Thread: This is an intersting article on Mexico moving jobs S.

By Bill Lussenheide
Candidate US Congress CA-45 (Mary Bono Mack) Palm Springs, CA

http://www.FaithFamilyFreedoms.blogspot.com

The important ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, are in danger of being replaced thanks to yet another implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Southern California's twin ports are the nation's biggest cargo container hub. These two ports are a national treasure. Their value for both inbound and outbound cargo is priceless, not just for the region, but for the entire nation.


Hit hard by the “Great Recessionâ€

What our "transnational business leaders" are planning is an entire system of new "ports" to North America, both by sea and inland! Kansas City Southern Railroad will be one primary link between new western Mexican sea coast ports and the new "inland port" of Kansas City - Kansas City Smart Port. However, trade to it and other inland ports also will be based upon transportation by air, truck, and water - just as in the European Union model. Note that these "inland ports" within the United States and Canada will be designated legally as "free trade zones", and the KCSP will house facilities for BOTH U.S. and Mexican Customs Officials! Below is some information on the KCSP with a link to current inland port network planning in North America:


North American Inland Ports Network

Contact Person:
Chris Guterrez
President
Kansas City Smart Port

Home Page:
http://www.nascocorridor.com/naipn/page ... _city.html


International Facilities

Kansas City Foreign Trade Zones

Click here to see map of Greater Kansas City Free Trade Zones
http://www.nascocorridor.com/naipn/page ... html#trade

Kansas City ranks first in the country in Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) space, featuring several general purpose FTZ sites totaling more than 10,000 acres of space for storage and/or processing. In addition, four manufacturing subzones are used in the assembly of automobiles, automobile parts, and agricultural chemicals. The Kansas City trade zones handle more volume than those of Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Minneapolis, and St. Louis.

The trade zones are under the authority of Greater Kansas City Foreign Trade Zone, Inc. Kansas City was the first inland area to be granted the right to operate a FTZ and the first administered by a private, not-for-profit corporation. In the early 1970s, Kansas City pioneered what is now referred to as the "distributed" FTZ, which includes several zones and sub zones throughout the area. Companies can consider the advantages of several area sites on both sides of the state line.

The available storage space in the zone sites includes modern, above ground warehouses and energy efficient underground storage. Companies in Kansas City FTZs take advantage of outstanding air, rail, truck, and barge transportation systems.

http://www.nascocorridor.com/naipn/page ... ities.html


KANSAS CITY SMART PORT

KC SmartPort FAQ

Q. What is Kansas City SmartPort?

A. KC SmartPort, Inc., is the global authority on transportation and logistics opportunities in the 18-county, bi-state Kansas City region.

Q. What organizations created Kansas City SmartPort?

A. KC SmartPort was created jointly by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, the Kansas City Area Development Council, and the Mid-America Regional Council.

Q. How can I take advantage of KC SmartPort?

A. There are many ways. First, you can use this web site to gain more information about the transportation and logistics industy in the KC region. In addition to the web site, KC SmartPort's founding organizations, the Greater KC Chamber, KCADC, and MARC, offer many resources you can take advantage of.

Q. How does the Kansas City area compare to other cities in the transportation and logistics industry?

A. Kansas City is one of the leading centers of commerce in the central United States. The city is a major transportation hub. About 400 flights a day come and go from Kansas City International Airport. KC is one of only five U.S. cities with three intersecting interstate highways (I-70, I-29, and I-35). The city's rail system carries 300 daily freight arrivals and departures. Kansas City ranks first in foreign trade zone space, underground storage space, greeting card publishing, frozen food storage and distribution, and hard winter wheat marketing. It ranks second in wheat flour production. Both General Motors and Ford have major plants here, ranking Kansas City eighth in the nation in auto assembly.

Q. Where is the SmartPort Facility located?

SmartPort is not a physical port, SmartPort has an office in Downtown Kansas City, but the organization’s main function is to market the Kansas City area with all of the transportation assets. SmartPort markets all of the transportation assets in the 18-county, 50 cities and 2-state region.

