DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Foreign-Trade Zones Board
[Docket No. 47-87]
53 FR 784
January 13, 1988
Foreign-Trade Zone 122, Nueces County, TX; Application for Subzone Valero
Oil Refinery
TEXT: An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board
(the Board) by the Port of Corpus Christi Authority, grantee of FTZ 122,
requesting special-purpose subzone status for the oil refinery of Valero
Refining Company (subsidiary of Valero Energy Corporation) located in Nueces
County, Texas, adjacent to the Corpus Christi Customs port of entry. The
application was submitted pursuant to the provisions of the Foreign-Trade
Zones Act, as amended (19 USC 81a-81u), and the regulations of the Board
(15 CFR Part 400). It was formally filed on December 30, 1987.
The 80,000 BPD refinery (381 acres) is located at 5900 Up River Road,
Nueces County. The facility employes 345 persons and is used to produce
gasoline, naptha, other middle distillates, fuel oil, light oils, cat
gasoline, butane, propane, asphalt and sulphur. Some 90 percent of the
refinery inputs are sourced abroad, including crude oil, intermediate
feedstocks and components.
Zone procedures would exempt the refinery from Customs payments on the
foreign products used in its exports. On its domestic sales, the company is
seeking to avoid duties on fuel used in the refinery and to defer duties
until products leave the refinery. On certain products, such as asphalt,
sulphur, propane, and butane, the company would be able to elect the rate
available to importers of these products. (Currently the rate is zero. The
duty on crude oil ranges from 5 1/4 to 10 1/2 cents/barrel.) Foreign
merchandise moved into zones are also exempt from state and local ad
valorem taxes. The applicant indicates that zone procedures will help the
company's international competitiveness.
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, DC 20230; Donald
Gough, Deputy Assistant Regional Commissioner, U.S. Customs Service,
Southwest Region, 5850 San Felipe Street, Houston, Texas 77057; and Colonel
John A. Tudela, District Engineer, U.S. Army Engineer District Galveston,
P.O. Box 1229, Galveston, Texas 77553.
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 February 21,
1988.
A copy of the application is available for public inspection at each of
the following locations:
Port Director's Office,
U.S. Customs Service,
Government Plaza,
400 Mann Street, Suite 305,
Corpus Christi, Texas 78401
Office of the Executive Secretary,
Foreign-Trade Zones Board,
U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 1529,
14th and Pennsylvania Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20230.
Dated: December 30, 1987.
John J. Da Ponte, Jr.,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 88-530 Filed 1-12-88; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-M