U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., secured commitments today on issues important to Casper’s airport and the sugar industry in Wyoming from the nominee to be the next Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Kevin McAleenan.

During a Senate Finance Committee hearing on McAleenan’s nomination, Enzi noted that his office had been receiving conflicting information from CBP on a Customs Port of Entry designation for Casper/Natrona County International Airport. The designation is critical in the airport’s efforts to expand their Foreign Trade Zone, which will make it easier for businesses to navigate customs and logistics for imports and exports.

McAleenan confirmed that he would commit to reviewing the airport’s request once appointed in order to provide clear communication on the status of the designation.

“Obviously Foreign Trade Zones are critical to expanding exports and increasing economic activities,” McAleenan said. “I can assure you that we will clean up and clearly communicate on the requirements and our abilities to work with Casper airport to set that up.”

McAleenan also assured Enzi that he would enforce a sugar trade agreement with Mexico. This agreement ensures that American domestic beet and cane farmers, beet processors, cane millers and cane refiners are not injured by imports of dumped and subsidized sugar from Mexico. Sugar beet production is one of Wyoming’s largest agricultural industries.

“We are very focused on antidumping and countervailing duty enforcement across all industries,” McAleenan said.