[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 43 (Monday, March 6, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 13778]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-04457]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[B-14-2023]


Foreign-Trade Zone 186; Application for Production Authority; 
Flemish Master Weavers; (Machine-Made Woven Area Rugs); Sanford, Maine

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) 
Board by the City of Waterville, Maine, grantee of FTZ 186, requesting 
production authority on behalf of Flemish Master Weavers (FMW), located 
within Subzone 186A in Sanford, Maine. The application conforming to 
the requirements of the regulations of the FTZ Board (15 CFR 400.23) 
was docketed on February 28, 2023.
    In 2016, the FMW facility (147 employees) received limited FTZ 
authority to produce machine-made woven area rugs using polypropylene 
and polyester yarns in privileged foreign (PF) status (19 CFR 146.41), 
which precludes inverted tariff benefits on those inputs (see 81 FR 
51850, August 5, 2016).
    In 2017, FMW requested authority to admit continuous filament 
polypropylene (CFPP) yarn in nonprivileged foreign (NPF) status (19 CFR 
146.42) (B-28-2017, 82 FR 26434, 6/7/2017). That request was approved 
subject to the following restrictions: (1) the annual quantitative 
volume of CFPP yarn that FMW may admit into Subzone 186A under NPF 
status was limited to 3 million kilograms; and (2) approval was limited 
to an initial period of five years, subject to extension upon review 
(Board Order 2071, 83 FR 54709, 10/31/2018).
    In 2022, in a notification proceeding, FMW requested to remove the 
restriction requiring admission in PF status for CFPP yarn--to which 
FMW's operation would otherwise be subject beginning on October 25, 
2023 (upon expiration of the time-limited authority approved in Board 
Order 2071). See B-33-2022, 87 FR 48149, August 8, 2022. In that case, 
the FTZ Board decided that further review was needed in the more 
detailed application process to allow adequate examination of current 
industry conditions facing U.S. CFPP yarn and woven area rug producers.
    If approved, FMW would be able to choose the duty rates during 
customs entry procedures that apply to machine-made woven area rugs 
(duty free) for the foreign-status inputs noted below. FMW would be 
able to avoid duty on foreign-status components which become scrap/
waste. Customs duties also could possibly be deferred or reduced on 
foreign-status production equipment. The request indicates that the 
savings from FTZ procedures would help improve the plant's 
international competitiveness.
    Components and materials sourced from abroad (representing 65% of 
the value of the finished product) include: single and two-ply 
continuous filament polypropylene yarn (duty rates are 8.8% and 8% 
respectively). As requested, FTZ authority would be subject to a 
restriction limiting the annual quantitative volume of CFPP yarn that 
FMW may admit into Subzone 186A under NPF status to 3 million 
kilograms. The request indicates that certain materials/components are 
subject to duties under section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 (section 
301), depending on the country of origin. The applicable section 301 
decisions require subject merchandise to be admitted to FTZs in PF 
status.
    In accordance with the FTZ Board's regulations, Diane Finver 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 FTZ Board.
    Public comment is invited from interested parties. Submissions 
shall be addressed to the FTZ Board's Executive Secretary and sent to: 
[email protected]. The closing period for their receipt is May 5, 2023. 
Rebuttal comments in response to material submitted during the 
foregoing period may be submitted during the subsequent 15-day period 
to May 22, 2023.
    A copy of the application will be available for public inspection 
in the ``Online FTZ Information Section'' section of the FTZ Board's 
website, which is accessible via www.trade.gov/ftz.
    For further information, contact Diane Finver at 
[email protected].

    Dated: February 28, 2023.
Elizabeth Whiteman,
Acting Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-04457 Filed 3-3-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P