[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 215 (Thursday, November 6, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 62767]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-27966]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 56-2003]


Foreign-Trade Zone 158--Jackson, MS, Application for Expansion of 
Manufacturing Authority, Subzone 158D--Nissan North America, Inc., 
Plant (Motor Vehicles); Canton, MS

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Vicksburg-Jackson Foreign-Trade Zone, Inc., grantee 
of FTZ 158, on behalf of Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA), operator of 
Subzone 158D at the NNA motor vehicle manufacturing plant in Canton, 
Mississippi, requesting an expansion of the scope of manufacturing 
authority to include new manufacturing capacity under FTZ procedures. 
The application was submitted pursuant to the provisions of the 
Foreign-Trade Zones Act, as amended (19 U.S.C. 81a-81u), and section 
400.32(b)(1) of the Board's regulations (15 CFR Part 400). It was 
formally filed on October 29, 2003.
    Subzone 158D was approved in 2002 for the manufacture of up to 
250,000 light-duty passenger vehicles annually at the NNA plant (up to 
4,000 employees/1,350 acres/2.6 million sq.ft.) in Canton (Madison 
County), Mississippi (Board Order 1212, 67 FR 11091, 3-12-2002).
    The applicant currently requests that the scope of FTZ 
manufacturing authority be extended to include an additional 1.1 
million square feet of production area to accommodate additional 
passenger sedan production capacity (to a total of 400,000 vehicles 
annually), which will be added within the existing boundaries of 
Subzone 158D.
    Parts and materials that are sourced from abroad (approximately 44% 
of material value, as published in the original Federal Register notice 
at 66 FR 35223, 7-3-2001) include: Gasoline and diesel engines and 
parts of such engines, labels, body parts and trim, fasteners, 
catalytic converters, parts of steering systems, brake fittings, half 
shafts, transmissions and parts of transmissions, differentials, 
bearings and bearing housings, flywheels/pulleys, wiring harnesses, 
handles/knobs, gaskets, fasteners, windshields and windows, springs, 
relays, and switches (duty rate range: free--8.6%). The foregoing list 
represents NNA's preexisting scope of sourcing authority.
    Expanded zone procedures would continue to exempt NNA from Customs 
duty payments on the foreign components used in production for export. 
On its domestic sales and exports to NAFTA countries, the company can 
choose the lower duty rate that applies to finished passenger vehicles 
(2.5%) for the foreign inputs with higher duty rates noted above. 
Duties on foreign-origin production equipment would also be deferred 
until they become operational. The application indicates that the 
savings from FTZ procedures helps to improve the NNA 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 January 5, 2004. Rebuttal 
comments in response to material submitted during the foregoing period 
may be submitted during the subsequent 15-day period (to January 20, 
2004).
    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.

    Dated: October 29, 2003.
Dennis Puccinelli,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-27966 Filed 11-5-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P