[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 2, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5283-5284]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-2178]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 7-2010]


Foreign-Trade Zone 123 - Denver, Colorado, Application for 
Subzone, Vestas Nacelles America, Inc. (Wind Turbine Nacelles, Hubs, 
Blades and Towers), Brighton, Denver, Pueblo, and Windsor, Colorado

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the City and County of Denver, grantee of FTZ 123, 
requesting special-purpose subzone status for the wind turbine nacelle, 
hub, blade and tower manufacturing and warehousing facilities of Vestas 
Nacelles America, Inc. (and related entities) (Vestas) located in 
Brighton, Denver, Pueblo, and Windsor, Colorado. 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 January 25, 2010.
    The Vestas facilities (2,500 employees) consist of four sites: Site 
1 - manufacturing plant and warehouse nacelles, hubs and blades 
(664,000 sq.ft./299.1 acres) located at 1500 East Crown Prince 
Boulevard, Brighton, Colorado; Site 2 - manufacturing plant blades 
(400,000 sq.ft./80.78 acres) located at 11140 Eastman Park Drive, 
Windsor, Colorado; Site 3 - manufacturing plant towers (651,000 sq.ft./
811 acres) located at 100 Tower Drive, Pueblo; and, Site 4 - warehouse 
wind turbine components (119,983 sq.ft./5.6 acres) located at 5175 
Joliet Street, Denver, Colorado. Activity to be conducted under FTZ 
procedures would include manufacturing, testing, packaging and 
warehousing of wind turbines and related parts (up to 1,560 nacelles 
and hubs, 4,200 blades, and 1,100 towers annually) for the U.S. market 
and export. Foreign-origin components (representing up to 50% of total 
material inputs, by value) that would be used in the manufacturing 
activity would include grease, oils, epoxy/resins, paint, filler, 
sealant tape, adhesives, self-adhesive plates/sheets/film of plastics, 
gaskets/washers/seals of plastics, dampeners, balsa/birch kits, 
plywood, boxes and pallets of wood, glass fiber roving and yarn, steel 
columns/posts/pillars/towers, lattice masts, wire and cable, fasteners, 
aluminum cloth/grill/mesh, root joints, slewing rings, blade bearings, 
transport fixtures (of steel), rope, brackets, fittings, flanges, base 
metal mountings, tubes, pipes, doors/gates, linear-acting cylinders, 
electrical equipment, motors, generators, batteries, profile projectors 
and parts, ducts, clamps, roller chain, control valves, gears, 
transmission shafts, flywheels, pulleys, springs, pumps, air/water 
coolers, filters, balancing weights, plates, controllers, accumulators, 
bearings, housings, brake parts, heaters, measuring instruments, and 
wind vanes (duty rate range: free - 13.6%). The application indicates 
that Vestas will admit all foreign-origin components ``classified 
within textile import categories'' to the proposed subzone under 
privileged foreign status (19 CFR Sec.  146.41).
    FTZ procedures could exempt Vestas from customs duty payments on 
the foreign components and materials used in export production (about 
25% of annual shipments). On domestic shipments, the company would be 
able to elect the duty rate that applies to finished wind turbine 
nacelles, hubs, blades and towers (duty free) for the foreign 
production inputs noted above.

[[Page 5284]]

Vestas would also be exempt from duty payments on any foreign-origin 
inputs that become scrap or waste during manufacturing. Subzone status 
would further allow Vestas to realize logistical benefits through the 
use of weekly customs entry procedures. The application indicates that 
the savings from FTZ procedures would help improve the facilities' 
international competitiveness.
    In accordance with the Board's regulations, Pierre Duy of the FTZ 
Staff is designated examiner to evaluate and analyze the facts and 
information presented in the application and case record and to report 
findings and recommendations 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 following address: Office of the Executive Secretary, 
Room 2111, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW, 
Washington, DC 20230-0002. The closing period for receipt of comments 
is April 5, 2010. Rebuttal comments in response to material submitted 
during the foregoing period may be submitted during the subsequent 15-
day period to April 19, 2010.
    A copy of the application will be available for public inspection 
at the Office of the Foreign-Trade Zones Board's Executive Secretary at 
the address listed above and in the ``Reading Room'' section of the 
Board's website, which is accessible via www.trade.gov/ftz. For further 
information, contact Pierre Duy at [email protected] or (202) 482-
1378.

    Dated: January 25, 2010.
Andrew McGilvray,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010-2178 Filed 2-1-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S