Meetings: National Defense Stockpile; market impact of proposed disposals of excess commodities,
[Federal Register: September 23, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 184)]
[Notices]
[Page 50865-50867]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23se98-35]
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, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of request for public comment on the potential market impact of proposed disposals of excess commodities currently held in the National Defense Stockpile under the Fiscal Year 2000 Annual Materials Plan (AMP) and revisions to commodities proposed for disposal under the FY 1999 AMP.
SUMMARY: 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 comment on the potential market impact of proposed disposals of excess materials from the National Defense Stockpile as set forth in Attachment 1 to this notice.
DATES: Comments must be received by October 23, 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, NW, Washington, DC 20230; FAX (202) 501-0657.
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.''
The proposed FY 2000 AMP and revisions to the FY 1999 AMP have not been prepared in final form, as the Committee is now considering Defense's Stockpile material disposal levels as listed in Attachment 1. The AMP materials listed in bold in Attachment 1 cannot be sold until Congress has approved their disposal. The Committee is seeking public comment on the potential market impact of the sale of these materials in the event that Congress does grant such disposal authority.
The attached AMP listing includes 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.
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 October 23, 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
[[Page 50866]]
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: September 18, 1998. Brad I. Botwin, Acting Director, Strategic Industries and Economic Security.
Proposed FY 2000 and Revised FY 1999 AMPs [The materials in bold and italic are under Congressional consideration]
Current FY Revised FY Proposed FY Material
Units
1998 quantity 1999 quantity 2000 quantity
Aluminum............................... ST
62,881
0
0 Aluminum Oxide, Abrasive............... ST
6,000
6,000
6,000 Aluminum Oxide, Fused Crude............ ST
30,000
65,000
65,000 Analgesics............................. AMA Lb
64,127
40,000
40,000 Antimony............................... ST
5,000
5,000
5,000 Asbestos (all types)................... ST
20,000
20,000
20,000 Bauxite, Metallurgical (Jamaican)...... LDT
1,200,000 2,000,000 2,000,000 Bauxite, Metallurgical (Surinam)....... LDT
800,000 1,500,000 1,500,000 Bauxite, Refractory.................... LCT
80,000
0
0 Beryl Ore.............................. ST
2,000
2,000
2,000 Beryllium Metal........................ ST
0
40
40 Beryllium Copper Master Alloy.......... ST
1,250
1,250
1,250 Cadmium................................ LB
1,200,000 1,200,000 1,200,000 Celestite.............................. SDT
3,600
3,600
3,600 Chromite, Chemical..................... SDT
100,000
100,000
100,000 Chromite, Metallurgical................ SDT
250,000
250,000
250,000 Chromite, Refractory................... SDT
100,000
100,000
100,000 Chromium, Ferro........................ ST
50,000
150,000
150,000 Chromium, Metal........................ ST
0
500
500 Cobalt................................. LB Co
6,000,000 6,500,000 6,500,000 Columbium, Carbide Powder.............. LB Cb
0
21,500
21,500 Columbium Concentrates (Minerals)...... LB Cb
0
200,000
200,000 Columbium, Ferro....................... LB Cb
200,000
400,000
400,000 Diamond, Bort.......................... CT
1,000,000
65,000
65,000 Diamond Dies, Small.................... PC
25,473
25,473
25,473 Diamond Stone.......................... CT
1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000 Fluorspar, Acid Grade.................. SDT
180,000
100,000
100,000 Fluorspar, Metallurgical............... SDT
50,000
50,000
50,000 Germanium.............................. KG
8,000
8,000
8,000 Graphite............................... ST
2,660
3,760
3,760 Indium................................. TR Oz
35,000
15,000
15,000 Iodine................................. LB
1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000 Jewel Bearings......................... PC
52,000,000 52,000,000 52,000,000 Kyanite................................ SDT
1,200
150
150 Lead................................... ST
60,000
60,000
60,000 Manganese, Battery Grade Natural....... SDT
20,000
30,000
30,000 Manganese, Battery Grade Synthetic..... SDT
3,011
3,011
3,011 Manganese, Chemical Grade.............. SDT
40,000
40,000
40,000 Manganese, Ferro....................... ST
50,000
50,000
50,000 Manganese, Metal Electrolytic.......... ST
2,000
2,000
2,000 Manganese, Metallurgical Grade......... SDT
250,000
250,000
250,000 Mercury................................ FL
20,000
20,000
20,000 Mica (All Types)....................... LB
2,260,000 2,260,000 2,260,000 Nickel................................. ST
10,000
2,500
2,500 Palladium.............................. TR Oz
0
200,000
200,000 Platinum............................... TR Oz
0
125,000
125,000 Quinidine.............................. Av Oz
750,000
750,000
750,000 Quinine................................ Av Oz
750,000
750,000
750,000 Rubber................................. LT
0
70,000
70,000 Sebacic Acid........................... LB
400,000
400,000
400,000 Silicon Carbide........................ ST
9,000
5,000
5,000 Silver (for coinage)................... Tr Oz
9,000,000 10,000,000 10,000,000
[[Page 50867]]
Talc................................... ST
1,000
1,000
1,000 Tantalum Carbide Powder................ LB Ta
2,000
4,000
4,000 Tantalum Metal Powder.................. LB Ta
0
50,000
50,000 Tantalum Minerals...................... LB Ta
100,000
200,000
200,000 Tantalum Oxide......................... LB Ta
0
20,000
20,000 Thorium................................ LB
1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000 Tin.................................... MT
12,000
12,000
12,000 Titanium Sponge........................ ST
4,000
5,000
5,000 Tungsten, Carbide Powder............... LB W
0 1,000,000 1,000,000 Tungsten, Ferro........................ LB W
0
100,000
100,000 Tungsten, Metal Powder................. LB W
0
150,000
150,000 Tungsten Ores & Concentrates........... LB W
0 1,500,000 1,500,000 Vegetable Tannin Extract, Chestnut..... LT
7,500
3,000
3,000 Vegetable Tannin Extract, Quebrac...... LT
10,000
10,000
10,000 Vegetable Tannin Extract, Wattle....... LT
10,000
7,500
7,500 Zinc................................... ST
50,000
50,000
50,000
[FR Doc. 98-25412Filed9-22-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-33-P