Q. What is the Kansas City Customs Clearance Facility?

This facility will house U.S. and Mexican Customs Officials who will clear freight going southbound to Mexico. This facility will be for U.S. exports only, once the goods been cleared by U.S. and Mexican Customs in Kansas City then an electronic seal will be placed on the container, which can track the trucks all the way to its destination. This operation will expedite service at the border into Mexico.

Q. Will the goods coming from the Mexican Port of Lazaro Cardenas be cleared by Mexican Customs in Kansas City?

First of all the Lazaro Cardenas to Kansas City Corridor is an existing trade corridor that SmartPort promotes. This route is merely an alternative to congested west coast ports to bring goods into the U.S. This is a separate project from the Customs Facility.

Second, freight from a foreign country coming into the U.S. must be processed and cleared by the U.S. customs and Border Protection Agency.

Q. Why is SmartPort building a Super highway?

Recently this has been a common misconception. SmartPort is not building a super highway, but is simply promoting the Interstate 35 Corridor which runs north and south through North America. This corridor exists today, but there is not a plan to expand all of I-35 into a 12 lane highway.

http://www.kcsmartport.com/sec_about/section/FAQ.htm

911 Main, Suite 2600 | Kansas City, Missouri 64105
Phone (816) 374-5640 | Fax (816) 842-2865


KANSAS CITY SMART PORT TIMELINE,
posted here beginning in

1973

Order No. 93, March 23, 1973 Grant to the Greater
Kansas City Foreign-Trade Zone, Inc., to establish Foreign-Trade Zone No. 15 at Kansas City, Missouri.
Signed by Frederick B. Dent, Secretary of Commerce, Chairman of the Board (38 F.R. 8622; April 4, 1973).

1994 North American Superhighway Coalition is formed.
View this organization's web site: http://www.nascocorridor.com/

1997 North American International Trade Corridor Partnership is formed.
The NAITCP has since merged with NASCO.

1998 I-35 Trade Corridor Study was conducted.
Follow this link to the Executive Summary of the Final Report.

1999 Mid-Continent TradeWay Study was conducted.
The following link will take you to the study's report by the Mid America Regional Council: http://www.marc.org/transportation/tradeway.htm

2001 Kansas City SmartPort, Inc. is founded.

2002 SmartPort hosts "A Bridge to the Future" conferfence bringing together more than 300 business and government leaders.

2003 SmartPort coins the term inland port with a new branding of KC SmartPort as America's Inland Port Solution.

2004 SmartPort receives first of several Federal funding obligations for an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) focused on private sector supply chain visibility and efficiency.

2005 FedEx Ground announces a new 250,000 sq. ft. regional sorting facility making it the second facility for FedEx Ground in the greater KC region.

2006 KC SmartPort and partners announce four major new distribution centers locating in the greater KC region totaling more than 1.1 million sq. ft. of new space.

2006 KC SmartPort's ITS project -- Trade Data Exchange -- completes proof of concept tests. Live freight tests prove the data integration and visibility system has the potential to cut freight shipment times by two thirds.

2007 Three major intermodal projects announced in the KC region.

2007 KC ranks #1 in the Logistics Today annual ranking of logistics friendly cities.

2008 CenterPoint - KCS Intermodal Center has ribbon cutting on the KCS intermodal facility and turns dirt on the industrial park. CenterPoint will have 5-6 million sq. ft. of new distribution space at full build out.

2008 Trade Data Exchange goes live with Phase 1. The TDE begins operating for companies exporting products into Mexico.

http://www.kcsmartport.com/sec_about/se ... meline.htm

[This "time line" goes back to 1821 at the source. They are trying to present this trans-national "free trade zone" as a "logical historical progression" of Kansas City as a trade and transportation hub, beginning this "timeline" in 1821, when what later became Kansas City originally was established as "Westport Landing...on the banks of the Missouri River to handle the shipment of goods for travelers moving West". (added by poster).]

Thanks for this information. I have no clue what is going on with this. Thank again.