10310 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 44 / Thursday, March 6, 1997 / Notices

unless the collection of information

displays a valid OMB control number.

Books or records relating to a collection

of information must be retained as long

as their contents may become material

in the administration of any internal

revenue law. Generally, tax returns and

tax return information are confidential,

as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103.

Request for Comments

Comments submitted in response to

this notice will be summarized and/or

included in the request for OMB

approval. All comments will become a

matter of public record. Comments are

invited on: (a) whether the collection of

information is necessary for the proper

performance of the functions of the

agency, including whether the

information shall have practical utility;

(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate

of the burden of the collection of

information; (c) ways to enhance the

quality, utility, and clarity of the

information to be collected; (d) ways to

minimize the burden of the collection of

information on respondents, including

through the use of automated collection

techniques or other forms of information

technology; and (e) estimates of capital

or start-up costs and costs of operation,

maintenance, and purchase of services

to provide information.

Approved: February 28, 1997.

Garrick R. Shear,

IRS Reports Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–5555 Filed 3–5–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4830–01–U

Tax on Certain Imported Substances

(Epoxy); Notice of Determination

AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS),

Treasury.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice announces a

determination, under Notice 89–61, that

the list of taxable substances in section

4672(a)(3) will be modified to include

diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This modification is

effective April 1, 1992.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ruth Hoffman, Office of Assistant Chief

Counsel (Passthroughs and Special

Industries), (202) 622–3130 (not a tollfree number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Under section 4672(a), an importer or

exporter of any substance may request

that the Secretary determine whether

that substance should be listed as a

taxable substance. The Secretary shall

add the substance to the list of taxable

substances in section 4672(a)(3) if the

Secretary determines that taxable

chemicals constitute more than 50

percent of the weight, or more than 50

percent of the value, of the materials

used to produce the substance. This

determination is to be made on the basis

of the predominant method of

production. Notice 89–61, 1989–1 C.B.

717, sets forth the rules relating to the

determination process.

Determination

On February 24, 1997, the Secretary

determined that diglycidyl ether of

bisphenol-A should be added to the list

of taxable substances in section

4672(a)(3), effective April 1, 1992.

The rate of tax prescribed for

diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A , under

section 4671(b)(3), is $7.08 per ton. This

is based upon a conversion factor for

benzene of 0.459, a conversion factor for

propylene of 0.494, a conversion factor

for chlorine of 0.833, and a conversion

factor for sodium hydroxide of 0.705.

The petitioner is Dow Chemical

Company, a manufacturer and exporter

of this substance. No material comments

were received on this petition. The

following information is the basis for

the determination.

HTS number: 3907.3

CAS number: 025085–99–8

Diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A

(DGEBA) is derived from the taxable

chemicals benzene, propylene, chlorine,

and sodium hydroxide and produced

predominantly from epichlorohydrin

and bisphenol-A via a two-step reaction.

The stoichiometric material

consumption formula for this substance

is:

2 C6H6 (benzene) + 4 C3H6 (propylene)

+ 4 Cl2 (chlorine) + 6 NaOH

(sodium hydroxide) + 2 O2 (oxygen)

———> (CH3)2C(C6H4OC3H50)2

(DGEBA) + CH3COCH3 (acetone) + 2

HCl (hydrogen chloride) + 6 NaCl

(sodium chloride) + 5 H2O (water)

Diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A has

been determined to be a taxable

substance because a review of its

stoichiometric material consumption

formula shows that, based on the

predominant method of production,

taxable chemicals constitute 92.95

percent by weight of the materials used

in its production.

Dale D. Goode,

Federal Register Liaison Officer, Assistant

Chief Counsel (Corporate).

[FR Doc. 97–5554 Filed 3–5–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4830–01–U