[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 104 (Wednesday, June 1, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31420-31421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-10887]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

(Docket 25-2005)


Foreign-Trade Zone 18, San Jose, California, Application for 
Subzone, Space Systems/Loral, Inc. (Satellites), Palo Alto, Menlo Park 
and Mountain View, California

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the City of San Jose, grantee of FTZ 18, requesting 
special-purpose subzone status for the manufacturing facilities of 
Space Systems/Loral, Inc. (SS/L), located in Palo Alto, Menlo Park and 
Mountain View, California. 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 May 24, 2005.
    The SS/L facilities (1,300 employees) consist of five sites on 37 
acres: Site 1 (28.4 acres) is located at 3825, 3850 and 3875 Fabian 
Way, Palo Alto; Site 2 (1 acre) is located at 3977 and 3963 Fabian Way, 
Palo Alto; Site 3 (5 acres) is located at 1034-1036 and 1025 E. Meadow 
Circle, Palo Alto; Site 4 (110,000 square feet) is located at 1205 and 
1145 Hamilton Court, Menlo Park; and Site 5 (2.5 acres) is located at 
2288 Charleston Road, Mountain View. The facilities are used for the 
manufacture of satellites and satellite systems (HTS 8802.60 and 
8525.10 duty-free). Components and materials sourced from abroad 
(representing 15% of all parts used in the manufacturing process) 
include: coated wire, articles of aluminum, handtools, digital ADP 
machines, digital systems, computer parts, lithium ion battery cells, 
parts of storage batteries, switching apparatus, modems, magnetic tape, 
magnetic discs, computer discs, transmission apparatus, transmission 
with reception apparatus, radar apparatus, radio navigational 
apparatus, reception apparatus, antennas, apparatus parts, capacitors, 
resistors, printed circuits, electrical apparatus, switches, electrical 
panels, diodes, transistors, thyristors, photosensitive devices, 
semiconductor devices, integrated circuits, hybrid integrated circuits, 
signal generators, containers, parts of spacecraft, space navigation 
instruments, oscilloscopes, multimeters, voltage checking instruments, 
parts of test equipment and thermocouples (duty rate ranges from duty-
free to 6.1%).
    FTZ procedures would exempt SS/L from customs duty payments on the 
foreign components used in export production. Some 13 percent of the 
plant's shipments are sold to export markets; however, satellites 
launched from domestic sites are considered exported and a total of 96% 
of SS/L's zone savings would come from exports. The request indicates 
that the savings from FTZ 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.

[[Page 31421]]

    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, D.C. 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, D.C. 20230.
    The closing period for their receipt is August 1, 2005. Rebuttal 
comments in response to material submitted during the foregoing period 
may be submitted during the subsequent 15-day period to August 15, 
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, 2152 
N. Third Street, Suite 550, San Jose, California 95112.

    Dated: May 24, 2005.
Dennis Puccinelli,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 05-10887 Filed 5-31-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S