[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 183 (Wednesday, September 21, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58463-58465]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-24172]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Industry and Security

[Docket No. 110907572-1571-01]


National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee Request for 
Public Comments on the Potential Market Impact of Proposed Stockpile 
for Fiscal Year 2013

AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and Security, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of inquiry.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to advise the public that the 
National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee (MIC), co-chaired by 
the Departments of Commerce and State, is seeking public comments on 
the potential market impact of the proposed disposal levels of 
materials for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Annual Materials Plan. The role 
of the MIC is 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. Public comments are an 
important element of the Committee's market impact review process.

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DATES: To be considered, written comments must be received by October 
21, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Address all comments concerning this notice to Michael 
Vaccaro, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, 
Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security, 1401 Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Room 3876, Washington, DC 20230, fax: (202) 482-5650 
(Attn: Michael Vaccaro), e-mail: [email protected]; and Douglas Kramer, 
U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, 
Office of International Energy and Commodity Policy, Washington, DC 
20520, fax: (202) 647-4037 (Attn: Douglas Kramer), or e-mail: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Liam McMenamin, Office of Strategic 
Industries and Economic Security, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, Telephone: (202) 482-2233.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    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, 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 U.S. Government 
against avoidable loss.
    The Committee is comprised of representatives from the Departments 
of Commerce, State, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, the 
Treasury, and Homeland Security, and is co-chaired by the Departments 
of Commerce and State. The FY 1993 NDAA directs the Committee to 
consult with industry representatives that produce, process, or consume 
the types of materials stored in the stockpile.
    In Attachment 1, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) lists the 
proposed quantities for the FY 2013 Annual Materials Plan. The 
Committee is seeking public comments on the potential market impact of 
the sale of these materials as enumerated. Public comments are an 
important element of the Committee's market impact review process.
    The quantities listed in Attachment 1 are not disposal or sales 
target quantities, but rather a statement of the proposed maximum 
disposal quantity of each listed material that may be sold in a 
particular fiscal year by the DLA as noted. The quantity of each 
material that will actually be offered for sale will depend on the 
market for the material at the time of the offering as well as on the 
quantity of each material approved for disposal by Congress.

Submission of Comments

    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. All comments must be submitted to the address indicated in 
this notice. All comments submitted through e-mail must include the 
phrase ``Market Impact Committee Notice of Inquiry'' in the subject 
line.
    The Committee encourages interested persons who wish to comment to 
do so at the earliest possible time. The period for submission of 
comments will close on October 21, 2011. The Committee will consider 
all comments received before the close of the comment period. Comments 
received after the end of the comment period will be considered, if 
possible, but their consideration cannot be assured.
    All comments submitted in response to this notice will be made a 
matter of public record and will be available for public inspection and 
copying. 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 record. The Committee will seek to protect such information 
to the extent permitted by law.
    The Office of Administration, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, displays public comments on the BIS Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA) Web site at http://www.bis.doc.gov/foia. This 
office does not maintain a separate public inspection facility. If you 
have technical difficulties accessing this Web site, please call BIS's 
Office of Administration at (202) 482-1900 for assistance.

    Dated: September 15, 2011.
Kevin J. Wolf,
Assistant Secretary for Export Administration.

                                                   Attachment 1
                                    [Proposed FY 2013 annual materials plan]
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                   Material                                   Unit                   Quantity        Footnote
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Beryllium Metal...............................  ST..............................              59             \1\
Chromium, Ferro...............................  ST..............................          65,204             2 3
Chromium, Metal...............................  ST..............................             500             \2\
Manganese, Ferro..............................  ST..............................         100,000             \2\
Manganese, Metallurgical Grade................  SDT.............................         222,025             2 3
Talc..........................................  ST..............................             639             2 3
Tin...........................................  MT..............................             804             \1\
Tungsten Metal Powder.........................  LB W............................          77,433             2 3
Tungsten Ores and Concentrates................  LB W............................       5,069,782            2 3
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\1\ Potential Disposal/Upgrade.
\2\ Potential Disposal.
\3\ Actual quantity will be limited to remaining inventory.


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[FR Doc. 2011-24172 Filed 9-20-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-33-P