The Federal Trade Commission today announced the following action.

The FTC staff contact is Dan Ducore, 202-326-2526.

Commission action regarding petitions to reopen and modify or set aside orders: Following a public comment period, the Commission has responded to a petition from the following entity:

• The FTC has granted a petition from Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO), thereby ending ARCO's obligation to obtain FTC appproval before acquiring any interest in or assets of any company that produces urethane polyether polyol, propylene glygol or propylene oxide. The prior-approval provision was in a 1990 consent order that settled FTC charges over ARCO's acquisition of certain chemical assets from Union Carbide Corporation (Docket No. C-3314; Commission vote 4-0, Commissioner Roscoe B. Starek, III, recused).

Copies of the document referenced above are available from the FTC's Public Reference Branch, Room 130, same address as above; 202-326-2222; TTY for the hearing impaired 1-866-653-4261. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202-326-2710. FTC news releases and other materials also are available on the Internet at the FTC's World Wide Web site at: http://www.ftc.gov