DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Foreign-Trade Zones Board
[Docket 1-89; Foreign-Trade Zone 84 -- Houston, TX]
54 FR 7576
February 22, 1989
Application for Subzone; E.I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co., La Porte, TX;
Hydrofluoric Acid Manufacturing Plant
TEXT: An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board
the Board) by the Port of Houston Authority (PHA), grantee of FTZ 84,
requesting special-purpose subzone status for the hydrofluoric acid (HF)
manufacturing plant of E.I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co. (Du Pont), located in
La Porte, Harris County, Texas, within the Houston 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 January 30, 1989.
The HF plant is within the Du Pont chemical complex (345 acres) at 12501
Strang Street in the city of La Porte on the Houston Ship Channel. The HF
plant employs 150 persons. The only foreign item for which zone benefits
are sought is acid grade fluorspar used in the production of hydrofluoric
acid. HF is sold to producers of fluorocarbons, aluminum, stainless steel
and other items.
Zone procedures would exempt Du Pont from duty payments on the fluorspar
used in its exports. On its domestic sales, the company would be able to
elect the duty rate that applies to hydrofluoric acid. The duty rate on
acid grade fluorspar is $2.07 per metric ton, whereas HF is duty free. The
application indicates that zone savings will improve the plant'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: Dennis Puccinelli (Chairman), Foreign-Trade Zones
Staff, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230; Paul Rimmer,
Deputy Assistant Regional Commissioner, U.S. Customs Service, Southwest
Region, 5850 San Felipe Street, Houston, Texas 77057-3012; and Colonel John
A. Tudela, District Engineer, U.S. Army Engineer District Galveston, Texas
77553-1229.
Comments concerning the proposed subzone are invited in writing from
interested parties. They shall be addressed to the Board's Executive
Secretary at the address below and postmarked on or before March 30, 1989.
A copy of the application is available for public inspection at each of
the following locations:
U.S. Department of Commerce, District Office,
2625 Federal Courthouse,
515 Rusk Street,
Houston, TX 77002
Office of the Executive Secretary,
Foreign-Trade Zones Board,
U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 2835,
14th & Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20230
Dated: February 15, 1989.
John J. Da Ponte, Jr.,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 89-4061 Filed 2-21-89; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-M