[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 193 (Wednesday, October 6, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61770-61771]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-25116]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Notice of Availability of the Final Programmatic Environmental
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Deployment and
Operation of High Energy X-Ray Inspection Systems at Sea and Land Ports
of Entry
AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland
Security.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: A final Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) and a
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for High Energy X-Ray
Inspection Systems (HEXRIS) at sea and land ports of entry has been
prepared and is available for public review. The final PEA documents a
review of the potential environmental effects of the deployment and
operation of HEXRIS at various sea and land ports of entry. Based on
the final PEA, a determination was made that the proposed action will
not significantly affect the human environment such that further
analysis is required. Therefore, a FONSI was issued, and no
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required.
DATES: The final PEA and FONSI are available for review through
November 5, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the final PEA and FONSI may be obtained by
accessing the following Internet address: http://ecso.swf.usace.army.mil/Pages/Publicreview.cfm, or by contacting Guy
Feyen of CBP by telephone (202-344-1531), by fax (202-344-1418), by e-
mail to [email protected], or by writing to: CBP, Attn: Guy Feyen, 1300
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Suite 1575, Washington, DC 20229.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Antoinette DiVittorio, Environmental
and Energy Division, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, telephone
(202) 344-3131.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: High energy X-ray inspection is a non-
intrusive inspection technology that is used to scan high-density cargo
containers for contraband such as illicit drugs, currency, guns, and
weapons of mass destruction. To assist U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) in meeting its mission requirements of securing the
borders of the United States while simultaneously facilitating
legitimate trade and travel, High Energy X-Ray Inspection Systems
(HEXRIS) are proposed to be deployed and operated at both sea and land
ports of entry across the United States and Puerto Rico. HEXRIS fill a
unique niche in the types of inspection tools used by CBP at the
Nation's ports of entry. HEXRIS are capable of penetrating dense cargo
loads that cannot otherwise be examined with other technologies such as
gamma imaging systems or low-energy X-ray systems. HEXRIS will also
assist in fulfilling the requirement for the 100% scanning of
containers entering the United States as directed in the Security and
Accountability for Every (SAFE) Port Act of 2006. Public Law 109-347
(Oct. 13, 2006).
The NEPA Process
The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) requires an
agency to evaluate the environmental implications of any proposed major
action that could significantly affect the quality of the human
environment. Generally, to meet the NEPA requirements, an agency
prepares an Environmental Assessment (EA) to determine whether a more
thorough analysis of the environmental implications is necessary. If
such an analysis is necessary, the agency will produce an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS). If additional analysis is not necessary, the
agency will issue a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). A
Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) is an EA that evaluates a
major action on a broad, programmatic basis. Environmental evaluations
at specific project locations are conducted later.
HEXRIS PEA
On May 25, 2010, CBP published a notice in the Federal Register (75
FR 29357). entitled: ``Notice of Availability of the Draft Programmatic
Environmental Assessment for the Deployment and Operation of High
Energy X-Ray Inspection Systems at Sea and Land Ports of Entry.'' This
notice announced that a draft PEA concerning HEXRIS had been prepared
and made available to the public in accordance with NEPA, the Council
on 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. The notice informed the public on how to obtain a copy of the
draft PEA and requested comments from the public about the draft PEA.
The draft PEA addressed the potential environmental effects from the
installation and operation of HEXRIS at various ports throughout the
United States. CBP conducted evaluations on various resources present
at the ports, including: Climate, soils, water quality, air quality,
vegetation, wildlife, noise, infrastructure, aesthetics, and
radiological heath and safety, which were discussed in the draft PEA.
The draft was made available for a 30 day public comment period,
beginning on the date of the publication of the notice. The comment
period ended on June 24, 2010. Two comments were received.
CBP has now prepared the final PEA for the deployment and operation
of HEXRIS. The comments received on the draft PEA have been reviewed
and are
[[Page 61771]]
included in the final PEA document. On the basis of the final PEA, CBP
determined that the installation and operation of HEXRIS will have no
significant impact on human health or the environment and that
preparation of an EIS is not warranted. A FONSI was issued on August 3,
2010. The environmental implications for individual ports will be
considered as HEXRIS are installed. Any relevant documents will be made
available for public review via publication of notices in the Federal
Register.
Dated: October 1, 2010.
Gregory Giddens,
Executive Director, Facilities Management and Engineering, Office of
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2010-25116 Filed 10-5-10; 8:45 am]
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