14552 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 64 / Tuesday, April 2, 1996 / Notices

permits extensions of no more than

twice the original contract length or 3

years.

Periodically, lumber markets may

experience severe declines in prices.

Based on Bureau of Labor Statistics

producer price indices, the lumber

market peaked in the fourth quarter of

1993. Since then, price indices have

declined approximately 25 percent. The

Douglas fir dressed lumber price index

(commodity code 0801101) used to

measure severe market declines in

western Oregon and Washington has

reflected the market decrease. Timber

sale purchasers in this area have

received 1 year of additional contract

time, if requested. However, the other

species dressed lumber price index

(commodity code 081103) used to

measure severe market declines in other

parts of the West and the Northeast does

not appear to be as predictable an

indicator of market declines as the

index used in the Pacific Northwest. As

a result, timber sale purchasers in these

areas have not received any additional

time to complete their contracts. Some

of these timber sale purchasers are

facing contract default, mill closure, and

bankruptcy. Additional contract time

would assist these purchasers by giving

time in which the market may improve

or in which they could mix their highpriced sales with lower-priced sales.

The Government benefits if defaulted

timber sale contracts, mill closures, and

bankruptcies can be avoided by granting

contract extensions, because having

numerous, economically viable timber

sale purchasers both maintains market

opportunities and increases competition

for National Forest System timber sales.

These factors result in higher prices

paid for such timber. In addition, the

Government would avoid the difficult

and expensive process of collective

contract default damages.

The Department is in the process of

evaluating alternatives to the existing

market-related contract term addition

rule. While these alternatives are being

evaluated, it is desirable to prevent

contract defaults by allowing additional

contract time on certain contracts that

will terminate before the policy review

is complete.

Accordingly, the Under Secretary of

Agriculture for Natural Resources and

the Environment has made a finding

that there is a substantial overriding

public interest in extending sales for

120 days while the Department

considers options for addressing

declining market prices on timber under

contract. The text of the finding, as

signed by the Under Secretary, is set out

at the end of this notice.

In addition, all contracts that use the

Bureau of Labor Statistics ‘‘other species

dressed’’ producer price index

(commodity code 081103) to measure

market declines may, if requested by the

timber sale purchaser, obtain deferral

for 120 days of periodic payments that

are due prior to August 1, 1996.

Dated: March 28, 1996.

David G. Unger,

Associate Chief.

Determination of Substantial

Overriding Public Interest for

Extending Certain Timber Sale

Contracts

Government indices indicate a major

downturn in the lumber market has

occurred from fourth quarter of 1993 to

the present. While many Forest Service

timber sale contracts contain provisions

to extend termination dates during

severely declining markets, the

mechanisms used in some areas of the

country to measure severely declining

markets do not appear to be performing

as intended.

The Douglas fir dressed lumber price

index (commodity code 0801101) used

to measure severe market declines in

western Oregon and Washington has

reflected the market decrease. Timber

sale purchasers in this area have

received 1 year of additional contract

time, if requested. However, the other

species dressed lumber price index

(commodity code 081103) used to

measure severe market declines in other

parts of the West and the Northeast does

not appear to be as predictable an

indicator of market declines as the

index used in the Pacific Northwest. As

a result, timber sale purchasers in these

areas have not received any additional

time to complete their contracts. Some

of these timber sale purchasers are

facing contract default, mill closure, and

bankruptcy. Additional contract time

would assist these purchasers by giving

time in which the market may improve

or in which they could mix their highpriced sales with lower-priced sales.

The Government benefits if defaulted

timber sale contracts, mill closures, and

bankruptcies can be avoided by granting

contract extensions, because having

numerous, economically viable timber

sale purchasers both maintains market

opportunities and increases competition

for National Forest System timber sales.

These factors result in higher prices

paid for such timber. In addition, the

Government would avoid the difficult

and expensive process of collecting

contract default damages.

