[Federal Register: July 6, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 128)]
[Notices]
[Page 38822-38824]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06jy10-87]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Notice of Intent To Prepare Four Programmatic Environmental
Impact Statements for the Northern Border Between the United States and
Canada and To Conduct Public Scoping Meetings
AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statements; Request for Comments; and Notice of Public Scoping
Meetings.
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SUMMARY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) intends to prepare
four Programmatic Environmental Impact Statements (PEISs) to identify
and assess potential impacts upon the human environment of ongoing and
potential future border security activities for the Northern Border
between the United States and Canada. The anticipated area of study
will extend approximately 100 miles south of the Northern Border. The
four PEISs will address regions encompassing New England, the Great
Lakes, states east of the Rocky Mountains, and states west of the Rocky
Mountains.
This notice initiates the public scoping process for preparation of
the PEISs. The purpose of the scoping process is to solicit public
comments regarding the potential environmental impacts that may be
addressed. This notice announces that CBP is requesting written
comments and conducting public scoping meetings.
Additionally, the scoping process will allow CBP to gather
information and allow the public to participate in consideration of
historic preservation activities pursuant to Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act for activities along the Northern
Border.
DATES: The scoping comment period will be 30 days beginning on the date
this document is published in the Federal Register. To ensure
consideration, comments must be received by August 5, 2010. Comments
may be submitted as set forth in the ADDRESSES section of this
document. Public scoping meetings will be held on various dates in
July, 2010, as described in the ADDRESSES section of this document.
ADDRESSES: The following electronic and physical addressees are
available for the public and other interested parties to provide
written comments on the scope of the PEISs or to obtain additional
information on the PEISs. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for additional
instructions for submitting written comments. To avoid duplication,
please use only one of the following methods for providing written
comments:
(a) Via the World Wide Web at: http://www.NorthernBorderPEIS.com;
or
(b) Via e-mail at: comments@NorthernBorderPEIS.com; or
(c) Via mail: CBP Northern Border PEIS, P.O. Box 3625, McLean,
Virginia 22102; or
(d) Via fax: (703) 760-4899.
CBP will hold public scoping meetings to obtain comments regarding
the PEISs at the following locations:
New England PEIS
(1) Augusta, ME on July 12, 2010
(2) Swanton, VT on July 13, 2010
Great Lakes PEIS
(1) Rochester, NY on July 12, 2010
(2) Erie, PA on July 13, 2010
(3) Massena, NY on July 14, 2010
(4) Detroit, MI on July 21, 2010
East of the Rocky Mountains PEIS
(1) Duluth, MN on July 19, 2010
(2) Minot, ND on July 21, 2010
(3) Havre, MT on July 22, 2010
West of the Rocky Mountains PEIS
(1) Bellingham, WA on July 19, 2010
(2) Bonners Ferry, ID on July 21, 2010
CBP will announce notice of the exact locations and times of the
public meetings as well as other information about PEIS process through
local newspapers, media, and the project Web site: http://
www.NorthernBorderPEIS.com.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Hass, CBP, Office of
Administration, telephone (202) 344-1929. You may also visit the
Northern Border PEIS Web site at: http://www.NorthernBorderPEIS.com.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) protects the nation's
borders from terrorism, human and drug smuggling, illegal migration,
and agricultural pests while simultaneously facilitating the flow of
legitimate travel and trade. CBP does so by integrating modern
technology, deploying highly trained law enforcement personnel, and
developing public and private sector partnerships that advance its
overall mission.
At 5,500 miles in length, the Northern Border of the United States
stands as the longest common border in the world. The terrain ranges
from densely forested lands on the west and east coasts to open plains
in the middle of the country. To complement its efforts, CBP uses
partnerships with other Federal,
[[Page 38823]]
state, and local law enforcement agencies to meet the challenges of
ensuring security while facilitating legitimate trade and travel along
this expansive and complex border area.
CBP leverages technology and partnerships to detect cross border
incursions between the Ports of Entry (POEs) and, when necessary due to
distances or challenging terrain, CBP uses an array of tools in
interdiction efforts. At the POEs, CBP uses state of the art technology
to efficiently screen the heavy volume of passengers and cargo
transiting the U.S./Canada border to ensure that no illicit goods or
travelers cross into the United States.
Throughout the next five to seven years, CBP anticipates that it
will implement enhancements to its border security activities. These
may include installing or enhancing sensing equipment networks;
changing patrol levels and areas; improving relationships among partner
law enforcement agencies; increasing manned and unmanned aerial and
maritime surveillance activities; improving cargo scanning techniques;
developing and using enhanced communication technologies; and enhancing
comprehensive response, interdiction, and detention capabilities. CBP
may use, maintain, upgrade, or deploy various physical facilities and
infrastructure, including, POEs, checkpoints, stations, water and power
utilities, roads, hangers and helipads, boat ramps and docks, kennels,
and communication and surveillance systems towers. Vehicles used by CBP
may include ATVs, snowmobiles, marine vessels, and aircraft. CBP plans
to deploy the most appropriate mix of security enhancement measures for
the Northern Border based on the threat and on the constraints of the
operating environment.
