[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 191 (Monday, October 2, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58731-58733]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-25233]


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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 under the Fiscal Year 2002 Annual 
Materials Plan (AMP) and revisions to commodity disposals approved 
under the FY 2001 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 November 1, 2000.

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) 482-5650.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard V. Meyers, Office of Strategic 
Industries and Economic Security, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 
482-3634; or Terri L. Robl, 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,

[[Page 58732]]

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.''
    Attachment 1 lists the current FY 2001 AMP quantities (previously 
approved by the Committee), proposed revisions to the FY 2001 AMP 
quantities for 5 materials, and the proposed FY 2002 AMP. The Committee 
is seeking public comment on the potential market impact of the sale of 
these materials as proposed in the revised FY 2001 AMP and FY 2002 AMP.
    The quantities listed in Attachment 1 are not sales target disposal 
quantities. They are only a statement of the proposed maximum disposal 
quantity of each listed 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 each 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 November 1, 2000, 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. 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 27, 2000.
Daniel Hill,
Director, Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security.

                  Attachment 1.--Proposed Annual Material Plans for FY 2001 Revised and FY 2002
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                                                                   Currently FY     Revised FY      Proposed FY
               Material                          Units             2001 quantity   2001 quantity   2002 quantity
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Aluminum Oxide, Abrasive.............  ST                                  6,000  ..............           6,000
Antimony.............................  ST                                  5,000  ..............           5,000
Bauxite, Metallurgical (Jamaican)....  LDT                             2,000,000  ..............       2,000,000
Bauxite, Metallurgical (Surinam).....  LDT                         \1\ 1,000,000  ..............   \1\ 1,000,000
Beryl Ore............................  ST                                  4,000  ..............           4,000
Beryllium Metal......................  ST                                     40  ..............              40
Beryllium Copper Master Alloy........  ST                                  2,200  ..............           2,200
Cadmium..............................  LB                              1,200,000  ..............       1,200,000
Celestite............................  SDT                                 3,600  ..............           3,600
Chromite, Chemical...................  SDT                           \1\ 100,000  ..............     \1\ 100,000
Chromite, Metallurgical..............  SDT                               250,000  ..............     \1\ 100,000
Chromite, Refractory.................  SDT                               100,000  ..............         100,000
Chromium, Ferro......................  ST                                150,000  ..............         150,000
Chromium, Metal......................  ST                                    500  ..............             500
Cobalt...............................  LB Co                           6,000,000  ..............       6,000,000
Columbium, Carbide Powder............  LB Cb                             21,5001  ..............         21,5001
Columbium Concentrates (Minerals)....  LB Cb                             375,000         450,000         450,000
Columbium Metal Ingots...............  LB Cb                              20,000  ..............          20,000
Diamond Stone........................  ct                              1,000,000  ..............     \1\ 510,000
Fluorspar, Acid Grade................  SDT                                     0      \1\ 12,000      \1\ 12,000
Fluorspar, Metallurgical.............  SDT                                60,000  ..............          60,000
Germanium............................  KG                                  8,000  ..............           8,000
Graphite.............................  ST                                  3,760  ..............           3,760
Iodine...............................  LB                              1,000,000  ..............       1,000,000
Jewel Bearings.......................  PC                         \1\ 52,000,000  ..............  \1\ 52,000,000
Lead.................................  ST                                 60,000  ..............          60,000
Manganese, Battery Grade Natural.....  SDT                                30,000  ..............          30,000
Manganese, Battery Grade Synthetic...  SDT                             \1\ 3,011  ..............               0
Manganese, Chemical Grade............  SDT                                40,000  ..............          40,000
Manganese, Ferro.....................  ST                                 50,000         100,000         100,000
Manganese, Metal Electrolytic........  ST                                  2,000  ..............           2,000

[[Page 58733]]

 
Manganese, Metallurgical Grade.......  SDT                               250,000  ..............         250,000
Mica (All Types).....................  LB                              4,000,000  ..............       4,000,000
Palladium............................  Tr Oz                             300,000  ..............         300,000
Platinum.............................  Tr Oz                             125,000  ..............          95,000
Quinidine............................  Oz                                750,000  ..............         750,000
Quinine..............................  Oz                              1,000,000  ..............     \1\ 200,000
Rubber...............................  LT                                      0      \1\ 70,000      \1\ 70,000
Sebacic Acid.........................  LB                                600,000  ..............         600,000
Silver (for coinage).................  Tr Oz                          10,000,000      13,000,000       5,000,000
Talc.................................  ST                              \1\ 1,000  ..............       \1\ 1,000
Tantalum Carbide Powder..............  LB Ta                               4,000  ..............           4,000
Tantalum Metal Ingots................  LB Ta                              40,000  ..............          40,000
Tantalum Metal Powder................  LB Ta                              50,000  ..............          50,000
Tantalum Minerals....................  LB Ta                             300,000         400,000         400,000
Tantalum Oxide.......................  LB Ta                              20,000  ..............          20,000
Thorium Nitrate \2\..................  LB                           \1\7,093,464  ..............   \1\ 7,093,464
Tin..................................  MT                                 12,000  ..............          12,000
Titanium Sponge......................  ST                                  5,000  ..............           5,000
Tungsten, Carbide Powder.............  LB W                            1,000,000  ..............       1,000,000
Tungsten, Ferro......................  LB W                              300,000  ..............         300,000
Tungsten, Metal Powder...............  LB W                              150,000  ..............         150,000
Tungsten Ores & Concentrates.........  LB W                            4,000,000  ..............       4,000,000
Vegetable Tannin Extract, Chestnut...  LT                              \1\ 1,100  ..............               0
Vegetable Tannin Extract, Quebrac....  LT                                 10,000  ..............          10,000
Vegetable Tannin Extract, Wattle.....  LT                              \1\ 6,500  ..............       \1\ 6,500
Zinc.................................  ST                                 50,000  ..............          50,000
Zirconium (Baddeleyite)..............  SDT                            \1\ 17,383  ..............              0
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Notes
\1\ FY 2001 entries (current or proposed revision) are an adjustment to available inventory. For FY 2002
  entries, actual quantity will be limited to remaining sales authority or inventory.
\2\ The radioactive nature of this material may restrict sales or disposal options.

[FR Doc. 00-25233 Filed 9-29-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-33-P