[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 168 (Friday, August 29, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51546-51548]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20673]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Industry and Security

[Docket No. 140818678-4678-01]


National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee Request for 
Public Comments on the Potential Market Impact of the Proposed Fiscal 
Year 2016 Annual Materials Plan

AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and Security, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of inquiry; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of 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 the proposed Fiscal Year 2016 National 
Defense Stockpile Annual Materials Plan. The role of the Market Impact 
Committee is to advise the National Defense Stockpile Manager on the 
projected domestic and foreign economic effects of all acquisitions and 
disposals involving the stockpile and related material research and 
development projects. Public comments are an important element of the 
Committee's market impact review process.

DATES: To be considered, written comments must be received by September 
29, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Address all comments concerning this notice to Susan Kramer, 
U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of 
Strategic Industries and Economic Security, 1401 Constitution Avenue 
NW., Room 3876, Washington, DC 20230, fax: (202) 482-5650 (Attn: Susan 
Kramer), email: [email protected]; and Jordan Kwok, U.S. Department of 
State, Bureau of Energy Resources, 2201 C Street NW., Washington, DC 
20520, fax: (202) 647-4037 (Attn: Jordan Kwok), or email: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Kramer, Office of Strategic 
Industries and Economic Security, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, telephone: (202) 482-0117, fax: (202) 482-5650 
(Attn: Susan Kramer), email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Under the authority of the Strategic and Critical Materials Stock 
Piling Revision Act of 1979, as amended (the Stock Piling Act) (50 
U.S.C. 98, et seq.), the Department of Defense's Defense

[[Page 51547]]

Logistics Agency (DLA), 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 9(b)(2)(G)(ii) of the Stock Piling Act 
(50 U.S.C. 98(h)(b)(2)(G)(ii)) authorizes the National Defense 
Stockpile Manager to fund material research and development projects to 
develop new materials for the stockpile.
    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 U.S. Government 
against avoidable loss.
    The Committee is comprised of representatives from the Departments 
of Commerce, State, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, the 
Treasury, and Homeland Security, and is co-chaired by the Departments 
of Commerce and State. The FY 1993 NDAA directs the Committee to 
consult with industry representatives that produce, process, or consume 
the materials stored in or of interest to the National Defense 
Stockpile Manager.
    As the National Defense Stockpile Manager, the DLA must produce an 
Annual Materials Plan proposing the maximum quantity of each listed 
material that may be acquired, disposed of, upgraded, or sold by the 
DLA in a particular fiscal year. In Attachment 1, the DLA lists the 
quantities and type of activity (potential acquisition, potential 
disposal, or potential upgrade) associated with each material in its 
proposed FY 2016 Annual Materials Plan (``AMP''). The quantities listed 
in Attachment 1 are not acquisition, disposal, upgrade, or sales target 
quantities, but rather a statement of the proposed maximum quantity of 
each listed material that may be acquired, disposed of, upgraded, or 
sold in a particular fiscal year by the DLA, as noted. The quantity of 
each material that will actually be acquired or offered for sale will 
depend on the market for the material at the time of the acquisition or 
offering, as well as on the quantity of each material approved for 
acquisition, disposal, or upgrade by Congress.
    The Committee is seeking public comments on the potential market 
impact associated with the proposed FY 2016 AMP as enumerated in 
Attachment 1. Public comments are an important element of the 
Committee's market impact review process.

Submission of Comments

    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 quantities associated 
with the proposed FY 2016 AMP. All comments must be submitted to the 
addresses indicated in this notice. All comments submitted through 
email must include the phrase ``Market Impact Committee Notice of 
Inquiry'' in the subject line.
    The Committee encourages interested persons who wish to comment to 
do so at the earliest possible time. The period for submission of 
comments will close on September 29, 2014. The Committee will consider 
all comments received before the close of the comment period. Comments 
received after the end of the comment period will be considered, if 
possible, but their consideration cannot be assured.
    All comments submitted in response to this notice will be made a 
matter of public record and will be available 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 record. The Committee will seek to protect such information 
to the extent permitted by law.
    The Office of Administration, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, displays public comments on the BIS Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA) Web site at http://www.bis.doc.gov/foia. This 
office does not maintain a separate public inspection facility. If you 
have technical difficulties accessing this Web site, please call BIS's 
Office of Administration at (202) 482-1900 for assistance.

    Dated: August 25, 2014.
Kevin J. Wolf,
Assistant Secretary for Export Administration.

Attachment 1

             Proposed Fiscal Year 2016 Annual Materials Plan
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Material              Unit        Quantity        Footnote
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sales/Upgrades/Disposals
    Beryllium Metal..........  ST                   15.5           (1 2)
    Chromium, Ferro..........  ST               23,500               (2)
    Chromium, Metal..........  ST                  200               (2)
    Manganese, Ferro.........  ST               50,000               (2)
    Manganese, Metallurgical   SDT             322,025         (3 4 5 6)
     Grade.
    Platinum.................  Tr Oz             8,380             (4 5)
    Platinum--Iridium........  Tr Oz               489             (4 5)
    Tin......................  MT                  804             (1 6)
    Tungsten Metal Powder....  LB W             77,433           (4 5 6)
    Tungsten Ores and          LB W          3,000,000             (2 6)
     Concentrates.
    Zinc.....................  ST                7,993             (4 5)
Acquisitions
    High Modulus High          MT                    4.5
     Strength Carbon Fibers.
    CZT (Cadmium Zinc          cm\2\            16,000
     Tellurium substrates).
    TATB (Triamino-            LB               16,000
     Trinitrobenzene).
    Lithium Cobalt Oxide       Kg                  300
     (LCO).
    Lithium Nickel Cobalt      Kg                1,080
     Aluminum Oxide (LNCAO).
    Mesocarbon Microbeads      Kg                1,296
     (MCMB).
    Boron Carbide............  LB               65,000
    Dysprosium Metal.........  MT                    0.5
    Ferro-niobium............  MT                  104.5

[[Page 51548]]

 
    Germanium Metal..........  Kg                1,600
    Tantalum.................  Lb Ta            46,750
    Tungsten-3 Rhenium Metal.  Kgs               2,500
    Yttrium Oxide............  MT                   10
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Footnote Key:
\1\ Potential Upgrade/Rotation.
\2\ Potential Disposal to Support Revenue Goals.
\3\ Potential Disposal (Landfill).
\4\ Actual Quantity Will Be Limited To Remaining Inventory.
\5\ Inventory Depleted Based On Anticipated Rates Of Disposal, Sale,
  Etc.
\6\ Potential Barter.

[FR Doc. 2014-20673 Filed 8-28-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-33-P