[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 212 (Wednesday, November 3, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 64026]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-24550]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 46-2004]


Foreign-Trade Zone 84--Houston, Texas; Expansion of Manufacturing 
Authority--Subzone 84O; ExxonMobil Corporation; Baytown, TX

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Port of Houston Authority, grantee of FTZ 84, 
requesting authority on behalf of ExxonMobil Corporation (ExxonMobil), 
to expand the scope of manufacturing activity conducted under zone 
procedures within Subzone 84O at the ExxonMobil oil refinery complex in 
Baytown, Texas. 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 October 22, 2004.
    Subzone 84O (465,000 BPD capacity 3,000-4,000 employees) was 
approved by the Board in 1996 for the manufacture of fuel products and 
certain petrochemical feedstocks and refinery by-products (Board Order 
837, 61 FR 38711, 7/25/96, as amended by Board Order 1116, 65 FR 52696, 
8/30/00).
    The subzone (3,500 acres) is located on the Houston Ship Channel at 
2800 Decker Drive, Baytown, Harris County, Texas, some 25 miles east of 
Houston. The expansion request involves the modification of a crude 
unit to increase the overall crude distillation capacity of the 
refinery to 575,000 BPD and allow for the processing of a greater 
variety of crudes. No additional feedstocks or products have been 
requested.
    Zone procedures would exempt the increased production 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 for 
certain petrochemical feedstocks (duty-free) by admitting foreign crude 
oil in non-privileged foreign status. The application indicates that 
the savings from zone procedures help improve the refinery'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 January 3, 2005. Rebuttal 
comments in response to material submitted during the foregoing period 
may be submitted during the subsequent 15-day period (to January 18, 
2005).
    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, 15600 
John F. Kennedy Blvd., Suite 530, Houston, TX 77032.

    Dated: October 22, 2004.
Dennis Puccinelli,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 04-24550 Filed 11-2-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P