[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 113 (Tuesday, June 11, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 29530]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-14745]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[Docket 49-96)


Foreign-Trade Zone 181--Akron-Canton, OH; Application for Subzone 
Status Ashland Inc. (Oil Refinery Complex) Stark and Allen Counties, OH

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Akron-Canton Regional Airport Authority, grantee of 
FTZ 181, requesting special-purpose subzone status for the oil refinery 
complex of Ashland Inc., located at sites in Stark and Allen Counties, 
Ohio. 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 
June 4, 1996.
    The refinery complex (227 employees) consists of 2 sites and 
connecting pipelines in northern Ohio: Site 1 (160 acres)--main 
refinery complex (73,000 BPD capacity) located at 2408 Gambrinus SW, 
Stark County, 2 miles southwest of Canton; Site 2 (112 acres)--Ashland 
Pipe Line Co. crude oil terminal (12 tanks with 1 million barrel 
capacity) located at 575 Buckeye Road, Allen County, south of the city 
of Lima. The refinery, terminal and pipelines operate as an integrated 
refinery complex.
    The refinery complex is used to produce fuels and petrochemical 
feedstocks. Fuels produced include gasoline, jet fuel, distillates, 
diesel fuel, fuel oil and kerosene. Petrochemical feedstocks and 
refinery by-products include propane, propylene, sulfur and asphalt. 
About 35 percent of the crude oil (96 percent of inputs), and some 
feedstocks and motor fuel blendstocks used in producing fuel products 
are sourced abroad.
    Zone procedures would exempt the operations involved 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) instead of the duty 
rates that would otherwise apply to the foreign-sourced inputs (e.g., 
crude oil, natural gas condensate). The duty rates on inputs ranges 
from 5.25 cents/barrel 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 
August 12, 1996. Rebuttal comments in response to material submitted 
during the foregoing period may be submitted during the subsequent 15-
day period (to August 26, 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 Export Assistance Center, Bank One Center, 
Suite 700, 600 Superior Ave., East, Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, Room 
3716, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th & Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20230

    Dated: June 4, 1996.
John J. Da Ponte, Jr.,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-14745 Filed 6-10-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P