[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 249 (Friday, December 27, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 79048]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-32728]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 60-2002]


Foreign-Trade Zone 158--Vicksburg/Jackson, MS, Application for 
Subzone, Ergon Refining, Inc. (Oil Refinery); Vicksburg, MS

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Vicksburg-Jackson Foreign-Trade Zone, grantee of FTZ 
158, requesting special-purpose subzone status for the oil refining 
facilities of Ergon Refining, Inc. (Ergon), located in Vicksburg, 
Mississippi. The application was submitted pursuant to the provisions 
of 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 17, 2002.
    The refinery complex (25,000 BPD capacity, with 630,000 barrel 
storage capacity) is located at two sites in Vicksburg, Mississippi: 
Site 1 (80 acres)--main refinery complex, located at 2625 Haining Road, 
Vicksburg; Site 2 (21 acres)--refinery terminal, located at 2611 
Haining Road, Vicksburg. The refinery (174 employees) is used to 
produce specialty petroleum and asphalt products, and refinery by-
products including diesel, lube oils, naphtha and asphalt. All of the 
crude oil (100 percent of inputs) is sourced from abroad. Ergon St. 
James, Inc. has also submitted an application for subzone status at the 
company's crude oil terminal in St. James, Louisiana to supply the 
proposed subzone in Vicksburg (Docket 61-2002).
    Zone procedures would exempt the refinery from Customs duty 
payments on the foreign products used in its exports. On domestic 
sales, the company would be able to choose the Customs duty rates that 
apply to certain petrochemical feedstocks and refinery by-products 
(duty-free) by admitting incoming foreign crude in non-privileged 
foreign status. The duty rates on inputs range from 5.25 cents/barrel 
to 10.5 cents/barrel. 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 appointed 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 February 25, 2003. Rebuttal 
comments in response to material submitted during the foregoing period 
may be submitted during the subsequent 15-day period (to March 12, 
2003).
    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 the first address listed above, 
and at the U.S. Department of Commerce Export Assistance Center, 175 
East Capitol St., Jackson, MS 39201.

    Dated: December 18, 2002.
Dennis Puccinelli,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-32728 Filed 12-26-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P