DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Foreign-Trade Zones Board
[Docket No. 7-86]
51 FR 7971
March 7, 1986
Foreign Trade Zone 124 -- Gramercy, LA; Application for Subzone at
TransAmerican Natural Gas Refinery
TEXT: An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board
(the Board) by the South Louisiana Port Commission, grantee of Foreign-Trade
Zone 124, requesting special-purpose subzone status for the crude oil
refinery of TransAmerican Natural Gas Corporation (formerly GHR Energy
Corp.) located in Destrehan, Louisiana, adjacent to the Gamercy Customs
port of entry. TransAmerican is currently negotiating with prospective
purchasers or operators of the refinery and indicates that subzone status
would be a factor in these transactions. 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 February 21, 1986.
The proposed subzone would encompass the 600-acre oil refinery located on
the east bank of the Mississippi River at River Mile Point 126, in
Destrehan, 20 miles northwest of New Orleans. The facility, which has been
closed since 1983, has the capacity to refine 300,000 barrels per day of
crude oil, gas oil, and residual fuel oil, employing 1,000 persons. It is
anticipated that mostly foreign inputs would be used and that some of the
finished products would be exported.
Zone procedures would exempt the refinery from Customs duty payments on
the foreign products used in its exports. On its domestic sales it would be
able to take advantage of the same duty rate available to importers of
refined products. Motor fuel has a duty rate of 1.25~/gal., crude oil's rate
varies from 0.125~ to 0.25~/gal., and butane and kerosene are duty free.
The savings from zone status would encourage reactivation of the facility.
In accordance with the Board's regulations, an examiners committee has
been appointed to investigate the application and report to the Board. The
committee consist of: John J. Da Ponte, Jr. (Chairman), Director, Foreign-
Trade Zones Staff, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230; Joel
Mish, District Director, U.S. Customs Service, South Central Region, 423
Canal St., New Orleans, LA 70130; and Colonel Eugene S. Witherspoon,
District Engineer, U.S. Army Engineer District New Orleans, P.O. Box 60267,
New Orleans, LA 70160.
Comments concerning the proposed subzone are invited in writing from
interested parties. They should be addressed to the Board's Executive
Secretary at the address below and postmarked on or before April 10, 1986.
A copy of the application and accompanying exhibits will be available
during this time for public inspection at each of the following locations:
U.S. Department of Commerce,
423 International Trade Mart,
No. 2 Canal Street,
New Orleans, LA 70130;
Office of the Executive Secretary,
Foreign-Trade Zones Board,
U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 1529,
14th and Pennsylvania, NW.,
Washington, DC 20230.
Dated: March 3, 1986.
John J. Da Ponte, Jr.,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 86-4988 Filed 3-6-86; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-M