[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 53 (Friday, March 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11907-11908]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-6162]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 11-2009]


Foreign-Trade Zone 31--Granite City, IL: Expansion of 
Manufacturing Authority--Subzone 31B; WRB Refining LLC; (Oil Refinery 
Complex) Madison County, IL

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) 
Board (the Board) by the Tri-City Regional Port District, grantee of 
FTZ 31, requesting authority on behalf of WRB Refining LLC (WRB), to 
expand the scope of manufacturing activity conducted under zone 
procedures within Subzone 31B at the oil refinery complex of WRB 
located at sites in Madison County, 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 12, 2009. Subzone 31B (2,100 employees) was 
approved by the Board on March 10, 1997 for the manufacture of fuel 
products and certain petrochemical feedstocks (Board Order 878, 62 FR 
13593-13594, 3/21/1997). The subzone refinery complex currently 
consists of 5 sites (totaling approx. 2,075 acres, 290,000 BPD 
capacity) located near Hwy 111 in Wood River Township, Madison County, 
Illinois. The refinery is undergoing an expansion that will add units 
and upgrade existing units within the subzone boundaries that is 
expected to expand crude production capacity up to 380,000 barrels per 
day. 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 of the increased production, the company would be able to choose 
the duty rates for certain petrochemical feedstocks (duty-free) by 
admitting foreign crude oil in non-privileged foreign status. The duty 
rates on crude oil range from 5.25 cents/barrel to 10.5 cents/barrel. 
The application indicates that the additional savings from zone 
procedures would help improve the refinery's international 
competitiveness.

[[Page 11908]]

    In accordance with the Board's regulations, Diane Finver of the FTZ 
staff is 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 below. The closing period for their receipt is 
May 19, 2009. Rebuttal comments in response to material submitted 
during the foregoing period may be submitted during the subsequent 15-
day period (to June 3, 2009).
    A copy of the request will be available for public inspection at 
the Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, Room 
2111, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20230-0002, and in the ``Reading Room'' section of the 
Board's Web site, which is accessible via www.trade.gov/ftz. For 
further information, contact Diane Finver at [email protected], 
or (202) 482-1367.

    Dated: March 12, 2009.
Andrew McGilvray,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-6162 Filed 3-19-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P