Defense Stockpile Research

A multiagency committee charged with overseeing the U.S. strategic and critical materials stockpile wants to hear from the public on a proposal to establish three new research projects, according to a Federal Register notice published this morning:

The purpose of this notice is to advise the public that the National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee . . . is seeking public comments on the potential market impact of the proposed supplement to the Fiscal Year 2012 Annual Materials Plan related to establishing three new material research and development projects. The research and development projects involve three materials -- cadmium zinc tellurium (CZT) substrates, trichlorobenzene (TCB), and rhenium alloy. The role of the Market Impact Committee is to advise the National Defense Stockpile Manager on the projected domestic and foreign economic effects of all acquisitions and disposals involving the stockpile and related material research and development projects. Public comments are an important element of the Committee's market impact review process.

The committee is comprised of representatives from the Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, Commerce, State, Agriculture, Interior and Treasury departments, and is co-chaired by the Commerce and State departments.