Therefore, pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 472a

and to the authority delegated to me at

7 CFR 2.19, I have determined that it is

in the substantial overriding public

interest to extend certain National

Forest System timber sale contracts that

use the Bureau of Labor Statistics ‘‘other

species dressed’’ producer price index

(commodity code 081103) to measure

market changes while the Department

evaluates alternatives for changing the

current market-related contract term

addition rule. Such an extension may be

granted, upon a timber sale purchaser’s

written request, only for 120 days and

only on contracts that would otherwise

terminate prior to August 1, 1996.

Dated: March 28, 1996.

J.R. Lyons,

Deputy Under Secretary for Agriculture.

[FR Doc. 96–8089 Filed 3–29–96; 10:35 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Submission For OMB Review;

Comment Request

DOC has submitted to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for

clearance the following proposal for

collection of information under the

provisions of the Paperwork Reduction

Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35).

Agency: Bureau of the Census.

Title: 1996 National Census Survey,

aka. Administrative Records

Notification Evaluation.

Form Number(s): DN–1A, DN–1B,

DN–2A, DN–2B.

Agency Approval Number: None.

Type of Request: New collection.

Burden: 10,030 hours.

Number of Respondents: 27,200.

Avg Hours Per Response: 22 minutes.

Needs and Uses: The Census Bureau

is testing the use of administrative

records in the Census 2000 to estimate

the characteristics of nonresponding

households, supplement data for

respondents that return incomplete

forms, and estimate the number of

persons missed within households. To

enhance the usability of administrative

record information, the Census Bureau

is also considering asking respondents

in the Census 2000 to provide their

Social Security number (SSN). To

further research in these areas the

Census Bureau plans to conduct the

Administrative Records Notification

Evaluation (ARNE). Approximately

27,000 respondents nationwide will

receive census forms to complete and

mail back (both short– and long–form

versions will be used). Accompanying

the forms will be one of two different

introductory letters containing varying

statements addressing our use of

administrative records. Additionally,
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 64 / Tuesday, April 2, 1996 / Notices 14553

some respondents will be asked to

provide their SSN. Response rates to the

different mail treatments will assist in

the decision of how to inform

respondents about our use of

administrative records and will measure

respondent sensitivity to asking for

SSN.

Affected Public: Individuals.

Frequency: One–time.

Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory.

OMB Desk Officer: Jerry Coffey, (202)

395–7314.

Copies of the above information

collection proposal can be obtained by

calling or writing Linda Engelmeier,

Acting DOC Forms Clearance Officer,

(202) 482–3272, Department of

Commerce, room 5312, 14th and

Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington,

DC 20230.

Written comments and

recommendations for the proposed

information collection should be sent

within 30 days of publication of this

notice to Jerry Coffey, OMB Desk

Officer, room 10201, New Executive

Office Building, Washington, DC 20503.

Dated: March 27, 1996.

Linda Engelmeier,

Acting Departmental Forms Clearance

Officer, Office of Management and

Organization.

[FR Doc. 96– 7948 Filed 4–1–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–07–F

Bureau of the Census

Census Advisory Committee of

Professional Associations; Notice of

Public Meeting

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory

Committee Act (P.L. 92–463 as amended

by P.L. 94–409), we are giving notice of

an Ad Hoc meeting of the Census

Advisory Committee (CAC) of

Professional Associations. It will

include members of the CAC’s of the

American Statistical Association

subcommittee, and the Population of

America Association subcommittee. The

meeting will convene on April 25–26,

1996 at the Ramada Seminary Plaza,

4641 Kenmore Avenue, Alexandria, VA

22304.

The subcommittees are composed of

nine members each appointed by the

Presidents of the American Statistical

Association and the Population

Association of America. The committee

advises the Director, Bureau of the

Census, on the full range of Census

Bureau programs and activities in

relation to the areas of expertise.

The agenda for the meeting on April 25

that will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m.

is:

• Introductory Remarks.

• Discussion on the 1995 Census Test

Design and Results.

The agenda for the meeting on April 26

that will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 12 noon

is:

• Continued discussion on the 1995

Census Test Design and Results.

