Survey of U.S. Chemical Industry To Assist in Compliance Activities Regarding Certain Provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Export Administration

Survey of U.S. Chemical Industry To Assist in Compliance

Activities Regarding Certain Provisions of the Chemical Weapons

Convention

ACTION: Proposed Collection; Comment Request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort

to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public

and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on

proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C.

3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before January 5, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier,

Departmental Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 5327, 14th

and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or

copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions

should be directed to Dawn Battle, Department of Commerce, 14th &

Constitution Ave., NW, room 6877, Washington, DC, 20230 (telephone

number (202) 482-0637).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is a multilateral arms

control treaty that seeks to achieve an international ban on chemical

weapons (CW). The CWC was signed by the United States in Paris on

January 13, 1993, and was submitted by President Clinton to the United

States Senate on November 23, 1993, for its advice and consent to

ratification. The CWC prohibits, inter alia, the use, development,

production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, and direct or indirect

transfer of chemical weapons.

The information that will be collected by this survey is necessary

in order to assist efforts by U.S. government officials to ensure that

the U.S. is and will be in compliance with certain provisions of the

Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) Treaty.

The CWC, after enactment of U.S. implementing legislation and

promulgation of appropriate agency regulations, prohibits all

individuals and legal entities (e.g. corporations) within the U.S., as

well as all individuals outside the U.S. possessing U.S. citizenship,

from engaging in activities prohibited under the Convention.

The proposed new information collection by BXA will attempt to

survey, by telephone, private companies either known or suspected to

have activities involving Schedule 1 chemicals. The additional data

obtained from the proposed survey will enable BXA to determine whether

the information collection activities already approved by OMB are all

that are needed, for the time being, to monitor U.S. compliance with

the 1 metric ton limit.

BXA intends to use the CWC Schedule 1 chemical survey to obtain

data from those U.S. facilities that are believed to be engaged in the

production, acquisition, stockpiling, transfer, or use of chemicals

listed in Schedule 1 of the CWC. The facilities that are asked to

participate in the survey will be requested to respond, regardless of

the amount of Schedule 1 chemicals that they produce, acquire,

stockpile, transfer, or use.

BXA will use the data obtained from the survey, as well as data

obtained from other sources, in order to determine whether or not it

needs to impose additional information collection burdens on the U.S.

chemical industry in order to accurately determine U.S. compliance with

Part VI.A.2 of the Annex on Implementation and Verification of the CWC,

which limits the aggregate amount of Schedule

[[Page 59938]]

1 chemicals that may be produced, acquired, retained, transferred, or

used by any state party in a single calendar year to 1 metric ton (i.e.

1 million grams).

II. Method of Collection

Telephone survey.

III. Data

OMB Number: None.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Submission for new collection.

Affected Public: Individuals, businesses or other for-profit and

not-for-profit institutions.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.

Estimated Time Per Response: 30 minutes per response.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 50.

Estimated Total Annual Cost: $1,800 for respondents time (no

capital expenditures required).

IV. Request for Comments

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of

the agency, including whether the information shall have practical

utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden

(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information;

(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the

information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the

collection of information on respondents, including through the use of

automated collection techniques or other forms of information

technology. Comments submitted in response to this notice will be

summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this

information collection; they will also become a matter of public

record.

Dated: October 30, 1998.

Linda Engelmeier,

Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information

Officer.

[FR Doc.98-29699 Filed 11-5-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-33-P