[Federal Register: July 9, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 131)]
[Notices]
[Page 35772-35773]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09jy01-22]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of Export Administration
[Docket No. 010628164-1164-01]
National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee Request for
Public Comments on the Potential Market Impact of Proposed Increases in
Stockpile Disposals of Mica Splittings and Titanium Sponge
AGENCY: Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of request for public comments on the potential market
impact of proposed increases in the disposal quantities of Mica
Splittings and Titanium Sponge from the National Defense Stockpile
under the proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2002 Annual Materials Plan (AMP).
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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 comments on the potential market
impact of proposed increases in the disposal quantities of Mica
Splittings and Titanium Sponge National Defense Stockpile under the
proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2002 Annual Materials Plan (AMP).
DATES: Comments must be received by August 8, 2001.
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, Bureau of Export
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230; FAX (202) 482-5650; E-
Mail; rmeyers@bxa.doc.gov
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard V. Meyers, Office of Strategic
Industries and Economic Security, Bureau of Export Administration, U.S.
Department of Commerce, (202) 482-3634; or Terri L. Robl, 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 National Defense Stockpile Administrator (``the
Administrator'') has proposed revising the proposed FY 2002 Annual
Materials Plan (AMP) (previously approved by the Committee) to increase
the disposal quantities of Mica Splittings from 4 million pounds to 8.5
million pounds, and Titanium Sponge from 5,000 short tons to 7,000
short tons.
The proposed increase for Mica Splittings will allow the
Administrator to consider the possibility of an offer to sell most of
the remaining Stockpile inventory of Mica Splittings in one
transaction. The proposed increase for
[[Page 35773]]
Titanium Sponge will allow the Administrator to sell additional
quantities of the material to meet increased industry demand. The
Committee is seeking public comments on the potential market impact of
these proposed increases.
The quantities of Mica Splittings and Titanium Sponge listed in the
proposed FY 2002 AMP are not sales target disposal quantities. They are
only a statement of the proposed maximum quantities of these materials
that may be disposed of in a particular fiscal year. The quantities of
these two materials that will actually be offered for sale will depend
on the market for the materials at the time of their offering as well
as on the quantities of the materials 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 proposed increased
disposal quantities of Mica Splittings and Titanium Sponge. Although
comments in response to this Notice must be received by August 8, 2001
to ensure full consideration by the Committee, interested parties are
encouraged to submit comments and supporting information at any time
thereafter to keep the Committee informed as to the market impact of
the sales of these materials. Public comment is an important element of
the Committee's market impact review process.
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. The Committee will seek to protect such information to the extent
permitted by law.
The records related to this Notice will be made accessible in
accordance with the regulations published in part 4 of title 15 of the
Code of Federal Regulations (15 C.F.R. 4.1 et seq.). Specifically, the
Bureau of Export Administration's FOIA reading room is located on its
web page, which can be found at http://www.bxa.doc.gov, and copies of
the public comments received will be maintained at that location (see
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) heading). If requesters cannot access
the web site, they may call (202) 482-2165 for assistance.
Dated: June 28, 2001.
Matthew S. Borman,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Export Administration.
[FR Doc. 01-17101 Filed 7-6-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-M