In support of CBP's mission and with an interest in understanding
the array of environmental considerations along the border, CBP intends
to prepare four Programmatic Environmental Impact Statements (PEISs) to
analyze the environmental effects of current and potential future CBP
border security activities along the Northern Border between the United
States and Canada. CBP will prepare draft PEISs initially, to be
followed, after a period of public comment, with final PEISs. Because
this effort is ``programmatic'' in nature, the study will not seek to
define effects for a specific or planned action. Instead, it will
analyze the overall effects of activities supporting the homeland
security mission of CBP.
Purpose and Area of Study
CBP will use the PEISs to improve planning of future actions to
meet its homeland security requirements. CBP plans to evaluate the
potential environmental effects of its activities conducted along the
Northern Border between the United States and Canada, including an
anticipated area of study extending approximately 100 miles south of
the Northern Border. Because of the diversity of conditions from east
to west, CBP intends to prepare four regional PEISs, covering the
border environment for the following areas:
(1) New England region (Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont)
(2) Great Lakes region (New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and
Wisconsin)
(3) East of the Rocky Mountains region (Minnesota, North Dakota, and
eastern Montana)
(4) West of the Rocky Mountains region (western Montana, Idaho and
Washington)
CBP plans to use the information derived from the analysis in the
PEISs in management, planning, and decision-making for its mission and
its environmental stewardship responsibilities, as well as to establish
a foundation for future impact analyses.
Public Scoping Process
This notice initiates the public scoping process in preparation of
the PEISs. All interested parties are invited to participate in the
scoping process. CBP invites agencies, organizations, and the general
public to provide input to this process of scoping environmental issues
for consideration in the PEISs. CBP welcomes input on potentially
significant environmental issues associated with the uses of
technologies, facilities, infrastructure, and personnel for border
security described above in the Background section or other connected
actions to be addressed in the PEISs. Comments may be in terms of broad
areas or restricted to specific areas of concern. Written comments may
be submitted as described in the ADDRESSES section of this document.
When submitting comments, please identify the region or PEIS of concern
to which your comments are related, as well as your name and address.
Respondents may request to withhold names or street addresses, except
for city or town, from public view or from disclosure under the Freedom
of Information Act. Such a request must be stated prominently at the
beginning of the comment. Such requests will be honored to the extent
allowed by law. This request to withhold personal information does not
apply to submissions from organizations or businesses, or from
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses.
As part of the scoping process, CBP will hold 11 public scoping
meetings. The purpose of these meetings is to obtain input concerning
the range of environmental considerations for inclusion within the
PEISs. These meetings will be held at locations near the Northern
Border in the early evening at the locations listed under ADDRESSES
above. The public is encouraged to communicate information and comments
on issues it believes CBP should address in the PEISs. CBP will
announce notice of the exact locations and times of the public meetings
as well as other information about its Northern Border security
activities through local newspapers, media, and the project Web site:
http://www.NorthernBorderPEIS.com.
After the public scoping period is complete and CBP has reviewed
the results, a compilation list of comments will be included in a
scoping report, which will be made available on the project Web site:
http://www.NorthernBorderPEIS.com. This report will not identify
individual citizens' comments by name or address. The report will also
be made available upon written request.
Public Involvement in Historic Preservation Activities Under Section
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C.
470f) requires Federal agencies to review all actions which may affect
resources listed on, or eligible for, the National Register of Historic
Places in order to take into account the effects of their undertakings
on historic properties and to afford the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation (ACHP) a reasonable opportunity to comment on such
undertakings. During the scoping process, CBP plans to gather
information and allow the public to express views regarding the effects
of CBP programs on cultural resources. During the process of public
scoping and preparation of the PEISs for the Northern Border, CBP seeks
to identify interested parties and obtain public comments on historic
preservation issues related to CBP activities along the Northern
Border.
Next Steps
This process is being conducted pursuant to NEPA, the Council on
[[Page 38824]]
Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the NEPA (40 CFR
parts 1500-1508), and Department of Homeland Security Directive 023-01
(renumbered from 5100.1), Environmental Planning Program of April 19,
2006. CBP will continue to announce information on exact locations and
times of public meetings as well as project information through local
newspapers and the project Web site: http://www.NorthernBorderPEIS.com.
In accordance with NEPA, the draft PEISs will be made available to the
public for review and comment through a Notice of Availability (NOA) in
the Federal Register. The NOA will provide directions for obtaining
copies of the draft PEISs as well as dates and locations for any
associated public participation meetings. After a public comment period
on the draft PEIS, CBP will complete a final PEIS.
Dated: June 30, 2010.
Gregory Giddens,
Executive Director, Facilities Management and Engineering, Office of
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2010-16392 Filed 7-2-10; 8:45 am]
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