Public Hearings on the Effects of Lifting the Export Ban on Alaskan North Slope Crude Oil

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Export Administration

Public Hearings on the Effects of Lifting the Export Ban on

Alaskan North Slope Crude Oil

AGENCY: Bureau of Export Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of rescheduled public hearings.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce's Bureau of Export Administration

(BXA) is rescheduling public hearings on the effects on the environment

and the economy of lifting the ban on the export of Alaskan North Slope

(ANS) crude oil that were announced in the Federal Register on December

15, 1995 (60 FR 64412). BXA postponed the January 1996 hearings because

of the government shutdown. The Department is conducting the hearings

pursuant to the legislation that the President signed on November 28,

1995 which, among other things, requires him to conduct an

environmental review, as well as to examine the effect of exports on

jobs, consumers, and supplies of oil. This notice announces the

rescheduled hearing dates and sites and the cancellation of the hearing

in Bakersfield, California. Persons who have previously requested the

opportunity to testify should reconfirm their interest by contacting

the Department at the address below. In the event the Department is not

open for normal business during the new hearing dates, the hearings

will be rescheduled.

DATES: The hearings will be held in Washington, D.C., on February 7,

1996; Seattle, Washington, on February 9, 1996; and Anchorage, Alaska

on February 12, 1996. Requests to speak must be submitted by February

5, 1996. The hearing in Washington, D.C. will be held in Room 6009 of

the Herbert Hoover Building, which is located at 14th Street and

Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20230. The hearing in

Seattle will be held in the auditorium of the NOAA Western Regional

Center, which is located at 7600 Sand Point Way, N.E., Seattle,

[[Page 2485]]

Washington 98115. The hearing in Anchorage will be held in the

auditorium of the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, which is located

at 121 West 7th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska.

ADDRESSES: Send requests to speak and written copies of the oral

presentation to Steven C. Goldman, Director, Office of Chemical and

Biological Controls and Treaty Compliance, Room 2093, Bureau of Export

Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and

Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, D.C., 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bernard Kritzer, Manager, Short Supply

Program, Office of Chemical and Biological Controls and Treaty

Compliance, Room 2089, Bureau of Export Administration, U.S. Department

of Commerce, 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington,

D.C., 20230, Telephone (202) 482-0894, Fax (202) 482-0751.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

On December 15, 1995, the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Export

Administration (BXA) published a notice in the Federal Register (60 FR

64412) announcing its intention to hold public hearings on the

environmental and economic affects of lifting the ban on the export of

Alaskan North Slope (ANS) crude oil. The notice proposed four hearings.

The notice also identified the issues on which the Department is

interested in obtaining the public's views. It also set forth the

procedures for public participation in the hearings. On December 28,

BXA canceled the hearings because of the shutdown of the Federal

Government. The hearings have been rescheduled as described in Section

II of this notice.

The hearings are pursuant to legislation that the President signed

legislation (Public Law 104-58) authorizing exports of Alaskan North

Slope (ANS) crude oil when transported in U.S.-flag tankers. The

statute requires the President to consider the results of an

``appropriate environmental review'' and other issues prior to making

his national interest determination. The Department is soliciting

public comments as described in the December 15, 1995 Federal Register

notice.

II. Public Hearings and Comment Procedures

The hearings will be held in Washington, D.C. on February 7, 1996;

Seattle, Washington, on February 9, 1996; and Anchorage, Alaska on

February 12, 1996. The hearings will commence at 8:30 a.m. and end at

5:30 p.m. Requests to speak must be submitted by February 5, 1996. In

the event the Department is not open for normal business during the new

hearing dates, the hearings will be rescheduled.

The hearing in Washington, D.C. will be held in room 6009 of the

Herbert Hoover Building which is located at 14th Street and

Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, D.C, 20230. The hearing in

Seattle will be held in Building 9 Auditorium, at the NOAA Western

Regional Center which is located at 7600 Sand Point Way, NE, Seattle,

Washington 98115. The hearing in the auditorium of the Anchorage Museum

of History and Art which is located at 121 West 7th Avenue, Anchorage,

Alaska.

The Department encourages interested participants to present their

views orally at the hearings. Any person wishing to make an oral

presentation at the hearings must submit a brief written request to the

Department of Commerce at the address indicated in the ADDRESS section

of this notice. The written request must be received by BXA no later

than February 5, 1996. The written requests to participate in the

public hearings should describe the individual's interest in the

hearing and, where appropriate, explain why the individual is a proper

representative of a group or class of person that has such an interest.

In addition, the request to speak should contain a daytime phone number

where the person who will be making the oral presentation may be

contacted before the hearing. On the day of the hearing, speakers

should bring 2 copies of the summary of their oral presentation to the

hearing address indicated in the DATES section of this notice.

Persons may submit written comments for the record if they are

unable to attend the hearings.

Copies of the request to participate in the public hearings will be

maintained at the Bureau of Export Administration's Freedom of

Information Records Inspection Facility, Room 4525, U.S. Department of

Commerce, 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.

20230, telephone (202) 482-5653. The records in this facility may be

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 may be obtained from Mr.

Ted Zois, the Bureau of Export Administration's Freedom of Information

Officer, at the above address and telephone number between the hours of

8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Each speaker may be limited to 10 or 15 minutes depending on the

number of presenters. Comments may respond to the questions posed in

Section I of the December 15, 1995 notice or any other related issue.

A Commerce official will preside at the hearings. Representatives

from other Federal agencies participating in the review also will

attend the hearings. Only those conducting the hearing may ask

questions.

Any further procedural rules for the proper conduct of the hearing

will be announced by the presiding officer.

Dated: January 23, 1996.

Sue E. Eckert,

Assistant Secretary for Export Administration

[FR Doc. 96-1391 Filed 1-24-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DT-P