[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30183-30184]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-14666]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Export Administration


National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee Request for 
Public Comments

AGENCY: Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security, Bureau of 
Export Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Request for public comment on the potential market impact of 
proposed revisions to certain material quantities under the FY 1999 
Annual Materials Plan (AMP) of National Defense Stockpile disposals.

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SUMMARY: This notice is to advise the public that the National Defense 
Stockpile Market Impact Committee seeks comments from the public 
concerning the potential market impact of the Department of Defense's 
planned disposals of excess materials currently held in the National 
Defense Stockpile. The FY 1999 AMP materials under review are Graphite 
(All), Columbium (Ferro), Bauxite (refractory, Jamaican, and Surinam), 
Tantalum (Carbide Powder), and Aluminum Oxide (Fused Crude).

DATE: Comments must be received by July 6, 1998.

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, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 
20230; FAX (202) 482-5650.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard V. Meyers, Office of Strategic 
Industries and Economic Security, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 
482-3634; or Stephen H. Muller, 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.''
    Because of current industry demand and favorable market conditions, 
DOD has requested the Committee to consider proposed revisions to AMP 
disposal levels for Graphite (All), Columbium (Ferro), Bauxite 
(refractory, Jamaican, and Surinam), Tantalum (Carbide Powder), and 
Aluminum Oxide (Fused Crude) from the National Defense Stockpile in 
Fiscal Year (FY) 1999. In order for the Committee to obtain sufficient 
information to prepare its recommendations to DOD, the Committee 
requests that interested parties provide comment on the potential 
market impact of the proposed revised disposals of these commodities.
    Included with the AMP listing of materials below are the proposed 
maximum disposal quantity for each material. These quantities are not 
sales target disposal quantities. They are only a statement of the 
proposed maximum disposal quantity of each 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 as well as on the quantity of material approved for 
disposal by Congress.

                                   Proposed Revisions to Fiscal Year 1999 AMP                                   
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                                                                                        Current  FY  Revised  FY
                     Material                                     Units                     1999         1999   
                                                                                          quantity     quantity 
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Aluminum Oxide (Fused Crude).....................  ST                                        30,000       65,000
Bauxite (Jamaican)...............................  LDT                                    1,200,000    2,000,000
Bauxite (Refractory).............................  LCT                                       80,000       90,000

[[Page 30184]]

                                                                                                                
Bauxite (Surinam)................................  LDT                                      800,000    1,500,000
Columbium (Ferro)................................  Lb Cb                                    200,000      400,000
Graphite (All)...................................  ST                                         2,660        3,760
Tantalum (Carbide Powder)........................  Lb Ta                                      2,000        4,000
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    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 
commodities. Although comments in response to this Notice must be 
received by July 6, 1998 to ensure full consideration by the Committee, 
interested parties are encouraged to submit additional 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 comment is 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. Material that is 
national security classified or business confidential will be exempted 
from public disclosure. 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. Communications from agencies of the 
United States Government will not be made available for public 
inspection.
    The public record concerning this notice will be maintained in the 
Bureau of Export Administration's Records Inspection Facility, Room 
4525, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, 
NW, Washington, DC 20230, telephone (202) 482-5653. The records in this 
facility may be inspected and copied in accordance with the regulations 
published in Part 4 of Title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations (15 
CFR 4.1 et seq.).
    Information about the inspection and copying of records at the 
facility may be obtained from Ms. Margaret Cornejo, the Bureau of 
Export Administration's Freedom of Information Officer, at the above 
address and telephone number.

    Dated: May 29, 1998.
William J. Denk,
Acting Director, Strategic Industries and Economic Security.
[FR Doc. 98-14666 Filed 6-2-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-33-P