[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 102 (Friday, May 25, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 31308]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-12796]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[B-41-2012]


Foreign-Trade Zone 36--Galveston, TX; Application for 
Reorganization/Expansion Under Alternative Site Framework

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) 
Board (the Board) by the Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves, 
grantee of FTZ 36, requesting authority to reorganize and expand the 
zone under the alternative site framework (ASF) adopted by the Board 
(15 CFR 400.2(c)). The ASF is an option for grantees for the 
establishment or reorganization of general-purpose zones and can permit 
significantly greater flexibility in the designation of new subzones or 
``usage-driven'' FTZ sites for operators/users located within a 
grantee's ``service area'' in the context of the Board's standard 
2,000-acre activation limit for a general-purpose zone project. 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 May 22, 2012.
    FTZ 36 was approved by the Board on May 4, 1978 (Board Order 129, 
43 FR 20525, 5/12/78), and expanded on August 27, 2004 (Board Order 
1348, 69 FR 53887, 9/3/04). On February 22, 2000, the grant of 
authority was reissued to the Board of Trustees of the Galveston 
Wharves (Board Order 1080, 65 FR 11548-11549, 3/3/00).
    The current zone project includes the following sites: Site 1 (162 
acres)--within Galveston Harbor, west end of port complex on Galveston 
Island; Site 2 (896 acres, 6 parcels)--within Galveston Harbor on 
Pelican Island; Site 3 (38 acres)--within Scholes International 
Airport, 4 miles from Site 1 on Galveston Island; Site 4 (25 acres, 
expires 12/31/2012)--within the League City Industrial Park, 651 FM 
646, Dickinson; Site 5 (21 acres, expires 12/31/2012)--4200 Old Port 
Industrial Road, Galveston; and, Site 6 (55 acres, expires 12/31/
2012)--Hitchcock Blimp Base, 7526 Blimp Base Road, Hitchcock.
    The grantee's proposed service area under the ASF would be 
Galveston County, Texas, as described in the application. If approved, 
the grantee would be able to serve sites throughout the service area 
based on companies' needs for FTZ designation. The proposed service 
area is within and adjacent to the Houston Customs and Border 
Protection port of entry.
    The applicant is requesting authority to reorganize and expand its 
existing zone project as follows: restore 76 acres at Site 2 (new 
acreage--972 acres); Sites 1, 2 (as modified) and 3 would become 
``magnet'' sites; and, Sites 4, 5 and 6 would become ``usage-driven'' 
sites. The ASF allows for the possible exemption of one magnet site 
from the ``sunset'' time limits that generally apply to sites under the 
ASF, and the applicant proposes that Site 1 be so exempted. The 
application would have no impact on FTZ 36's previously authorized 
subzones.
    In accordance with the Board's regulations, Camille Evans 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 address below. The closing period for their receipt is 
July 24, 2012. Rebuttal comments in response to material submitted 
during the foregoing period may be submitted during the subsequent 15-
day period to August 8, 2012.
    A copy of the application 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 Camille Evans at [email protected] 
or (202) 482-2350.

    Dated: May 22, 2012.
Andrew McGilvray,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-12796 Filed 5-24-12; 8:45 am]
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