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 comment on the potential market

impact of proposed disposals of excess commodities from the National

Defense Stockpile. The Department of Defense plans to further revise

certain material quantities included in the proposed Fiscal Year (FY)

1999 and the FY 2000 Annual Materials Plans (AMP). Defense has

requested that the Committee consider the proposed revisions to the AMP

disposal levels.

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SUMMARY: This notice is to advise the public that the National Defense

Stockpile Market Impact Committee seeks comments concerning the

potential market impact of disposals of excess materials from the

Stockpile. The Departments of Commerce and State co-chair the

Committee. The FY 1999 and proposed FY 2000 AMP materials under review

are Bauxite (refractory), Tungsten (Ferro), Columbium Metal Ingots,

Platinum-Iridium, and Tantalum Metal Ingots.

DATE: The Commerce Department must receive comments by December 14,

1998.

ADDRESSES: Please send all written comments 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) 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) 647-2871; co-chairs

of the National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Defense, 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. The stockpile

was established under the authority of the Strategic and Critical

Materials Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98 et seq.). Defense is required

by law to refrain from causing undue market disruption, while at the

same time protecting the U.S. Government against avoidable loss, when

disposing and acquiring materials.

The President appointed an Interagency Market Impact Committee (the

Committee) under the FY 1993 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)

(50 U.S.C. 98h-1) 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 Committee requests that interested parties provide comment on

the potential market impact of the proposed revised disposals of these

commodities. This information will enhance the quality of advice that

the Committee offers to Defense.

The AMP listing below 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.

Proposed Revision to FY 1999 AMP and to Proposed FY 2000 AMP

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Current Revised Revised

Material Units FY 1999 FY 1999 FY 2000

quantity quantity quantity

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Bauxite (Refractory)......... LCT..... 0 29,000 29,000

Columbium Metal Ingots....... Lb Cb... 0 20,000 20,000

Tantalum Metal Ingots........ Lb Ta... 0 40,000 40,000

Tungsten (Ferro)............. Lb W.... 100,000 400,000 400,000

Platinum-Iridium............. Tr Oz... 0 4,450 4,450

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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 these

commodities. Public comments in response to this Notice must be

received by December 14, 1998 to ensure the Committee's full

consideration. Interested parties are encouraged to submit additional

comments and supporting information at any time thereafter to keep the

Committee informed of any market impact resulting from 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

[[Page 63287]]

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 Mr. Henry Gaston, the Bureau of Export

Administration's Freedom of Information Officer, at the above address

and telephone number.

Dated: November 4, 1998.

R. Roger Majak,

Assistant Secretary for Export Administration.

[FR Doc. 98-30157 Filed 11-10-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-33-P