Proposed Foreign-Trade ZoneLancaster, California, Application and Public Hearing

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 32-98]

Proposed Foreign-Trade Zone--Lancaster, California, Application

and Public Hearing

An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ)

Board (the Board) by the City of Lancaster, California, to establish a

general-purpose foreign-trade zone in Lancaster, California, within the

Los Angeles-Long Beach Customs port of entry. The application was

submitted pursuant to the provisions of the FTZ 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 12, 1998. The applicant is authorized to

make the proposal under Section 6302 of the California Code.

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

Los Angeles-Long Beach Customs port of entry area. The existing zones

are: FTZ 50 in Long Beach (sites also in Ontario, Santa Ana and San

Bernardino) (Grantee: Board of Harbor Commissioners of the City of Long

Beach, Board Order 147, 44 FR 55919, 9/28/79); FTZ 191 in Palmdale

(Grantee: City of Palmdale, Board Order 628, 58 FR 6614, 2/1/93); and,

FTZ 202 in Los Angeles (sites also in Bakersfield, Rancho Dominguez and

Carson) (Grantee: Board of Harbor Commissioners of the City of Los

Angeles, Board Order 693, 59 FR 37464, 7/22/94).

The proposed new zone would consist of 2 sites (3,200 acres) in

Lancaster (Los Angeles County): Site 1 (160 acres)--Lancaster Business

Park, Avenues L and K-8, Lancaster; and Site 2 (3,040 acres)--Reusable

Launch

[[Page 35907]]

Vehicle/Space Port, southern perimeter of that portion of the Edwards

Air Force Base, Los Angeles County. Site 1 is owned by the Lancaster

Economic Development Corporation and several private owners. Site 2 is

presently owned by the Department of Defense but will be conveyed to

the applicant and would be annexed into the City limits and fall under

the City's jurisdiction.

The application indicates a need for foreign-trade zone services in

the Lancaster area. Several firms have indicated an interest in using

zone procedures for research and development and space launch and

recover operations. 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 August 4, 1998, 9:00 a.m., City of Lancaster City

Hall, Emergency Operation Center, 44933 North Fern Avenue, Lancaster,

California 93534.

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 August 31, 1998. Rebuttal comments in response to

material submitted during the foregoing period may be submitted during

the subsequent 15-day period (to September 14, 1998).

A copy of the application and accompanying exhibits will be

available during this time for public inspection at the following

locations:

City Clerk's Office, City of Lancaster, 44933 North Fern Avenue,

Lancaster, California 93534

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: June 18, 1998.

Dennis Puccinelli,

Acting Executive Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98-17444 Filed 6-30-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P