• Closing Session.

The meeting is open to the public,

and a brief period is set aside on April

26, during the closing session, for public

comment and questions. Those persons

with extensive questions or statements

must submit them in writing to the

Census Bureau Committee Liaison

Officer, Ms. Maxine Anderson-Brown,

Room 3039, Federal Building 3,

Washington, DC 20233, at least three

days before the meeting.

This meeting is physically accessible

to people with disabilities. Requests for

sign language interpretation, or other

auxiliary aids should also be directed to

the Census Bureau Committee Liaison

Officer.

Persons wishing additional

information or minutes for this meeting,

or who wish to submit written

statements, may contact the Committee

Liaison Officer on 301–457–2308, TDD

301–457–2540.

Dated: March 26, 1996.

Martha Farnsworth Riche,

Director, Bureau of the Census.

[FR Doc. 96–7962 Filed 4–1–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–07–P

International Trade Administration

[C–357–803, C–357–403, C–357–002, C–357–

005]

Initiation of Changed Circumstances

Countervailing Duty Administrative

Reviews: Leather From Argentina,

Wool From Argentina, Oil Country

Tubular Goods From Argentina, and

Cold-Rolled Carbon Steel Flat-Rolled

Products From Argentina

AGENCY: Import Administration,

International Trade Administration,

Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Initiation of changed

circumstances countervailing duty

administrative reviews: Leather from

Argentina, wool from Argentina, oil

country tubular goods from Argentina,

and cold-rolled carbon steel flat-rolled

products from Argentina.

SUMMARY: On September 6, 1995, the

Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit,

in a case involving imports of Mexican

ceramic tile, ruled that, absent an injury

determination by the International

Trade Commission (ITC), the

Department of Commerce (the

Department) may not assess

countervailing duties under 19 U.S.C.

1303(a)(1) (1988; repealed 1994) on

entries of dutiable merchandise which

occurred after April 23, 1985, the date

Mexico became ‘‘a country under the

Agreement.’’ Ceramica Regiomontana v.

U.S., Court No. 95–1026 (Fed. Cir., Sept.

6, 1995) (Ceramica).

Argentina attained the status of ‘‘a

country under the Agreement’’ on

September 20, 1991. Therefore, in

consideration of the Ceramica decision,

we are initiating changed circumstances

administrative reviews of the

countervailing duty orders on leather,

wool, oil country tubular goods (OCTG),

and cold-rolled carbon steel flat-rolled

products from Argentina, which were in

effect when Argentina became a country

under the Agreement. These orders,

which were issued under 19 U.S.C.

1303, have entries that have not yet

been liquidated. Other Argentine orders

that were in effect at the time Argentina

became a country under the Agreement

have since been revoked and all entries

liquidated.

EFFECTIVE DATE: April 2, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Brian Albright or Cameron Cardozo,

Office of Countervailing Compliance,

Import Administration, International

Trade Administration, U.S. Department

of Commerce, 14th Street and

Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington,

DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482–2786.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On September 6, 1995, the Court of

Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled

that the Department may not assess

countervailing duties under section 19

U.S.C. 1303(a)(1) on entries from

Mexico of dutiable merchandise which

occurred after April 23, 1985, the

effective date of Mexico’s Bilateral

Agreement with the U.S. through which

Mexico became a ‘‘country under the

Agreement.’’ (Ceramica at 8). After

Mexico became a ‘‘country under the

Agreement,’’ the only provision under

which the Department could continue to

impose countervailing duties was 19

U.S.C. 1671(a)(1988), as amended by

Uruguay Round Agreements Act (1994),

which requires the ITC to conduct an

injury determination. 19 U.S.C.

1671(a)(2). The ITC never conducted an

injury investigation regarding imports to

the United States of Mexican ceramic

tile. As a result, the Department

amended the previous revocation of the

order on Ceramic Tile from Mexico to

make the revocation effective April 23,

1985, rather than January 1, 1995, in