chemical..................... SDT 100,000 100,000 100,000
Chromite, Metallurgical................ SDT 250,000 250,000 250,000
Chromite, Refractory................... SDT 100,000 100,000 100,000
Chromium, Ferro........................ ST 50,000 150,000 150,000
Chromium, Metal........................ ST 0 500 500
Cobalt................................. LB Co 6,000,000 6,500,000 6,500,000
Columbium, Carbide Powder.............. LB Cb 0 21,500 21,500
Columbium Concentrates (Minerals)...... LB Cb 0 200,000 200,000
Columbium, Ferro....................... LB Cb 200,000 400,000 400,000
Diamond, Bort.......................... CT 1,000,000 65,000 65,000
Diamond Dies, Small.................... PC 25,473 25,473 25,473
Diamond Stone.......................... CT 1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000
Fluorspar, Acid Grade.................. SDT 180,000 100,000 100,000
Fluorspar, Metallurgical............... SDT 50,000 50,000 50,000
Germanium.............................. KG 8,000 8,000 8,000
Graphite............................... ST 2,660 3,760 3,760
Indium................................. TR Oz 35,000 15,000 15,000
Iodine................................. LB 1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000
Jewel Bearings......................... PC 52,000,000 52,000,000 52,000,000
Kyanite................................ SDT 1,200 150 150
Lead................................... ST 60,000 60,000 60,000
Manganese, Battery Grade Natural....... SDT 20,000 30,000 30,000
Manganese, Battery Grade Synthetic..... SDT 3,011 3,011 3,011
Manganese, Chemical Grade.............. SDT 40,000 40,000 40,000
Manganese, Ferro....................... ST 50,000 50,000 50,000
Manganese, Metal Electrolytic.......... ST 2,000 2,000 2,000
Manganese, Metallurgical Grade......... SDT 250,000 250,000 250,000
Mercury................................ FL 20,000 20,000 20,000
Mica (All Types)....................... LB 2,260,000 2,260,000 2,260,000
Nickel................................. ST 10,000 2,500 2,500
Palladium.............................. TR Oz 0 200,000 200,000
Platinum............................... TR Oz 0 125,000 125,000
Quinidine.............................. Av Oz 750,000 750,000 750,000
Quinine................................ Av Oz 750,000 750,000 750,000
Rubber................................. LT 0 70,000 70,000
Sebacic Acid........................... LB 400,000 400,000 400,000
Silicon Carbide........................ ST 9,000 5,000 5,000
Silver (for coinage)................... Tr Oz 9,000,000 10,000,000 10,000,000
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Talc................................... ST 1,000 1,000 1,000
Tantalum Carbide Powder................ LB Ta 2,000 4,000 4,000
Tantalum Metal Powder.................. LB Ta 0 50,000 50,000
Tantalum Minerals...................... LB Ta 100,000 200,000 200,000
Tantalum Oxide......................... LB Ta 0 20,000 20,000
Thorium................................ LB 1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000
Tin.................................... MT 12,000 12,000 12,000
Titanium Sponge........................ ST 4,000 5,000 5,000
Tungsten, Carbide Powder............... LB W 0 1,000,000 1,000,000
Tungsten, Ferro........................ LB W 0 100,000 100,000
Tungsten, Metal Powder................. LB W 0 150,000 150,000
Tungsten Ores & Concentrates........... LB W 0 1,500,000 1,500,000
Vegetable Tannin Extract, Chestnut..... LT 7,500 3,000 3,000
Vegetable Tannin Extract, Quebrac...... LT 10,000 10,000 10,000
Vegetable Tannin Extract, Wattle....... LT 10,000 7,500 7,500
Zinc................................... ST 50,000 50,000 50,000
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[FR Doc. 98-25412 Filed 9-22-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-33-P