National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee Request for Public Comments

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: Notice of request for public comments on the potential market

impact of proposed revisions to the current Annual Materials Plan

disposal levels of certain commodities currently held in the National

Defense Stockpile.

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SUMMARY: This notice is to advise the public that the interagency

National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee is seeking public

comment on the potential market impact of the Department of Defense's

proposed increase in disposal levels for Analgesics, Columbium (Ferro),

Graphite, and Vanadium Pentoxide in the Fiscal Year (FY) 1997 and FY

1998 Annual Materials Plans.

DATES: Comments must be received by May 27, 1997.

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.

[[Page 25588]]

Department of Commerce, (202) 482-3634; or Richard Watkins,

International Commodities Division, U.S. Department of State, (202)

647-2871; 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 the

Annual Materials Plan (AMP) disposal levels for Analgesics, Columbium

(Ferro), Graphite, and Vanadium Pentoxide from the National Defense

Stockpile in the Fiscal Year (FY) 1997 and (except Vanadium Pentoxide)

FY 1998 AMPs. 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 as

listed below.

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.

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Current FY Revised FY

Material Units 1997 1997

quantity quantity

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PROPOSED REVISIONS TO FISCAL YEAR 1997 AMP

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Analgesics.................... AMA Lb 2,500 64,128

Columbium (Ferro)............. Lb Cb 60,000 200,000

Graphite...................... ST 1,220 2,660

Vanadium Pentoxide............ ST V 200 400

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PROPOSED REVISIONS TO FISCAL YEAR 1998 AMP

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Analgesics.................... AMA Lb 2,500 64,128

Columbium (Ferro)............. Lb Cb 100,000 200,000

Graphite...................... ST 1,220 2,660

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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 any of the

commodities in the above lists. Although comments in response to this

Notice must be received by May 27, 1997 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 the

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 6, 1997.

William V. Skidmore,

Acting Director, Strategic Industries and Economic Security.

[FR Doc. 97-12269 Filed 5-8-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-33-P