29344 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 96 / Thursday, May 17, 2012 / Notices 

business information. Any information 

on Worksheet 6 shall not be considered 

confidential and will not be treated as 

such by the Agency. EPA will place a 

copy of Worksheet 6 in the public 

domain. Please note, claiming business 

confidentiality may delay EPA’s ability 

to review your application. 

II. What is the legal authority for the 

critical use exemption? 

A. What is the Clean Air Act (CAA) 

authority for the critical use exemption? 

In October 1998, Congress amended 

the Clean Air Act to require EPA to 

conform the U.S. phaseout schedule for 

methyl bromide to the provisions of the 

Montreal Protocol on Substances that 

Deplete the Ozone Layer for 

industrialized countries and to allow 

EPA to provide a critical use exemption. 

These amendments were codified in 

Section 604 of the Clean Air Act, 42 

U.S.C. 7671c. Under EPA implementing 

regulations, the production and 

consumption of methyl bromide was 

phased out as of January 1, 2005. 

Section 604(d)(6), as added in 1998, 

allows EPA to exempt the production 

and import of methyl bromide from the 

phaseout for critical uses, to the extent 

consistent with the Montreal Protocol. 

EPA regulations at 40 CFR 82.4 

prohibit the production and import of 

methyl bromide in excess of the amount 

of unexpended critical use allowances 

held by the producer or importer, unless 

authorized under a separate exemption. 

Methyl bromide produced or imported 

by expending critical use allowances 

may be used only for the appropriate 

category of approved critical uses as 

listed in Appendix L to the regulations 

(40 CFR 82.4(p)(2)). The use of methyl 

bromide that was produced or imported 

through the expenditure of production 

or consumption allowances prior to 

2005 is not confined to critical uses 

under EPA’s phaseout regulations; 

however, other restrictions may apply. 

B. What is the Montreal Protocol 

authority for the critical use exemption? 

The Montreal Protocol provides that 

the Parties may exempt ‘‘the level of 

production or consumption that is 

necessary to satisfy uses agreed by them 

to be critical uses’’ (Art. 2H para 5). The 

Parties to the Protocol included this 

language in the treaty’s methyl bromide 

phaseout provisions in recognition that 

alternatives might not be available by 

2005 for certain uses of methyl bromide 

agreed by the Parties to be ‘‘critical 

uses.’’ 

In their Ninth Meeting (1997), the 

Parties to the Protocol agreed to 

Decision IX/6, setting forth the 

following criteria for a ‘‘critical use’’ 

determination and an exemption from 

the production and consumption 

phaseout: 

(a) That a use of methyl bromide 

should qualify as ‘‘critical’’ only if the 

nominating Party determines that: 

(i) The specific use is critical because 

the lack of availability of methyl 

bromide for that use would result in a 

significant market disruption; and 

(ii) There are no technically and 

economically feasible alternatives or 

substitutes available to the user that are 

acceptable from the standpoint of 

environment and health and are suitable 

to the crops and circumstances of the 

nomination. 

(b) That production and consumption, 

if any, of methyl bromide for a critical 

use should be permitted only if: 

(i) All technically and economically 

feasible steps have been taken to 

minimize the critical use and any 

associated emission of methyl bromide; 

(ii) Methyl bromide is not available in 

sufficient quantity and quality from 

existing stocks of banked or recycled 

methyl bromide, also bearing in mind 

the developing countries’ need for 

methyl bromide; 

(iii) It is demonstrated that an 

appropriate effort is being made to 

evaluate, commercialize and secure 

national regulatory approval of 

alternatives and substitutes, taking into 

consideration the circumstances of the 

particular nomination. * * * NonArticle 5 Parties [e.g., developed 

countries, including the U.S.] must 

demonstrate that research programs are 

in place to develop and deploy 

alternatives and substitutes. * * * 

EPA has defined ‘‘critical use’’ in its 

regulations at 40 CFR 82.3 in a manner 

similar to Decision IX/6 paragraph (a). 

C. What is the timing for applications 

for the 2015 control period? 

There is both a domestic and 

international component to the critical 

use exemption process. The projected 

timeline for the process for the 2015 

critical use exemption is as follows: 

May 17, 2012: Solicit applications for 

the methyl bromide critical use 

exemption for 2015. 

August 15, 2012: Deadline for 

submitting critical use exemption 

applications to EPA. 

