[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 95 (Tuesday, May 18, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 26933]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-12506]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board
[Docket 20-99]


Foreign-Trade Zone 114--Peoria, Illinois; Application for 
Foreign-Trade Subzone Status; E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Inc. 
(Crop Protection Products), El Paso, Illinois

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Economic Development Council, Inc. (of Peoria, 
Illinois), grantee of FTZ 114, requesting special-purpose subzone 
status for the manufacturing facilities (crop production products) of 
E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Inc. (Du Pont), located in El 
Paso, Illinois. 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 May 7, 1999.
    The DuPont facilities (49.2 acres, 320,512 sq. ft. + 240,000 sq. 
ft. proposed) are located at on U.S. Highway 24 East in El Paso, 
Illinois. The facilities (150 employees) produce herbicide products for 
crop protection. DuPont initially intends to manufacture, test, 
package, and warehouse sulfonylurea herbicides under FTZ procedures. 
The herbicides to be produced are marketed under the following trade 
names: Accent, Accent Gold Basis, 
Basis Gold, Classic, Canopy, Canopy 
XL, Pinnacle, and Reliance. 
Foreign-sourced materials will account for, on average, 14 to 18 
percent of finished products' value. Dupont has indicated that the 
following inputs will be imported, or transferred under FTZ procedures 
from the proposed subzone of DuPont Agricultural Caribe Industries, 
Ltd. (in Manati, Puerto Rico): nicosulfuron; rimsulfuron; 
thifensulfuron methyl; and chlorimuron ethyl (the duty rate on these is 
10.0%). The application also indicates that the company may in the 
future import under FTZ procedures a wide variety of other chemical 
materials, as well as other products used in production, packaging, and 
distribution of crop protection products.
    Zone procedures would exempt DuPont from Customs duty payments on 
foreign materials used in production for export. On domestic shipments, 
the company would be able to defer Customs duty payments on foreign 
materials, and to choose the duty rate that applies to the finished 
products (6.5%) instead of the rate otherwise applicable to the foreign 
input materials (noted above). The company would also be exempt from 
duty payments on foreign merchandise that becomes scrap/waste. 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 July 19, 1999. Rebuttal comments in 
response to material submitted during the foregoing period may be 
submitted during the subsequent 15-day period to August 2, 1999.
    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, N.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20230
U.S. Customs Service, 5701 W. Smithville Rd., Air Cargo Facility, Suite 
700, Bartonville, IL 61607-1778

    Dated: May 7, 1999.
Dennis Puccinelli,
Acting Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-12506 Filed 5-17-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P