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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Foreign-Trade Zones Board
[Docket 61-97]
Proposed Foreign-Trade Zone, Charleston, West Virginia Area;
Application and Public Hearing
An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board
(the Board) by the West Virginia Economic Development Authority (a West
Virginia public corporation), to establish a general-purpose foreign-
trade zone in the Charleston, West Virginia area, within the
Charleston, West Virginia 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 July 22, 1997. The applicant is
authorized to apply for foreign-trade zone authority under West
Virginia Code Sec. 31-15-6.
Presently pending with the Board is a separate application for a
general-purpose zone in Wood and Jackson Counties (filed 5/23/97, Doc.
43-97). Thus, the zone project proposed in this application would
become the second one in the Charleston, West Virginia, Customs port of
entry area. A related application for FTZ subzone status at the Toyota
Motor Manufacturing West Virginia, Inc. plant in Buffalo, West Virginia
is being filed simultaneously with this one (Doc. 62-97).
The proposed new zone would encompass three warehouse buildings (24
acres) located at the Charleston Ordnance Center (78 acres), 3100
MacCorkle Avenue S.W., South Charleston. The application contains
evidence of the need for general-purpose zone services at the proposed
site. Several firms have indicated an interest in using zone procedures
at the on-site facilities for warehousing/distribution activity.
Specific manufacturing approvals are not being sought at this time.
Requests would be made to the Board on a case-by-case basis.
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.
As part of the investigation, the Commerce examiner will hold a
public hearing on September 11, 1997, at 9:00 a.m., West Virginia House
of Delegates, Public Hearing Room, Building One, Room 215-E, State
Capitol Complex, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East, Charleston, West Virginia
25311.
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Public comment on the application 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 September 26, 1997. Rebuttal comments in response
to material submitted during the foregoing period may be submitted
during the subsequent 15-day period (to October 14, 1997).
A copy of the application and accompanying exhibits will be
available during this time for public inspection at the following
locations:
U.S. Department of Commerce, Export Assistance Center, 405 Capitol
Street, Suite 650, Charleston, WV 25301.
Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, Room
3716, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th & Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC 20230.
Dated: July 22, 1997.
John J. Da Ponte, Jr.,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-19808 Filed 7-25-97; 8:45 am]
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