[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 56 (Thursday, March 22, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16036-16037]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-7079]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Export Administration

[Docket No. 010315067-1067-01]


National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee Request for 
Public Comments on the Potential Market Impact of Proposed Increases in 
Stockpile Disposals of Vegetable Tannin (Quebracho) and Talc, and Sales 
of Sebacic Acid and Tungsten Metal Powder

AGENCY: Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of request for public comments on the potential market 
impact of proposed increases in the disposal quantities of Vegetable 
Tannin (Quebracho), Talc, Sebacic Acid, and Tungsten Metal Powder from 
the National Defense Stockpile under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2001 Annual 
Materials Plan (AMP) and the proposed FY 2002 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 comments on the potential market 
impact of proposed increases in the disposal quantities of Vegetable 
Tannin (Quebracho) and Talc, and sales of Sebacic Acid and Tungsten 
Metal Powder from the National Defense Stockpile under the Fiscal Year 
(FY) 2001 Annual Materials Plan (AMP) and the proposed FY 2002 AMP.

DATES: Comments must be received by April 23, 2001.

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, Bureau of Export 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. 20230; FAX (202) 482-5650; E-
Mail: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard V. Meyers, Office of Strategic 
Industries and Economic Security, Bureau of Export Administration, 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, 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 National Defense Stockpile Administrator has proposed revising 
both the current FY 2001 Annual Materials Plan (AMP) and the proposed 
FY 2002 AMP (both AMPs previously approved by the Committee) to 
increase the disposal quantities of Vegetable Tannin (Quebracho) and 
Talc, and sales of Sebacic Acid and Tungsten Metal Powder as set forth 
in Attachment 1 to this Notice. The proposed increases will allow for 
the burial of additional quantities of Vegetable Tannin and Talc; and 
will permit additional quantities of Sebacic Acid and Tungsten Metal 
Powder to be sold at high prices into a world market currently 
experiencing a shortage of these materials. The Committee is seeking 
public comments on the potential market impact of these proposed 
increases.
    The quantities of Vegetable Tannin (Quebracho), Talc, Sebacic Acid, 
and Tungsten Metal Powder (including the proposed increases) listed in 
both the FY 2001 and proposed FY 2002 AMPs are not sales target 
disposal quantities. They are only a statement of the proposed maximum 
quantities of these materials that may be disposed of or sold in a 
particular fiscal year. The quantities of materials that will actually 
be offered for sale will depend on the market for the materials at the 
time of their offering as well as on the quantities of the materials 
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 proposed increased 
disposal quantities of Vegetable Tannin (Quebracho) and Talc, and sales 
of Sebacic Acid and Tungsten Metal Powder. Although comments in 
response to this Notice must be received by April 23, 2001 to ensure 
full consideration by the Committee, interested parties are encouraged 
to submit comments and supporting information at any time thereafter to 
keep the Committee informed as to the market impact of the sales of 
these materials. 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. 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. The 
Committee will seek to protect such information to the extent permitted 
by law.
    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. Dawnielle Battle, the Bureau of 
Export Administration's Freedom of Information Officer, at the above 
address and telephone number.

    Dated: March 16, 2001.
Matthew S. Borman,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Export Administration.

[[Page 16037]]

Attachment 1

           Proposed FY 2001 and FY 2002 Annual Material Plan Increases in Material Disposal Quantities
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                                                                                Fiscal year--
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
                         Material                             Current  2001     Revised  2001    Proposed  2002
                                                                quantity          quantity          quantity
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Vegetable Tannin (Quebracho) (LT).........................            10,000            50,000            50,000
Talc (ST).................................................             1,000             2,000             2,000
Sebacic Acid (LB).........................................           600,000         1,000,000         1,000,000
Tungsten Metal Powder (LB)................................           150,000           300,000           300,000
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[FR Doc. 01-7079 Filed 3-21-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P