[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 53 (Tuesday, March 20, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13081-13082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-5067]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 8-2007]


Foreign-Trade Zone 183 - Austin, Texas, Expansion of 
Manufacturing Authority -- Subzone 183B, Samsung Austin Semiconductor 
L.L.C., Austin, Texas

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Foreign-Trade Zone of Central Texas, Inc., grantee 
of FTZ 183, requesting authority on behalf of Samsung Austin 
Semiconductor L.L.C. (Samsung), to expand the scope of manufacturing 
activity conducted under zone procedures within Subzone 183B at the 
Samsung facilities in Austin, Texas. The application was submitted 
pursuant to the provisions of the

[[Page 13082]]

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 
February 28, 2007.
    Subzone 183B (1,348 employees) was approved by the Board in 2005 
for the manufacture of semiconductor memory devices for export (Board 
Order 1421, 70 FR 72293, 12/2/05). The subzone consists of three sites 
(192.1 acres total; 876,453 sq. ft. of enclosed space): Site 1--Samsung 
Austin Semiconductor facilities (186.1 acres; 764,453 sq. ft.)--located 
at 12100 Samsung Boulevard in Austin, Texas; Site 2--HISCO facilities 
(4.1 acres; 62,000 sq. ft.)--located at 8330 Cross Park Drive in 
Austin; and Site 3--Three Way Inc. facilities (1.9 acres; 50,000 sq. 
ft.)--located at 4009 Commercial Center Drive in Austin.
    The current request involves an increase in capacity due to the 
construction of a new fabrication unit within Site 1 that will add 
1,621,482 square feet of enclosed space. No additional finished 
products have been requested; however, Samsung is seeking to add 
certain gases used in the manufacturing process to its scope of 
authority. The gases that may be sourced from abroad include: methane, 
xenon, tetrachlorosilane, boron trichloride/nitrogen, methyl floride, 
aluminum borohydride trimethylamine and tetrakis (ethylmethylamido) 
zirconium (HTS 2711.29, 2804.29, 2812.10, 2903.03, 2921.11 and 2931.00, 
duty rate ranges from 3.7-5.5[percnt]). The company is requesting 
export only authority for the expanded capacity and additional inputs, 
and the scope otherwise would remain unchanged.
    Zone procedures for the expanded facilities and inputs would exempt 
Samsung from customs duty payments on the foreign components used in 
export production. Currently, foreign inputs account for approximately 
7 percent of the value of the finished semiconductor memory devices. 
Samsung would also be able to avoid duty on foreign inputs that become 
scrap/waste. Samsung may also realize logistical/procedural and other 
benefits from subzone status. The application indicates that the 
savings from zone procedures 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.
    Public comment is invited from interested parties. Submissions 
(original and 3 copies) shall be addressed to the Board's Executive 
Secretary at the address below. The closing period for their receipt is 
May 21, 2007. Rebuttal comments in response to material submitted 
during the foregoing period may be submitted during the subsequent 15-
day period to June 4, 2007.
    A copy of the application and accompanying exhibits will be 
available for public inspection at each of the following locations:
U.S. Department of Commerce Export Assistance Center, 221 E. 11th St., 
4th Floor, Austin, Texas 78701.
Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, Room 2814B, 1401 Constitution Ave., NW, 
Washington, DC 20230.
    For further information, contact Elizabeth Whiteman at [email protected] or (202) 482-0473.

    Dated: February 28, 2007.
Andrew McGilvray,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-5067 Filed 3-19-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S