[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 11 (Friday, January 16, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 2660]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1161]



[[Page 2660]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board
[Docket 84-97]


Foreign-Trade Zone 136--Brevard County, FL; Application for 
Foreign-Trade Subzone Status Harris Corporation--Electronic Systems 
Sector (Telecommunication/Information Systems), Brevard County, FL

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Canaveral Port Authority, grantee of FTZ 136, 
requesting special-purpose subzone status for the manufacturing 
facilities (telecommunication/information systems) of the Electronic 
Systems Sector (ESS) business unit of Harris Corporation, located at 
sites in Brevard County, Florida. The application was submitted 
pursuant to the Foreign-Trade Zones Act, as amended (19 U.S.C. 81a-
81u), and the regulations of the Board (15 CFR part 400). It was 
formally filed on December 22, 1997.
    The Harris ESS facilities are located at four sites in Brevard 
County, Florida (388 acres, 1.9 million sq. ft.): Site 1 (44 buildings/
1.9 million square feet on 181 acres)--located at 2400 NE Palm Bay 
Road, Palm Bay; Site 2 (4 buildings/315,000 sq. ft. on 50 acres)--
located at 150 S. Wickham Road, Melbourne; Site 3 (2 buildings/114,000 
sq. ft. on 30 acres)--located at 505 N. John Rodes Blvd., West 
Melbourne; and Site 4 (3 buildings/215 sq. ft. on 127 acres)--located 
at 2800 Jordan Boulevard, Malabar.
    The facilities (6,200 employees) are used for the development and 
manufacture of telecommunication and information systems products and 
related software for defense, aerospace, transportation and energy 
management, meteorology and publishing. Applications include digital 
maps, cockpit controls and displays, antennas, land and satellite 
communications terminals and networks, satellite antenna testing, 
electronic warfare and evaluation systems, global positioning control 
systems, signal and imaging processing, weather support systems, civil 
and military air traffic control systems, integrated airport 
communication and management systems, and information processing 
systems for publishing. Some of the components used in the 
manufacturing process are purchased from abroad (an estimated 10-15% of 
finished product value), including power supplies, mobile data 
terminals, optical switch modules, transmission apparatus, printed 
circuits, connectors, optical instruments and appliances, testing 
equipment, audio-frequency electrical amplifiers, static connectors, 
electronic parts and equipment, and antennae reflectors (duty rates 
range from duty-free to 8.5%; weighted average--3.4%).
    Zone procedures would exempt Harris from Customs duty payments on 
foreign components used in export production. On its domestic sales, 
Harris would be able to choose the lower duty rate that applies to the 
finished products (duty-free to 6.0%; weighted average--2.5%) for the 
foreign components noted above. FTZ procedures will also help Harris 
ESS to implement a more cost-effective system for handling Customs 
requirements (including reduced brokerage fees and Customs merchandise 
processing fees). FTZ status may also make a site eligible for benefits 
provided under state/local programs. The application indicates that the 
savings from zone procedures would help improve the plant's 
international competitiveness.
    In accordance with the Board's regulations, a member of the FTZ 
Staff has been designated examiner to investigate the application and 
report to the Board.
    Public comment on the application is invited from interested 
parties. Submissions (original and three copies) shall be addressed to 
the Board's Executive Secretary at the address below. The closing 
period for their receipt is March 17, 1998. Rebuttal comments in 
response to material submitted during the foregoing period may be 
submitted during the subsequent 15-day period to April 1, 1998. A copy 
of the application and the accompanying exhibits will be available for 
public inspection at each of the following locations:

Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, Room 3716, 14th and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20230
U.S. Department of Commerce Export Assistance Center, 200 E. Robinson 
St., Suite 1270, Orlando, Florida 32801

    Dated: December 23,1997.
Dennis Puccinelli,
Acting Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-1161 Filed 1-15-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P