Proposed Foreign-Trade ZoneMesa, Arizona; Application and Public Hearing

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

[Docket 16-96]

Proposed Foreign-Trade Zone--Mesa, Arizona; Application and

Public Hearing

An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board

(the Board) by the City of Mesa, Arizona, to establish a general-

purpose foreign-trade zone in Mesa, Arizona, adjacent to the Phoenix

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 February 28, 1996. The applicant is authorized to

make the proposal under Section 44-6501 of the Arizona Revised

Statutes.

The proposed zone would be the second general-purpose zone in the

Phoenix Customs port of entry area. The existing zone, FTZ 75, is

located at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Center at Squaw Peak Freeway and I-10

in Phoenix, adjacent to Sky Harbor International Airport (Grantee: City

of Phoenix, Board Order 185, 47 FR 14931, 4/7/82).

The proposed foreign-trade zone would be located at Williams

Gateway Airport (3,020 acres), formerly Williams Air Force Base, 6001

South Power Road, Mesa, some 22 miles east of the Sky Harbor site.

Approximately half of the site involves existing airfield

infrastructure, and the remaining area (approximately 1,400 acres) is

available for industrial development. The site is currently leased to

Williams Gateway Airport Authority (WGAA) by the U.S. Air Force, but

the Air Force is in the process of conveying title to the property to

WGAA.

The application contains evidence of the need for additional zone

services in the Mesa area. In addition to aerospace/aviation related

manufacturing, aircraft maintenance and refurbishing, WGAA plans to

market the project as an international aerospace and aviation center.

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 April 4, 1996, 9:00 a.m., at Williams Gateway

Airport, Administration Building (Bldg. #41) Conference Room, 6001

South Power Road, Mesa, Arizona.

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 May 10, 1996. Rebuttal comments in response to

material submitted during the foregoing period may be submitted during

the subsequent 15-day period (to May 28, 1996).

A copy of the application and accompanying exhibits will be

available during this time for public inspection at the following

locations:

MEGACORP, City of Mesa Economic Development, 100 North Center Street,

Mesa, AZ 85201

Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, Room

3716, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th & Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.,

Washington, DC 20230.

Dated: March 1, 1996.

John J. Da Ponte, Jr.,

Executive Secretary.

[FR Doc. 96-5599 Filed 3-8-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P