[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 32 (Friday, February 15, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 7132]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-3811]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 11-2002]


Foreign-Trade Zone 61--San Juan, Puerto Rico; Request for 
Extension; Baxter Healthcare Corporation of Puerto Rico, 
(Pharmaceuticals)

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by Promoexport Puerto Rico, grantee of FTZ 61, requesting 
to extend special-purpose subzone status at Subzone 61H, the 
pharmaceutical manufacturing plant of Baxter Healthcare Corporation of 
Puerto Rico (Baxter), located in Guayama, Puerto Rico. It was formally 
filed on February 7, 2002.
    Board Order 875 (62 FR 10521, 3/7/97) authorized Subzone 61H for a 
period of 5 years (to February 25, 2002), subject to extension. 
PromoExport Puerto Rico is now requesting that the manufacturing 
authority for Subzone 61H be extended on a permanent basis. The 
approved scope of authority includes the following specific items: 
trifluoroethanol, chlorodifluoromethane, and a plastic valve assembly 
(to administer anesthetics). It also includes materials in the 
following general categories: gums, starches, waxes, vegetable 
extracts, mineral oils, sugars, empty capsules, protein concentrates, 
prepared animal feed, mineral products, inorganic acids, chlorides, 
chlorates, sulfites, sulfates, phosphates, cyanides, silicates, 
radioactive chemicals, rare-earth metal compounds, hydroxides, 
hydrazine and hydroxylamine, chlorides, phosphates, carbonates, 
hydrocarbons, alcohols, phenols, ethers, epoxides, acetals, aldehydes, 
ketone function compounds, mono- and polycarboxylic acids, phosphoric 
esters, amine-, carboxymide, nitrile- and oxygen-function compounds, 
heterocyclic compounds, sulfonamides, insecticides, rodenticides, 
fungicides and herbicides, fertilizers, vitamins, hormones, 
antibiotics, gelatins, enzymes, pharmaceutical glaze, essential oils, 
albumins, gelatins, activated carbon, residual lyes, acrylic polymers, 
color lakes, soaps and detergents, various packaging and printing 
materials, medicaments, pharmaceutical products, and instruments and 
appliances used in medical sciences.
    FTZ procedures exempt Baxter from Customs duty payments on foreign 
materials used in production for export. Some 30 percent of production 
is currently exported. On domestic sales, the company can choose the 
duty rates that apply to the finished products (duty-free). The duty 
rates on foreign-sourced items range from duty-free to 18.6 percent. 
Currently, zone savings involve choosing the finished product duty rate 
on SUPRANE, FORANE and AERRANE anesthetics (duty-free), rather than the 
rates for the foreign component: trifluoroethanol (HTSUS #2905.59.1000, 
duty rate--5.5%). The request indicates that the savings from FTZ 
procedures will continue to help improve the facility'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 is invited from interested parties. Submissions 
(original and 3 copies) shall be addressed to the Board's Executive 
Secretary at one of the following addresses:
    1. Submissions Via Express/Package Delivery Services: Foreign-
Trade-Zones Board, U.S. Department of Commerce, Franklin Court 
Building--Suite 4100W, 1099 14th St. NW, Washington, DC 20005; or
    2. Submissions Via the U.S. Postal Service: Foreign-Trade-Zones 
Board, U.S. Department of Commerce, FCB--Suite 4100W, 1401 Constitution 
Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20230.

The closing period for their receipt is April 16, 2002. Rebuttal 
comments in response to material submitted during the foregoing period 
may be submitted during the subsequent 15-day period (to May 1, 2002).
    A copy of the application and accompanying exhibits will be 
available for public inspection at the Office of the Foreign-Trade 
Zones Board's Executive Secretary at address Number 1 listed above, and 
at the U.S. Department of Commerce Export Assistance Center, 525 F.D. 
Roosevelt Ave., Suite 905, San Juan, PR 00918.

    Dated: February 8, 2002.
Dennis Puccinelli,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-3811 Filed 2-14-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P