[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 131 (Monday, July 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35772-35773]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-17101]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Export Administration

[Docket No. 010628164-1164-01]


National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee Request for 
Public Comments on the Potential Market Impact of Proposed Increases in 
Stockpile Disposals of Mica Splittings and Titanium Sponge

AGENCY: Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of request for public comments on the potential market 
impact of proposed increases in the disposal quantities of Mica 
Splittings and Titanium Sponge from the National Defense Stockpile 
under the proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2002 Annual Materials Plan (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 Mica 
Splittings and Titanium Sponge National Defense Stockpile under the 
proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2002 Annual Materials Plan (AMP).

DATES: Comments must be received by August 8, 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 (``the 
Administrator'') has proposed revising the proposed FY 2002 Annual 
Materials Plan (AMP) (previously approved by the Committee) to increase 
the disposal quantities of Mica Splittings from 4 million pounds to 8.5 
million pounds, and Titanium Sponge from 5,000 short tons to 7,000 
short tons.
    The proposed increase for Mica Splittings will allow the 
Administrator to consider the possibility of an offer to sell most of 
the remaining Stockpile inventory of Mica Splittings in one 
transaction. The proposed increase for

[[Page 35773]]

Titanium Sponge will allow the Administrator to sell additional 
quantities of the material to meet increased industry demand. The 
Committee is seeking public comments on the potential market impact of 
these proposed increases.
    The quantities of Mica Splittings and Titanium Sponge listed in the 
proposed FY 2002 AMP are not sales target disposal quantities. They are 
only a statement of the proposed maximum quantities of these materials 
that may be disposed of in a particular fiscal year. The quantities of 
these two 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 Mica Splittings and Titanium Sponge. Although 
comments in response to this Notice must be received by August 8, 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.
    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 records related to this Notice will be made accessible in 
accordance with the regulations published in part 4 of title 15 of the 
Code of Federal Regulations (15 C.F.R. 4.1 et seq.). Specifically, the 
Bureau of Export Administration's FOIA reading room is located on its 
web page, which can be found at http://www.bxa.doc.gov, and copies of 
the public comments received will be maintained at that location (see 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) heading). If requesters cannot access 
the web site, they may call (202) 482-2165 for assistance.

    Dated: June 28, 2001.
Matthew S. Borman,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Export Administration.
[FR Doc. 01-17101 Filed 7-6-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-M