[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 58 (Friday, March 26, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 14689]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-7369]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board
[Docket 10-99]


Foreign-Trade Subzone 149A--Freeport, TX, Request for Extension 
of Board Order Condition, BASF Corporation (Caprolactam Extract, 
Cyclohexanone)

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by BASF Corporation, operator of FTZ 149A, requesting an 
extension (to December 31, 2003) of Condition No. 2 of Board Order 732, 
which authorizes the election of nonprivileged foreign status (19 CFR 
Sec. 146.42) for caprolactam extract and cyclohexanone admitted to 
Subzone 149A at the BASF chemical products manufacturing facilities in 
Freeport, Texas. It was formally filed on March 17, 1999.
    Subzone 149A was approved by the Board in 1995 with authority to 
manufacture polycaprolactam (nylon-6; HTSUS 3908.10.0000) and its 
related chemical precursors, caprolactam extract and cyclohexanone 
under FTZ procedures up to a combined level of 45 million kilograms 
annually (Board Order 732, 60 FR 15903, 3-28-95), subject to the 
following conditions: (1) privileged foreign status (19 CFR 
Sec. 146.41) shall be elected on all foreign merchandise admitted to 
the subzone, except that nonprivileged foreign (NPF) status may be 
elected for foreign caprolactam extract (HTSUS 2933.71.0000; 2.3 cents/
kg+9%) and cyclohexanone (2914.22.1000; 1.4 cents/kg+9.7%); and, (2) 
the authority with regard to the NPF option is initially granted until 
December 31, 1999, subject to extension.
    FTZ procedures exempt BASF from Customs duty payments on the 
foreign components used in export production. On its domestic sales, 
the NPF option enables BASF to choose the finished polycaprolactam 
(nylon-6) duty rate (6.3%) for the foreign inputs noted above. The 
request indicates that the savings from FTZ procedures will continue to 
help improve the facilities' 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 on the application is invited from interested 
parties. Submissions (original and three copies) shall be addressed to 
the Board's Executive Secretary at the address below. The closing 
period for their receipt is May 26, 1999. Rebuttal comments in response 
to material submitted during the foregoing period may be submitted 
during the subsequent 15-day period (to (June 9, 1999).
    A copy of the application and the accompanying exhibits will be 
available for public inspection at the following location: Office of 
the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, Room 3716, 14th Street & Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, 
DC 20230-0002.

    Dated: March 17, 1999.
Dennis Puccinelli,
Acting Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-7369 Filed 3-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P