Fall 2012: U.S. Government (EPA, 

Department of State, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, and other interested 

Federal agencies) prepares U.S. Critical 

Use Nomination package. 

January 24, 2013: Deadline for U.S. 

Government to submit U.S. nomination 

package to the Protocol Parties. 

Early 2013: Technical and Economic 

Assessment Panel (TEAP) and Methyl 

Bromide Technical Options Committee 

(MBTOC) review the nominations for 

critical use exemptions. 

Mid 2013: Parties consider TEAP/ 

MBTOC recommendations. 

November 2013: Parties decide 

whether to authorize critical use 

exemptions for methyl bromide for 

production and consumption in 2015. 

Mid 2014: EPA publishes proposed 

rule for allocating critical use 

exemptions in the U.S. for 2015. 

Late 2014: EPA publishes final rule 

allocating critical use exemptions in the 

U.S. for 2015. 

January 1, 2015: Critical use 

exemption permits the limited 

production and import of methyl 

bromide for specified uses for the 2015 

control period. 

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7414, 7601, 7671– 

7671q. 

Dated: May 8, 2012. 

Sarah Dunham, 

Director, Office of Atmospheric Programs. 

[FR Doc. 2012–11842 Filed 5–16–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

EXPORT-IMPORT BANK OF THE 

UNITED STATES 

Economic Impact Policy 

This notice is to inform the public 

that the Export-Import Bank of the 

United States has received an 

application for a $4.3 billion direct loan 

to support the export of approximately 

$3.3 billion in U.S. equipment and 

services to establish a new 

petrochemical facility in Saudi Arabia. 

The U.S. exports will enable the 

facility to produce approximately: 

750,000 metric tons of linear low 

density polyethylene (LLDPE); 350,000 

metric tons of linear density 

polyethylene (LDPE); 250,000 metric 

tons of elastomers; 200,000 metric tons 

of glycol ethers; 70,000 metric tons of 

propylene glycol (MPG); 208,000 metric 

tons of ethanolamines and 

ethyleneamines; 400,000 metric tons of 

polyether polyols; 200,000 metric tons 

of toluene diisocyanate (TDI); and 

400,000 metric tons of polymeric methyl 

diphenyl diisocyanate (PMDI). Initial 

production at this facility is expected to 

be phased in from 2016 to 2018. 

Available information indicates the 

Saudi petrochemical producer plans to 

sell its products as follows: The majority 

of LDPE, LLDPE and glycol ethers will 

be sold primarily in the Asia-Pacific 

market, and the balance will be sold in 

the Europe, Middle East and Africa 

mstockstill on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 96 / Thursday, May 17, 2012 / Notices 29345 

markets; the majority of elastomers, TDI, 

PMDI, and polyether polyols will be 

sold primarily in Asia-Pacific, Europe, 

Middle East and Africa markets and 

minority will be sold in the North and 

Latin America; approximately equal 

volumes of MPG will be sold primarily 

in Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East and 

Africa markets; and approximately 

equal volumes of ethanolamines and 

ethyleneamines will be sold globally. 

Interested parties may submit 

comments on this transaction by email 

to economic.impact@exim.gov or by 

mail to 811 Vermont Avenue NW., 

Room 947, Washington, DC 20571, 

within 14 days of the date this notice 

appears in the Federal Register. 

Angela Mariana Freyre, 

Senior Vice President and General Counsel. 

[FR Doc. 2012–11953 Filed 5–16–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6690–01–P 

FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE 

CORPORATION 

Sunshine Act Meeting 

Pursuant to the provisions of the 

‘‘Government in the Sunshine Act’’ (5 

U.S.C. 552b), notice is hereby given that 

at 10:03 a.m. on Tuesday, May 15, 2012, 

the Board of Directors of the Federal 

Deposit Insurance Corporation met in 

closed session to consider matters 

related to the Corporation’s supervision, 

corporate, and resolution activities. 

In calling the meeting, the Board 

determined, on motion of Director 

Jeremiah O. Norton (Appointive), 

seconded by Director Thomas M. 

