Proposed Foreign-Trade Zone -- Harrison County, Mississippi (Gulfport Port of
Entry); Application and Public Hearing
TEXT: Notice is hereby given that an application has been submitted to the
Foreign-Trade Zones Board (the Board) by the Greater Gulfport/Biloxi Foreign
Trade Zone, Inc. (GBFTZ), a Mississippi non-profit development corporation,
requesting authority to establish a general-purpose foreign-trade zone in Harrison
County, Mississippi, within the Gulfport Customs port of entry. 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 March 15, 1983. The applicant is authorized to
make this proposal under Section 59-3-35 of the Mississippi Code of 1972,
Annotated.
The proposed zone covers 228 acres on four sites in Harrison County. Site 1 is
located within the Port of Gulfport on Highway 90. It involves a 55,000 square foot
warehouse (Transit Shed 15) and 4 acres of open space. Site 2 covers 99 acres on
three parcels at Gulfport-Biloxi Regional Airport in Gulfport to be used for air-cargo
related zone activities and as standby space for future development. Site 3 involves
97 acres within the 1500-acre Bernard Bayou Industrial District located on
Interstate 10 at Lorraine Road in Harrison County. Site 4 involves a 27-acre parcel
within the 520-acre Long Beach Industrial Park on Espy Avenue, Long Beach. Sites
3 and 4 are requested to provide space for firms requiring separate facilities.
GBFTZ's board membership is intended to insure cooperation of the zone project
with the Harrison County Development Commission, the Mississippi State Port
Authority at Gulfport, and the Gulfport/Biloxi Regional Airport Authority.
The application contains evidence of the need for zone services in the Gulfport
area. A number of prospective tenants have indicated an interest in using the zone
for warehousing/distribution, inspection, manufacturing and assembly of products
such as forgings, oil field equipment, tractor components, heating equipment,
chemicals, steel wire, building materials, metal hardware, furniture parts, lighting
fixtures, aluminum products, electronic components, apparel and food products.
Specific manufacturing approvals are not being sought at this time, requests to be
made to the Board on a case-by-case basis.
In accordance with the Board's regulations, an examiners committee has been
appointed to investigate the application and report to the Board. The committee
consists of: John J. Da Ponte, Jr. (Chairman), Director, Foreign-Trade Zones Staff,
U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. 20230; Garnet Fee, District
Director, U.S. Customs Service, South Central Region, 250 N. Water Street, Mobile,
Alabama 36601; and Colonel Patrick J. Kelly, District Engineer, U.S. Army Engineer
District Mobile, P.O. Box 2288, Mobile, Alabama 36628.
As part of its investigation, the examiners committee will hold a public hearing on
April 20, 1983, beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the Board Room of the Mississippi State
Port Authority Office, Highway 90 at 30th Avenue, Gulfport. The purpose of the
hearing is to help inform interested persons about the proposal, to provide an
opportunity for their expression of views, and to obtain information useful to the
examiners.
Interested parties are invited to present their views at the hearing. Persons wishing
to testify should notify the Board's Executive Secretary in writing at the address
below or by phone (202/377-2862) by April 12. Instead of an oral presentation,
written statements may be submitted in accordance with the Board's regulations to
the examiners committee, care of the Executive Secretary, at any time from the date
of this notice through May 20, 1983. Evidence submitted during the post-hearing
period is not desired unless it is shown that the matter is new and material and that
there are good reasons why it could not be presented at the hearing. A copy of the
application and accompanying exhibits will be available during this time for public
inspection at each of the following locations:
Port Director's Office,
U.S. Customs Service,
2301 14th Street,
Gulfport, Mississippi 39501, or
Office of the Executive Secretary,
Foreign-Trade Zones Board,
U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 1872,
14th and Pennsylvania, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20230.
Dated: March 16, 1983.
John J. Da Ponte, Jr.,
Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board.
[FR Doc. 83-7268 Filed 3-18-83; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-25-M