[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 96 (Wednesday, May 19, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27233-27234]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-12612]


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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 comment on the potential market 
impact of proposed disposals of excess commodities currently held in 
the National Defense Stockpile.

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SUMMARY: This notice is to advise the public that the National Defense 
Stockpile Market Impact Committee seeks public comment on the potential 
market impact of Department of Defense proposed new material disposal 
of zirconium ore, from the Stockpile under the Fiscal Year 1999 Annual 
Materials Plan (AMP). The Committee also seeks public comment on the 
Department of Defense plan to increase its current disposal levels for 
Vegetable Tannin Extract (Quebracho) and Thorium Nitrate under the AMP.

DATES: Comments must be received by June 18, 1999.

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, D.C. 
20230; FAX (202) 501-0657.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard V. Meyers, Office of Strategic 
Industries and Economic Security, U.S.

[[Page 27234]]

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 (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. In making disposals and 
acquisitions of Stockpile materials, Defense is required by law to 
refrain from causing undue market disruption, while at the same time 
protecting the government against avoidable loss.

    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 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 Committee is now considering Defense's proposed new Stockpile 
material disposal level and revisions to current Stockpile material 
disposal levels under the FY 1999 AMP. The new Stockpile material 
listed in bold in Attachment 1 cannot be sold until Congress has 
approved its disposal. It is expected that Congress will soon grant 
disposal authority.

    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.'' In order for the 
Committee to obtain sufficient information to prepare its 
recommendations to Defense, the Committee hereby requests that 
interested parties provide comment on the potential market impact of 
the commodities identified in Attachment 1.

    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 June 18, 1999 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. Information 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 
6883, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, 
NW, Washington, DC 20230, telephone (202) 482-0109. 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 Henry Gaston, the Bureau of Export 
Administration's Freedom of Information Officer, at the above address 
and telephone number.

    Dated: May 14, 1999.
Brad I. Botwin,
Acting Director, Strategic Industries and Economic Security.

Attachment 1

                Proposed Revisions to Current FY 1999 AMP
 [The material in bold and italic is under congressional consideration]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                Current  FY  Revised  FY
                                    Units           1999         1999
                                                  quantity     quantity
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thorium Nitrate..............  Lb.............    1,000,000    7,091,891
VTE, Quebracho...............  LT.............       10,000       16,000
Zirconium ore (baddeleyite)..  SDT............            0       17,383
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[FR Doc. 99-12612 Filed 5-18-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-33-P