[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 51 (Tuesday, March 16, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 12300]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-5923]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 6-2004]


Foreign-Trade Zone 114--Peoria, Illinois Area; Application For 
Foreign-Trade Subzone Status, Rockwell Automation, Inc. (Industrial 
Automation Products), Champaign, IL

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Economic Development Council for Central Illinois, 
grantee of FTZ 114, requesting special-purpose subzone status for the 
warehousing, processing and distribution facility (industrial 
automation products) of Rockwell Automation, Inc. (Rockwell), located 
in Champaign, 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 
March 5, 2004.
    The Rockwell facility is located at 2802 West Bloomington Road, 
Champaign (30 acres total; 239,211 sq. ft. of enclosed space, with 
potential expansion to include an additional 373,402 sq. ft.). The 
facility (approximately 125 employees) may be used under FTZ procedures 
for warehousing, packaging, processing, inspecting, quality-control 
auditing, relabeling and distributing industrial automation power, 
control, and information products. Rockwell's application indicates 
that approximately 60 percent of the merchandise handled by the 
facility is domestically sourced. No authority is being sought for 
activity conducted under FTZ procedures that would result in a change 
in tariff classification.
    Zone procedures would exempt Rockwell from Customs duty payments on 
foreign-status merchandise that is reexported. On its domestic 
shipments, Rockwell would be able to defer duty payments until 
merchandise is shipped from its facility. The company would be able to 
avoid duty on foreign merchandise which becomes scrap/waste, estimated 
at approximately one percent of imported inputs. The application 
indicates that Rockwell anticipates realizing significant logistical/
procedural benefits, with potential future savings also possible from 
zone-to-zone merchandise transfers. All of the above-cited savings from 
FTZ procedures could 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 May 17, 2004. Rebuttal 
comments in response to material submitted during the foregoing period 
may be submitted during the subsequent 15-day period to June 1, 2004.
    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 Economic Development Council for Central Illinois, 124 SW. Adams 
Street, Suite 300, Peoria, IL 61602.

    Dated: March 8, 2004.
Dennis Puccinelli,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 04-5923 Filed 3-15-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P