[Federal Register: January 19, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 13)]
[Notices]
[Page 1323]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19ja96-42]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[Docket 79-95]
Foreign-Trade Zone 84, Houston, Texas, Proposed Foreign-Trade
Subzone, Exxon Corporation (Oil Refinery Complex) Harris County, Texas
An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board
(the Board) by the Port of Houston Authority, grantee of FTZ 84,
requesting special-purpose subzone status for the oil refinery complex
of Exxon Corporation, located in Harris County, Texas. 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 December 12, 1995.
The refinery and petrochemical complex (3,500 acres) is located on
the Houston Ship Channel at 2800 Decker Drive, Harris County (Baytown
area), Texas, some 25 miles east of Houston. The refinery (400,000
barrels per day; 4,000 employees) is used to produce fuels and
petrochemical feedstocks. Fuels produced include gasoline, jet fuel,
distillates, residual fuels, and naphthas. Petrochemicals include
resins, epichlorohydrin, methyl ethyl ketone, allyl chloride, secondary
butyl alcohol, polypropylene, methane, ethane, propane, butane,
butylene, ethylene, propylene and butadiene. Refinery by-products
include sulfur and petroleum coke. Some 60 percent of the crude oil (85
percent of inputs), and some feedstocks and motor fuel blendstocks used
in producing fuel products are sourced abroad.
Zone procedures would exempt the refinery from Customs duty
payments on the foreign products used in its exports. On domestic
sales, the company would be able to choose the finished product duty
rate (nonprivileged foreign status--NPF) on certain petrochemical
feedstocks and refinery by-products (duty-free). The duty on crude oil
ranges from 5.25 cents to 10.5 cents/barrel. Foreign merchandise would
also be exempt from state and local ad valorem taxes. The application
indicates that the savings from zone procedures would help improve the
refinery's 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 is invited from interested parties. Submissions
(original and 3 copies) shall be addressed to the Board's Executive
Secretary at the address below. The closing period for their receipt is
March 19, 1996. Rebuttal comments in response to material submitted
during the foregoing period may be submitted during the subsequent 15-
day period (to April 3, 1996).
A copy of the application and accompanying exhibits will be
available for public inspection at each of the following locations:
U.S. Department of Commerce District Office, #1 Allen Center, Suite
1160, 500 Dallas, Houston, Texas 77002
Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, Room
3716, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20230
Dated: December 14, 1995.
John J. Da Ponte, Jr.,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-624 Filed 1-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P