Hoenig (Appointive), concurred in by 

Director Thomas J. Curry (Comptroller 

of the Currency), Director Richard 

Cordray (Director, Consumer Financial 

Protection Bureau) and Acting 

Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg, that 

Corporation business required its 

consideration of the matters which were 

to be the subject of this meeting on less 

than seven days’ notice to the public; 

that no earlier notice of the meeting was 

practicable; that the public interest did 

not require consideration of the matters 

in a meeting open to public observation; 

and that the matters could be 

considered in a closed meeting by 

authority of subsections (c)(2), (c)(4), 

(c)(6), (c)(8), (c)(9)(A)(ii), (c)(9)(B), and 

(c)(10) of the ‘‘Government in the 

Sunshine Act’’ (5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(2), 

(c)(4), (c)(6), (c)(8), (c)(9)(A)(ii), (c)(9)(B), 

and (c)(10)). 

The meeting was held in the Board 

Room of the FDIC Building located at 

550–17th Street NW., Washington, DC. 

Dated: May 15, 2012. 

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. 

Robert E. Feldman, 

Executive Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2012–12089 Filed 5–15–12; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE P 

FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION 

Sunshine Act Meeting 

AGENCY: Federal Election Commission. 

DATE & TIME: Tuesday May 22, 2012 at 

10:00 a.m. 

PLACE: 999 E Street NW., Washington, 

DC. 

STATUS: This meeting will be closed to 

the public. 

Items To Be Discussed 

Compliance matters pursuant to 2 

U.S.C. 437g. 

Audits conducted pursuant to 2 U.S.C. 

437g, 438(b), and Title 26, U.S.C. 

Matters concerning participation in civil 

actions or proceedings or arbitration. 

Internal personnel rules and procedures 

or matters affecting a particular 

employee. 

Investigatory records compiled for law 

enforcement purposes, or information 

which if written would be contained 

in such records. 

Information the premature disclosure of 

which would be likely to have a 

considerable adverse effect on the 

implementation of a proposed 

Commission action. 

PERSON TO CONTACT FOR INFORMATION: 

Judith Ingram, Press Officer, Telephone: 

(202) 694–1220. 

Shelley E. Garr, 

Deputy Secretary of the Commission. 

[FR Doc. 2012–12114 Filed 5–15–12; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 6715–01–P 

FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM 

Proposed Agency Information 

Collection Activities; Comment 

Request 

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the 

Federal Reserve System (Board). 

ACTION: Notice and request for comment. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

requirements of the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 

chapter 35), the Board, the Federal 

Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), 

and the Office of the Comptroller of the 

Currency (OCC) (collectively, the 

agencies) may not conduct or sponsor, 

and the respondent is not required to 

respond to, an information collection 

unless it displays a currently valid 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) control number. The Federal 

Financial Institutions Examination 

Council (FFIEC), of which the agencies 

are members, has approved the 

agencies’ publication for public 

comment of a proposal to extend, 

without revision, the Country Exposure 

Report for U.S. Branches and Agencies 

of Foreign Banks (FFIEC 019), which is 

a currently approved information 

collection. The Board is publishing this 

proposal on behalf of the agencies. At 

the end of the comment period, the 

comments and recommendations 

received will be analyzed to determine 

the extent to which the FFIEC and the 

agencies should modify the reports. The 

Board will then submit the report to 

OMB for review and approval. 

DATES: Comments must be submitted on 

or before July 16, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: Interested parties are 

invited to submit written comments to 

the agency listed below. All comments, 

which should refer to the OMB control 

number, will be shared among the 

agencies. 

You may submit comments, identified 

by FFIEC 019 (7100–0213), by any of the 

following methods: 

• Agency Web Site: 

www.federalreserve.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments 

on the www.federalreserve.gov/ 

generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm. 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Email: 

regs.comments@federalreserve.gov. 

Include the OMB control number in the 

subject line of the message. 

• FAX: 202–452–3819 or 202–452– 

3102. 

• Mail: Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary, 

Board of Governors of the Federal 

Reserve System, 20th Street and 

Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, 

DC 20551. 

All public comments are available 

from the Board’s Web site at 

www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/ 

foia/ProposedRegs.cfm as submitted, 

except as necessary for technical 

reasons. Accordingly, your comments 

will not be edited to remove any 

identifying or contact information. 

Public comments may also be viewed 

electronically or in paper in Room MP– 

500 of the Board’s Martin Building (20th 

and C Streets NW.) between 9:00 a.m. 

and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. 

Additionally, commenters may send a 

copy of their comments to the OMB 

desk officer for the agencies by mail to 

Office of Information and Regulatory 

Affairs, U.S. Office of Management and 

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