[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 78 (Tuesday, April 24, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 20323]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-7784]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

(Docket 14-2007)


Foreign-Trade Zone 124 -- Gramercy, Louisiana, Application for 
Subzone, M-I L.L.C. (Barite Grinding and Milling), Amelia, Louisiana

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Port of South Louisiana, grantee of Foreign-Trade 
Zone (FTZ) 124, requesting special-purpose subzone status for the 
barite grinding and milling facilities of M-I L.L.C. (M-I), located in 
Amelia, Louisiana. 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 April 16, 2007.
    The M-I facilities (40 acres, 58 employees) are located at 2150 
Highway 662 N, in Amelia, adjacent to the Gramercy Customs and Border 
Protection port of entry. The M-I facilities are used for 
manufacturing, warehousing and distribution activities related to the 
grinding and milling of raw barite into ground barite (up to 483,840 
tons annually). Ground barite is used in the production of drilling 
fluids (drilling mud) and various specialty chemicals for use by the 
oil and gas exploration industry. M-I sources the majority of its raw 
barite from abroad. The duty rate on the imported raw barite is $1.25 
per ton.
    This application requests authority for M-I to conduct the activity 
under FTZ procedures, which would exempt M-I from Customs duty payments 
on the barite used in export production. Less than 3 percent of 
production is exported. On domestic sales, the company could choose the 
lower duty rate (duty-free) that applies to the ground barite. M-I also 
anticipates realizing additional savings on materials that become 
scrap/waste during production. The application indicates that the FTZ-
related savings would improve the 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 is invited from interested parties. Submissions 
(original and 3 copies) shall be addressed to the Board's Executive 
Secretary at the address listed below. The closing period for their 
receipt is June 25, 2007. Rebuttal comments in response to material 
submitted during the foregoing period may be submitted during the 
subsequent 15-day period (to July 9, 2007).
    A copy of the application and accompanying exhibits will be 
available at each of the following addresses: Port of South Louisiana, 
171 Belle Terre Blvd., P.O. Box 909, LaPlace, LA 70069; and, Office of 
the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, Room 2814B, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Ave, NW., Washington, DC 
20230. For further information contact Christopher Kemp at 
[email protected] or (202) 482-0862.

    Dated: April 16, 2007.
Andrew McGilvray,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-7784 Filed 4-23-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S