[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 194 (Tuesday, October 7, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 57868]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-25388]



[[Page 57868]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 50-2003]


Foreign-Trade Zone 249--Pensacola, FL; Application for Subzone 
Status, General Electric Wind Energy and Energy Rentals (Wind 
Turbines), Pensacola, FL

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Pensacola-Escambia County Promotion and Development 
Commission, grantee of FTZ 249, requesting special-purpose subzone 
status for the wind turbine manufacturing plant of General Electric 
Wind Energy and Energy Rentals (GEWE/GEER), located in Pensacola, 
Florida. 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 
September 25, 2003.
    The GEWE/GEER plant (102 acres/375,000 sq. ft.) is located at 8301 
Scenic Highway in Pensacola (Escambia County), Florida. The facility 
(250 employees) is used to produce 1.5 megawatt, wind-powered turbines 
(with potential for 3.6 megawatt units in the future) and wind turbine 
blades for export and the domestic market. The manufacturing process at 
the facility involves machining, assembly, testing, and warehousing. 
The plant has capacity to produce about 500 turbines and 850 wind 
turbine blades annually. Components that are, or may be, purchased from 
abroad (representing about 40-70% of finished product value) used in 
manufacturing include: glue, polycetal/polyester/epoxide/polyamide/
polycarbonate resins (hardeners), plastic foil/film/tape, plate/sheet/
film of styrene/polyvinyl polymers (foam cores), printed labels, glass 
fibers and fabric (root bands), glass fiber yarn (Category 201; must be 
admitted under privileged foreign status--19 CFR 146.41), electrical 
grounding rods, steel belts/bands, doors, fasteners, pumps, cylinders, 
hub castings, bed plates, compressors, pulleys, winches, hoists, 
electric motors, generators, transmissions, transmission shafts, gear 
boxes, bearings, flanges/couplers, gears, clutches, couplings, chains, 
sprockets, electrical connectors, motors, transformers, stators, 
rotors, ballasts, static converters, inductors, magnets, batteries (Ni-
Cad, Ni-Iron, lead acid), lightning arresters, circuit breakers, 
relays, switches, lampholders/sockets, panel/distribution boards, speed 
controllers, control panels, pitch motor encoders, motor starters, 
terminals, connectors, diodes, transistors, bridge rectifiers, 
photosensitive semiconductors, conductors, revolution counters, and 
voltage meters (2003 duty rate range: free--8.5%).
    FTZ procedures would exempt GEWE/GEER from Customs duty payments on 
the foreign component inputs used in export production. On its domestic 
shipment and exports to NAFTA markets, the company would be able to 
choose the duty rate that applies to finished wind turbines (2.5%) or 
wind turbine blades (3%) for the foreign-sourced inputs noted above. 
The company would be able to defer Customs duty payments on the 
foreign-origin finished turbines that would be admitted to the proposed 
subzone for U.S. distribution. Duties would be deferred or reduced on 
foreign production equipment admitted to the proposed subzone until 
which time it becomes operational. The application indicates that 
subzone status 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 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 Street, NW., Washington, DC 20005; or,
    2. Submissions via the U.S. Postal Service: Foreign-Trade Zones 
Board, U.S. Department of Commerce, FCB-4100W, 1401 Constitution Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC 20230.
    The closing period for their receipt is December 8, 2003. Rebuttal 
comments in response to material submitted during the foregoing period 
may be submitted during the subsequent 15-day period (to December 22, 
2003).
    A copy of the application will be available for public inspection 
at the Office of the Foreign-Trade Zones Board's Executive Secretary at 
address No.1 listed above and at the Office of the Port Director, U.S. 
Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, Suite 102, 1 South A Street, 
Pensacola, FL 32501.

    Dated: September 25, 2003.
Pierre V. Duy,
Acting Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-25388 Filed 10-6-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P