[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 199 (Tuesday, October 15, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63606-63608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-26165]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Industry and Security

[Docket No. 021001228-2228-01]


National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee Request for 
Public Comments on the Potential Market Impact of Proposed Stockpile 
Disposals in FY 2003 and FY 2004

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of inquiry.

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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 levels of excess materials 
from the National Defense Stockpile under the Fiscal Year 2003 Annual 
Materials Plan and proposed commodity disposal levels under the Fiscal 
Year 2004 Annual Materials Plan.

DATES: Comments must be received by November 14, 2002.

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 Industry and 
Security, 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: The co-chairs of the National Defense 
Stockpile Market Impact Committee. Contact either Richard V. Meyers, 
Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security, Bureau of 
Industry and 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authority of the Strategic and 
Critical Materials Stock Piling Act of 1979, as

[[Page 63607]]

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 is proposing (1) 
revision of the previously approved FY 2003 Annual Materials Plan 
(``AMP'') quantities for three materials, and (2) the new FY 2004 AMP, 
as set forth in Attachment 1. The Committee is seeking public comments 
on the potential market impact of the sale of these materials as 
proposed in revision of the FY 2003 AMP and the FY 2004 AMP.
    The AMP quantities are not targets for either sale or disposal. 
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 of the offering 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 AMP 
commodities. Although comments in response to this Notice must be 
received by November 14, 2002, 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 sale of these commodities. 
Public comments are 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 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 CFR 4.1 et seq.). Specifically, the 
Bureau of Industry and Security's Freedom of Information Act (``FOIA'') 
reading room is located on its web page, which can be found at http://www.bis.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: October 9, 2002.
James J. Jochum,
Assistant Secretary for Export Administration, Bureau of Industry and 
Security, Department of Commerce.

        Attachment 1.--Proposed Revisions to FY 2003 Annual Materials Plan (AMP) and Proposed FY 2004 AMP
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                                                    Current FY   Revised FY                Proposed    Proposed
            Material                    Unit           2003         2003       Revised      FY2004       FY 04
                                                     Quanity      quantity   FY03 notes    quantity      notes
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Aluminum Oxide, Abrasive........  ST                     6,000  ...........  ..........        6,000  ..........
Antimony........................  ST                     5,000  ...........           1            0  ..........
Bauxite, Metallurgical Jamaican.  LDT                2,000,000  ...........           1            0  ..........
Bauxite, Refractory.............  LCT                   43,000  ...........           1       43,000           1
Beryl Ore.......................  ST                     4,000  ...........  ..........        4,000           1
Beryllium Metal.................  ST                        40  ...........  ..........           40  ..........
Beryllium Copper Master Alloy...  ST                     1,000        1,200           1        1,200           1
Cadmium.........................  LB                 1,200,000  ...........  ..........      400,000           1
Celestite.......................  SDT                    3,600       12,794           2       12,794           1
Chromite, Chemical..............  SDT                  100,000  ...........           1      100,000           1
Chromite, Metallurgical.........  SDT                  100,000  ...........           1            0  ..........
Chromite, Refractory............  SDT                  100,000  ...........  ..........      100,000           1
Chromium, Ferro.................  ST                   150,000  ...........  ..........      150,000           1
Chromium, Metal.................  ST                       500  ...........  ..........          500  ..........
Cobalt..........................  LB Co              6,000,000  ...........  ..........    6,000,000  ..........
Columbium Carbide Powder........  LB Cb                 21,500  ...........           1            0  ..........
Columbium Concentrates..........  LB Cb                560,000  ...........  ..........      560,000  ..........
Columbium Metal Ingots..........  LB Cb                 20,000  ...........  ..........       20,000  ..........
Diamond Stone...................  ct                   600,000    1,000,000           1      600,000           1
Fluorspar, Acid Grade...........  SDT                   12,000  ...........           1       12,000           1
Fluorspar, Metallurgical Grade..  SDT                   60,000  ...........           1       60,000           1
Germanium.......................  Kg                     8,000  ...........  ..........        8,000  ..........
Graphite........................  ST                     3,760        4,800           1        2,000           1
Iodine..........................  LB                 1,000,000  ...........  ..........    1,000,000  ..........
Jewel Bearings..................  PC                82,051,558  ...........           1   82,051,558           1
Kyanite.........................  SDT                      150  ...........           1            0  ..........
Lead............................  ST                    60,000  ...........  ..........       60,000  ..........
Manganese, Battery Grade,         SDT                   30,000  ...........  ..........       30,000  ..........
 Natural.
Manganese, Battery Grade,         SDT                    3,011  ...........           1        3,011           1
 Synthetic.
Manganese, Chemical Grade.......  SDT                   40,000  ...........  ..........       40,000  ..........

[[Page 63608]]

 
Manganese, Ferro................  ST                    25,000  ...........  ..........       50,000  ..........
Manganese, Metal, Electrolytic..  ST                     2,000  ...........  ..........        2,000  ..........
Manganese, Metallurgical Grade..  SDT                  250,000  ...........  ..........      250,000           1
Mica, All.......................  LB                 8,500,000  ...........           1    5,000,000           1
Palladium.......................  Tr Oz                350,000  ...........           1      200,000           1
Platinum........................  Tr Oz                 50,000  ...........           1       25,000           1
Platinum--Iridium...............  Tr Oz                  6,000  ...........  ..........        6,000  ..........
Quartz Crystals.................  Lb                   216,648  ...........           1      150,000           1
Quinidine.......................  OZ                   750,000    2,211,122           2    2,211,122           1
Rubber..........................  LT                    75,000  ...........           1            0  ..........
Sebacic Acid....................  LB                   600,000  ...........     600,000  ...........
Silver (Coins)..................  Tr Oz              5,000,000  ...........           1            0  ..........
Talc............................  ST                     2,000  ...........           1        1,000           1
Tantalum Carbide Powder.........  LB Ta                  4,000  ...........  ..........        4,000           1
Tantalum Metal Ingots...........  LB Ta                 40,000  ...........  ..........       40,000  ..........
Tantalum Metal Powder...........  LB Ta                 50,000  ...........           1       40,000           1
Tantalum Minerals...............  LB Ta                500,000  ...........  ..........      500,000  ..........
Tantalum Oxide..................  LB Ta                 20,000  ...........  ..........       20,000  ..........
Thorium.........................  LB                 7,100,000  ...........       \1/3\    7,100,000       \1/3\
Tin.............................  MT                    12,000  ...........  ..........       12,000  ..........
Titanium Sponge.................  ST                     7,000  ...........  ..........        7,000  ..........
Tungsten Ferro..................  LB W                 300,000  ...........  ..........      300,000  ..........
Tungsten Metal Powder...........  LB W                 300,000  ...........  ..........      300,000  ..........
Tungsten Ores & Concentrates....  LB W               4,000,000  ...........  ..........    4,000,000  ..........
VTE, Chestnut...................  LT                       250  ...........           1            0  ..........
VTE, Quebracho..................  LT                    50,000  ...........  ..........       50,000  ..........
VTE, Wattle.....................  LT                     6,500  ...........           1            0  ..........
Zinc............................  ST                    50,000  ...........  ..........       50,000  ..........
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Notes: 1. Actual quantity will be limited to remaining sales authority or inventory. 2. Previously approve by
  MIC. Submission to Congress pending. 3. The radioactive nature of this material may restrict sales or disposal
  options. Efforts are underway to determine the environmentally and economically feasible disposition of the
  material.

[FR Doc. 02-26165 Filed 10-11-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P